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Providing operating funds and technology enhancement services for 39 member historically black colleges and universities, scholarships and internships for students at about 900 institutions and faculty and administrative professional training.

Over 63 years, the United Negro College Fund has raised more than $2 billion to help a total of more than 350,000 students attend college and has distributed more funds to help minorities attend school than any entity outside of the government.

Celebrity supporters

United Negro College Fund has 36 known supporters, including John Legend, Beyoncé, and Jennifer Hudson

Areas of work Education Read more about United Negro College Fund's work and celebrity supporters. Related articles Joss Stone, Anita Baker To Shine for Uncf's An Evening of StarsHill Harper Becomes A Scholarship NamesakeMichael Jackson's Charity LegacyMichael Jackson's This Is It Film To Be ReleasedLionel Richie Honored By United Negro College Fund

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The Roots Picnic, held yearly in Philadelphia since 2008, is a special kind of music festival. The lineup this year covered a wide spectrum of hip-hop and R&b, plus country, go-go, and more, with the Roots’ own omnivorous musicality as the guiding force. Daily crowds of 30,000 made the pilgrimage to Fairmount Park to soak up the sun and sounds on June 1 and 2. There were surprise guests (Ghostface! Common! Freeway! Lloyd! Musiq Soulchild!), outstanding collaborations, a couple of disappointing no-shows (Cam’Ron, you were missed), and tons more performances across three stages.

Jennifer Hudson has come a long way since she was a finalist in American Idol a few years ago. Not only has she launched a successful recording career, the starlet has acted in films such as Dreamgirls, and won an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, a BAFTA, and a SAG Award.

Hudson attended the tenth annual V-Day festival, a special celebration in New Orleans that aimed to bring a change to the way the world acts and thinks about women and whose mission was to start a global movement to stop violence against women and girls around the world.

V-Day is a non-profit organization that distributes funds to grassroots national and international initiatives and programs that work to stop violence against women and girls. Named one of Worth Magazine’s 100 Best Charities and one of Marie Claire Magazine’s Top Ten Charities, the V-Day movement has raised over $50 million in the last 9 years.

As college campus protests ignite across the U.S. over the Israel-Palestine conflict, “SNL” weighed in with its cold open this week as Kenan Thompson played an incredulous parent of a Columbia University student.

Michael Longfellow acted as a reporter for Spectrum News New York 1 on “Community Affairs,” shining light on the ongoing protests throughout the country and their impact. Mikey Day, Heidi Gardner and Thompson were seated as parents weighing in on the state of the nation on college campuses. Longfellow’s character says, “College students have been protesting Israel’s actions in Gaza on campus across the nation. Tonight, we’ll be discussing with my guests who are parents of college students here.

Day played a New School parent, Gardner played a Hunter College mom and Thompson played a Columbia University dad. Longfellow launched into his questions, asking the parents how they felt about the protests on campus.

Saturday Night Live tackled the college campus pro-Palestinian protests by taking aim at high education’s high tuition costs and questionable payoff.

Rather than tackle the Gaza issue itself, SNL instead went with the Pov of parents, featuring a spoof of a NY1 talk show roundtable of parents concerned about their children taking part in the demonstrations.

While two of the parents earnestly expressed worry over their kids but acknowledged their right to express themselves, Kenan Thompson played a Alphonso Roberts, a parent with a daughter at Columbia University, and a father who will have none of the disruption.

His daughter, he said, “better have her butt in class. Let me find out if she is in one of those damn tents instead of the dorm room I pay for.”

He added, “I am all in favor of you all’s kids protesting. My kids know better.”

He then groused...

The mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate race-based discrimination.

Celebrity supporters

NAACP has 48 known supporters, including Bono, John Legend, and Barack Obama

Areas of work Civil Rights Read more about NAACP's work and celebrity supporters. Related articles Joss Stone, Anita Baker To Shine for Uncf's An Evening of StarsJames Reynolds Leads Veterans ProgramExclusive Interview: Look To The Stars Talks To 2009 NAACP Image Award Nominee Dan MartinDinner for A Cause: Hollywood Meets Washington At Human Rights Campaign EventSocially Relevant Films Earn NAACP Image Award Nominations

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Copyright © 2024 Look To The Stars. This article may not be reproduced without explicit written permission; if you are not reading this via email or in your news reader, the site...

Thanks to the sneak-peek video that The Voice released ahead of Night 1 of Season 25’s Knockouts, we knew that at least one of the evening’s sing-offs was going to be standing-o-worthy. But nothing could have prepared us for the pretty damn outstanding evening of performances that we had in store. How many were “Wow!”-worthy? Read on, and we’ll discuss.

The Voice’s Best Performances of All Time, Ranked: The Good, the Badass and the Downright AmazingView List

Team Reba: Asher HaVon performing “Unbreak My Heart” (Grade: A) defeated Tae Lewis performing “Nothin’ On You” (Grade: A+) — Tae...

Spoiler Alert: Do not read ahead if you have not watched Season 11, Episode 5 of “The Masked Singer,” “Group C Finals: Shower Anthems Night,” which aired April 3 on Fox.

After two weeks of being on “The Masked Singer” chopping block, Sisqó is finally gone-guh-gone-gone-gone.

I think I’ll sing it again: Sisqó’s been dumped like a truck, truck, truck. “The Masked Singer” has removed his butt, butt, butt. Let me see (who sang) that song!

That’s right, “Thong Song” superstar Sisqó on Wednesday became the latest celebrity to be unmasked on “The Masked Singer,” revealed to be the Lizard.

For Sisqó as the Lizard, several of the panelists had figured it out. Robin Thicke and Rita Ora knew it was Sisqó. Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg picked Ray J. Ken Jeong said it was Michael Bivins.

Lizard was voted out after being one of the two lowest vote-getters in the two previous episodes.

Performed at the 2008 Diamond Ball & Private Concert benefiting the Miami Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Charities & foundations supported

Smokey Robinson has supported the following charities:

Barbara Davis Center for Childhood DiabetesBoys & Girls Clubs of AmericaElton John AIDS FoundationGabrielle's Angel FoundationMiami Children's Hospital FoundationUNICEFUnited Negro College Fund Read more about Smokey Robinson's charity work and events. Related articles Joss Stone, Anita Baker To Shine for Uncf's An Evening of StarsBeyoncé Honored For Charity WorkDenzel Washington Urges Kids To Be GreatSan Diego Celebrity Classic To Tee Off In AprilUsher Urges Youth To Be Great

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Copyright © 2024 Look To The Stars. This article may not be reproduced without explicit written permission; if you are not reading this via email or in your news reader, the site you are viewing is illegally infringing our copyright, and we would be grateful if you would contact us.

Spoiler Alert: Do not read ahead if you have not watched Season 11, Episode 4 of “The Masked Singer,” “TV Theme Night,” which aired March 27 on Fox.

“Extra” host Billy Bush won’t get an extra shot at “The Masked Singer.” The entertainment newsmagazine anchor and one-time morning drive radio host was the next celebrity to be unmasked on Wednesday’s “TV Theme Night” edition of “The Masked Singer.”

“I’m not a great singer,” Bush said. “If you can’t make it with the lips, make it with the hips. If you’ve never done something that’s a little on the scary side — and this is scary — say yes!”

For Bush, none of the panelists got it right. Robin Thicke guessed Anderson Cooper. Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg picked Seth Meyers. Ken Jeong picked Ryan Seacrest. New panelist Rita Ora said it was Andy Cohen.

Lizard (for the second week in a row...

A new contestant on this week’s The Masked Singer was Clock, and they made it to the next round without any issues or the need to take part in the Smackdown round. Still, the big question on everyone’s mind is … who could it be? Let’s look deeper into the clues.

“The Masked Singer” – What The Clock Performed

This week’s special theme on The Masked Singer focused on Billy Joel songs. The Clock performed his beautiful “Piano Man” medley and moved on to the next round. Still, because of the Joel song that was chosen, fans listened intently to try and figure out if Clock’s voice could offer any clues.

Jenny McCarthy-Walberg stated that Clock carried herself like a “diva” or “queen”. In Clock’s clue package was a Watch & Clock Maker shop where the performer noted she was “timeless”.

She goes on to say that at one time,...

Were you as impressed as we were when Clock raised her voice in song for the first time on “The Masked Singer”? She wowed us with her flawless cover of “Piano Man” on the March 20 episode. And she won over the judges with her diction and delivery of this Billy Joel classic.

Overnight, we’ve rewatched that performance by Clock and her clues package. Forget those guesses by the judges that Dandelion is Anita Baker, Evelyn “Champagne” King or Diana Ross We are sure we know Clock’s true identity. Keep reading as we have all your “The Masked Singer” spoilers, including the answer to the question, “Who is Clock?”

We were convinced that Clock is disco diva Thelma Houston. Don’t believe us? Besides the fact that the Clock sounds just like her, consider how so many of the clues fit in with the life of Thelma Houston.

Just like Clock,...

Clock was one of the new contestants this week on The Masked Singer. After their performance, they made it to the next round without a problem and didn’t have to participate in the week’s Smackdown round. With that said, they remain one of the favorites to move far in the competition, but who is under that mask?

Here is what Clock performed this week on The Masked Singer and who we think is under the mask based on the clues.

Clock Performs On The Masked Singer

This week, The Masked Singer had a special theme night. Last week was celebrating The Wizard of Oz, and this week was focused on a legendary singer/songwriter. This week is Billy Joel Night. With the new theme, there were four new singers in Group C. They include Clock, Lizard, Poodle Moth, and Spaghetti & Meatballs.

Clock came out and sang one of...

Come “Just The Way You Are” to celebrate “Billy Joel Night” on “The Masked Singer!” Panelist Robin Thicke kicks off the episode with a rockstar rendition of “My Life.” Then, the last group of celebrity singers belt out classic tunes from the iconic “Piano Man” himself, Bill Joel. Play along with panelists Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg, Ken Jeong and Rita Ora. Nick Cannon hosts the wild and wacky fun.

The Season 11 contestants boast a combined 22 Grammy nominations, 11 platinum albums, 33 Teen Choice nominations, 108 million records sold, 326 film appearances and have 1.7 billion Spotify streams! Tune-in as another celebrity is unmasked in the all-new “Group C Premiere: Billy Joel Night” episode of “The Masked Singer” airing Wednesday, March 20 (8:00-9:02 Pm Et/Pt) on Fox.

Below, read our minute-by-minute “The Masked Singer” recap of Season 11, Episode 3, to find out what happened Wednesday, March 20 at 8:00 p.m. Et/Pt on Fox. Then be sure...

Spoiler Alert: Do not read ahead if you have not watched Season 11, Episode 3 of “The Masked Singer,” “Billy Joel Night,” which aired March 20 on Fox.

In a Fox reality crossover, “MasterChef” judge Joe Bastianich was revealed to be the singer under the Spaghetti & Meatballs costume on this week’s episode of “The Masked Singer.” And in a coincidence, the restauranteur appeared on “Billy Joel Night” — and the Piano Man happens to be a buddy.

“I grew up on Long Island in the 70s and 80s,” Bastianich told Variety. “That was the soundtrack of that era. Some of the greatest songs ever written. I know Billy Joel, personally, from growing up and as a customer in all the restaurants. I hope he gets to see it!”

For Bastianich, none of the panelists got it right. Robin Thicke guessed Stanley Tucci. Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg said Guy Fieri. Ken Jeong picked Bobby Flay. New panelist Rita Ora was close,...

Fox’s The Masked Singer Season 11 Group C singers take the stage for “Billy Joel Night,” and fans see one unmask at the end of the evening. Viewers are already intrigued by Clock, as it seems they might be a well-known superstar that fans know and love. So, who’s singing under the Clock mask? Here’s who fans suspect ahead of the singer’s debut on the show.

[Spoiler alert: The Masked Singer Season 11 spoilers regarding Clock and Group C singers ahead.]

Who is the clock in ‘The Masked Singer’ Season 11? Fans think it could be this Golden Globe winner Clock in ‘The Masked Singer’ Season 11 | Michael Becker/Fox

The Masked Singer Season 11 Group C singers hit the stage for episode 3, “Billy Joel Night.” Lizard, Clock, Poodle Moth, and Spaghetti and Meatballs will debut one of Billy Joel’s greatest hits and hope to make it to the next round. And...

Charities & foundations supported

Wayne Brady has supported the following charities:

Aid For AIDSComic ReliefEd Asner Family CenterK.I.S. FoundationMake-a-Wish FoundationPoint FoundationRonald McDonald House CharitiesUNICEFUnited Negro College FundVisual Snow Initiative Read more about Wayne Brady's charity work and events. Related articles Comic Relief Brings Laughter to New OrleansIt's A Big Night In On ThursdayCindy Crawford Hosts Mothers Day Spa For Ronald McDonald HouseJoss Stone, Anita Baker To Shine for Uncf's An Evening of StarsCelebrity Gift Lounge Aims To Feed LA

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Copyright © 2024 Look To The Stars. This article may not be reproduced without explicit written permission; if you are not reading this via email or in your news reader, the site you are viewing is illegally infringing our copyright, and we would be grateful if you would contact us.

Victoria Monét, who garnered seven nominations for the 2024 Grammys, has received the ultimate nod from R&b legend Anita Baker.

In February 2022 — prior to the release of Monét’s debut studio album, Jaguar II, this summer — the singer took to X (formerly Twitter) to write, “I wanna make a classic love song that Anita Baker would be proud of.”

On Thursday, a year and half later, Baker replied to the post and told Monét, “You’ve Already Done it.” The “Sweet Love” icon added, “By Using *All of Your Gifts.

Can you believe that Christmas is less than two months away?! Now that it’s November, it’s time to start listening to your holiday music playlists.

SiriusXM just revealed their official lineup of 26 festival channels, including three new ones. The holiday season kicks off November 8 on SiriusXM with many of the channels live now and streaming on the SiriusXM app.

Traditional holiday songs, classical Christmas carols, country Christmas classics, contemporary holiday tunes, soul music, Hanukkah music and so many more, can be heard on all of the offerings.

Subscribers are able to listen online, on-the-go with the SiriusXM mobile app, and at home on a wide variety of connected devices including smart TVs, Amazon Alexa devices, Apple TV, PlayStation, Roku, Sonos speakers and more.

Head inside to check out the list of channels…

Keep scrolling for the full list of channels…

SiriusXM’s Holiday Channel Line-Up (Quick Guide)

Channel...

It was a big night for two auditionees on Tuesday’s (October 10) episode of The Voice, which saw one of the fastest four-chair turns in the competition show’s history. Plus, a teen contestant from another TV competition show wowed Reba McEntire and the other coaches with her singing prowess. Things kicked off with North Carolina native Caleb Sasser, who performed an incredible, stripped-back version of Toni Braxton‘s “Another Sad Love Song,” which earned near immediate chair turns from the four coaches. Niall Horan and Gwen Stefani hit their buttons within the first few notes, and Reba McEntire and John Legend weren’t far behind. Once the performance was over, Sasser received a standing ovation from the coaches and studio audience. “That was magical,” Legend told the 27-year-old singer, comparing his tone to Braxton and Anita Baker.  “I love Toni Braxton; I love Anita Baker, but one of my...

Zakiya Dalila Harris’ novel “The Other Black Girl” has hit the small screen in ten episodes filled with songs that support the story’s underlying message of compromising identity and Blackness in a majority-white workplace. Developed by Harris and Rashida Jones, who contributed the intro montage, to Episode 7 set to Anita Baker’s “Sweet Love,” the series crosses multiple genres from comedy to thriller and provides social commentary on how minority Poc employees compromise and navigate the social system of corporate America.

Set to Sza, TLC, Busta Rhymes, H.E.R., Janelle Monae and more, many scenes in the show become even stronger with the songs in the background. Co-showrunners Gus Hickey and Jordan Reddout left the ending open for a potential second season. The suspense and humor go hand in hand with the soundtrack for “The Other Black Girl.”

Here are all the songs in “The Other Black Girl”:

Episode...

Literary legend Toni Morrison once called racism a distraction. “It keeps you from doing your work,” she said during a 1975 speech. “It keeps you explaining, over and over again, your reason for being.” Black people must contend with everything from blatant acts of racist terrorism to small microaggressions that filter into our everyday lives. Instead of existing, you find yourself in a state of constant emotional regulation and survival, one that is exhaustingly unfair and unsustainable. For people of color and Black folks navigating predominantly white spaces, this constant state of code-switching and performance can quickly become horrific and soul-sucking.

Hulu’s “The Other Black Girl,” based on Zakiya Dalila Harris’ best-selling novel of the same name, opens with two Black women walking similar paths in different timelines. In 1988, Kendra Rae Phillips (Cassi Maddox) is the sole Black editor at the prestigious Wagner Books in Manhattan. She is distraught when she first appears onscreen,...

Anita Baker is currently on her Songstress tour, which originally was supposed to feature Babyface as a special guest. Baker has been harassed by his fans who have threatened, verbally abused and bullied her online. She decided yesterday that Babyface will not join her for the rest of the tour.

Before she announced this change in plans she posted a tweet yesterday morning that seemed to hint at what was to come. She posted a picture of her singing and captioned it, “#AnitaBaker. Bullies & Abuse will never Stop you. Speak Up. Overcome. Thrive. Move On”

#AnitaBaker

Bullies & Abuse will never Stop you.

Speak Up.

Overcome.

Thrive.

Move On pic.twitter.com/K2yhfJuqg3

— Anita Baker (@Iamanitabaker) June 13, 2023

Ten hours later, she officially tweeted her decision saying, “#AnitaBaker After Silently, Enduring Cyber Bulling/Verbal Abuse & Threats of Violence from the Fan Base, of Our Special Guest/Support Act. In the Interest of Personal Safety.

Anita Baker will continue The Songstress Tour alone after announcing she will no longer have Babyface as a guest on her upcoming shows. The announcement comes after Baker claimed to have been cyberbullied by Babyface’s fans.

“After Silently, Enduring Cyber Bulling/Verbal Abuse & Threats of Violence from the Fan Base, of Our Special Guest/Support Act,” she tweeted. “In the Interest of Personal Safety. I will continue, The Songstress Tour, alone. Appropriate refunds will be made. Blessings.”

Babyface released his own statement saying he was “saddened by the news.”

“It’s unfortunate and disheartening to see how things have played out via social media,” his statement read. “While I was looking forward to the rest of the dates, I have nothing but love and respect for Anita and I wish her the best for the remainder of her tour.”

It all started on May 10 when Babyface took to Twitter...

Anita Baker announced that Babyface will no longer provide support on the rest of her North American tour after sparring with some of the songwriter/producer’s fans on Twitter.

On Tuesday, June 13, Baker tweeted, “After Silently, Enduring Cyber Bulling/Verbal Abuse & Threats of Violence from the Fan Base, of Our Special Guest/Support Act. In the Interest of Personal Safety. I will continue, The Songstress Tour, alone. Appropriate refunds will be made.”

#AnitaBaker After Silently, Enduring Cyber Bulling/Verbal Abuse & Threats of Violence from the Fan Base, of Our Special Guest/Support Act.

Anita Baker has been getting into it with fans of fellow R&b legend Babyface on Twitter, sparring with his stans over a controversial concert that took place in Newark, New Jersey last month.

To set the scene, Baker has been playing shows throughout the year on her “Songstress” tour (the trek kicked off in February and dates have been scheduled intermittently through December). Babyface was tapped to provide support, an inspired choice that put two R&b greats on the same bill.

By all accounts, the shows had been...

Video footage of Chance the Rapper doing some dirty dancing with a scantily clad woman recently went viral, and it appears his wife has something to say about it.

In a video posted on Instagram, the rapper is seen grinding his crotch against the posterior of a dancing woman during Carnival in Jamaica earlier this year.

Read More: Anita Baker Applauds Chance The Rapper For Helping Her Win Ownership Of Her Master Recordings: ‘Brought Tears To My Eyes’

Chance’s dancing is punctuated by his occasional slaps on the woman’s bare buttocks.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by M E L A (@melaxgoddess)

This week, Chance’s wife, Kirsten Corley, issued an Instagram post featuring a passage from “Home”, an essay written by late poet Maya Angelou.

One passage of the essay is highlighted, apparently referencing her husband’s ill-conceived behaviour in the video, which he has yet to publicly address.

Whitney Houston had “the Voice.” It was trained, expressive, and clear. She didn’t write the songs she sang, but interpreted them, capturing the imagination of a generation. The first triple RIAA Diamond-certified-selling Black artist, Houston broke records set by the Beatles, Elvis, and Sinatra, which had nothing to do with racial divides. Now streaming on Netflix, I Wanna Dance with Somebody stars British actress Naomi Ackie, who plays Houston as a harried artist, only taking her time during performance, but rushed on and off the stage.

Directed by Kasi Lemmons and written by Anthony McCarten (Bohemian Rhapsody), the musical biopic captures the melody of Houston’s life but also speeds the beat. It misses the rests between notes. Most of the erroneous materials come from narrative streamlining. For instance, Houston wasn’t discovered because her mother, the ever-professional Cissy Houston (Tamara Tunie), showed up at a club like Sweetwaters pretending to have laryngitis.

Melissa DuPrey is an actor, comedian, producer, musician, and playwright with roots in Chicago and Puerto Rico. Critically acclaimed for her work in theater - including five full-length solo plays that highlight the intersections of diasporic Blackness, queerness, healing, liberation, and sexuality - Duprey now plays the Boriqua Bff opposite Natasha Rothwell in Hulu's upcoming series "How To Die Alone."

Popsugar caught up with her to discuss her latest character, Tamika, as well as Afro-Latina representation in Hollywood. As she puts it: "The way we tell stories as Latina people, the way that we hold space, the way that we fuse culture and cooking and music, that's our storytelling."

Popsugar: How do you define your identity?

Melissa DuPrey: I'm Puerto Rican and I'm Black. I was raised by two very loving Puerto Rican parents with deep roots in both Puerto Rico and Chicago. Humboldt Park is where I developed my identity,...

“The Voice” Season 23 Blind Auditions continue on March 14 with Blake Shelton, Niall Horan, Chance the Rapper and Kelly Clarkson all vying to discover and coach the next singing phenomenon.

The show’s innovative format features five stages of competition: Blind Auditions, Battle Rounds, Knockouts, Playoffs and Live Performance Shows. Shelton announced last year that this season would be his last. Can the nine-time champ make it an even 10 before signing off for good?

See ‘The Voice’: All 9 Team Blake Shelton winners ranked worst to best

Below, read our minute-by-minute “The Voice” recap of Season 23, Episode 4 to find out what happened Tuesday, March 14 at 9:00 p.m. Et/Pt. Then be sure to sound off in the comments section about your favorite artists on NBC’s long-running reality TV show, which coach you’re rooting for and who you think will ultimately join “The Voice” winners list for this 23rd season.

When the history of live television is written, there will be a chapter dedicated to the 2022 Oscars. Hosted by comedian Chris Rock, the show rumbled along, handing out awards to all sorts of rubbish films (who remembersCODA?) but then, suddenly, it sparked to life. Will Smith, moments away from winning Best Actor, walked onto the stage and slapped Rock. “Keep my wife’s name out your f***ing mouth!” Smith roared after returning to his seat, launching a thousand memes and now, a year on, Rock’s revenge tour.

His new special, Selective Outrage, was broadcast live on Netflix, and marked the first time the comic has spoken about the 94th Academy Awards at length. But we’ll come to that. Rock is a swaggering, charismatic, era-defining comedian. He saunters around the stage like he owns it. At 58, he has never been more confident or relaxed, even if he does...

By special request, Anita Baker performed “The Star-Spangled Banner” ahead of the NFC championship game Sunday between the home Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers.

Though a Detroit native, the legendary R&b singer was enlisted to sing the National Anthem by Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, who revealed earlier in the season that part of his post-victory routine was listening to Baker’s music.

“I put my Anita Baker on and take this flight home, and try to enjoy my teammates,” Hurts told a sideline reporter after an Eagles win in Chicago in December.

Naomi Ackie gives audiences a glimpse into the life of Whitney Houston in director Kasi Lemmons’ new biopic “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” and the new film is packed with a number of Houston’s hits.

Working with movement coach Polly Bennett and vocal coaches Tangela Large, Bridgette Jackson and Denise Woods, Ackie also underwent physical transformation with the help of numerous wigs and false teeth to cover the natural gap in her two front teeth.

Ackie doesn’t sing most songs in the film — she lip syncs to Houston’s perfect tracks instead — but she mimics Houston’s style of singing with great detail. She steps in for performances by Houston that were not recorded, such as “Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah” and “Jesus Loves Me” from her choir-singing days. Ackie also portrays a nervous Whitney who is thrust onstage by her mother, who knows Clive Davis is in attendance,...

No one will accuse Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody of glossing over the turbulent life of Whitney Houston. In its two-plus hours, the movie, which was authorized by Houston’s family and was co-produced by her music mentor Clive Davis, features a multi-layered performance by British actress Naomi Ackie, whose lip-synching to Houston’s vocals is incredibly convincing. The movie doesn’t skimp on scenes of Houston in the possession of drugs, kissing and frolicking with her close companion (and future creative director) Robyn Crawford, going into rehab,...

Anita Baker’s debut album, The Songstress, arrived nearly 40 years ago, marking the arrival of a deeply influential master of R&b ballads. In celebration of her success over the years, the singer has announced a new tour, scheduling 15 live shows for 2023.

“Looking forward to some crazy, lovely, hang time with my fans,” Baker shared in a statement. “Gonna, bring some new music & some special guests, too.”

The tour begins on Feb. 11 with a kickoff show at Hollywood, Florida’s Hard Rock Live. Baker will make stops in Atlanta, New Orleans,...

Image Source: Getty / FilmMagic / Derek White

Issa Rae is living the dream. The "Insecure" star was serenaded by Usher during his Las Vegas residency show at Park MGM on Oct. 15, and watching the performance is guaranteed to make you blush.

In a video Usher posted on Instagram, the singer croons his hit 2004 track "Superstar" to Rae - quite the apt song choice for the Golden Globe-nominated actor and producer - as she beams from ear to ear, holds his hands, and dances along. Rae somehow manages to remain calm, cool, and collected the whole time, despite the fact that she has a front-row seat to Usher's angelic vocals and suave moves. The clip ends just as he pulls her onto the stage steps for even more serenading.

Usher captioned his Instagram post, "@issarae in the building!! #UsherMyWay...

It’s immediately obvious to anyone who hears her work: Alex Isley has spent her entire life surrounded by music. The singer-songwriter mixes in all kinds of influences—jazz, classical, R&b, electronica, etc.—on her latest record, Marigold. And the results will appeal to you whether you like Solange, Sade, or Sarah Vaughan. Take it from Rolling Stone Radio co-host Charlie Cooper.

“Such a vibe,” Cooper said as Isley shared her track, “Such A Thing,” on the latest show. “I feel like I could wake up to this every morning.

Click here to read the full article.

Sean “Diddy” Combs will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2022 BET Awards.

The award “honors industry giants who have not only significantly shaped culture through their extensive careers, but who have also been transformative leaders that consistently inspire generations by setting a true standard of excellence,” BET said in making the announcement.

Combs’ three-decade career in entertainment has spanned music, fashion, TV and more. His Bad Boy Entertainment Group is credited with carving out a new niche within the hip-hop genre, with talent including Lil Kim, Faith Evans, 112, Mase, Total, Junior Mafia and The Lox. After six years away from the music spotlight, Combs launched a new R&b label, Love Records, and the first album will launch this summer in partnership with Motown Records.

Meanwhile, Combs bought back his Sean John fashion line in 2020 and also forged a partnership...

Music mogul and entrepreneur Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs will be given a Lifetime Achievement Award at the BET Awards 2022.

The award, which honors industry figures who have both significantly shaped culture through their careers and are seen as transformative leaders, will be awarded to the U.S. pop culture icon later this month at the awards show.

“Diddy has always been a pioneering force in our community, breaking barriers, achieving unprecedented heights, blazing new trails, and, in so doing, raising the bar for all of us,” said BET CEO Scott Mills. “His virtuosity is matched only by his range – from music to media, culture, business, and philanthropy – Diddy has exemplified Black excellence.”

Combs launched one of modern music’s most successful labels in Bad Boy Records, which made stars of Notorious B.I.G., The Lox, Lil Kim and Junior Mafia among others. He also helped cultivate the likes of Usher and Mary J. Blige,...

Three years ago, Giveon landed a 15-minute tour slot opening for Baby Rose and Snoh Aalegra. There was only one problem: At the time, he had released just two original songs. Needing new tunes in a hurry to fill out his set, the R&b singer decided to write something quickly based on each city the tour landed in. One of these, the spare, chilling “Chicago Freestyle,” proved particularly popular when he posted a snippet to Instagram — until Giveon got a message from his manager, Simon Gebrelul, telling him to delete the clip.

Why isn’t “The Masked Singer” on tonight, Wednesday, November 24? Due to the long Thanksgiving holiday weekend, the Group A Finals will take place next week instead, on Wednesday, December 1. That’s when Bull and Skunk will compete against each other to win a spot in the Season 6 finale. (Fox’s “Alter Ego” is also delayed for one week.) Unlike past editions of “Tms,” this season’s two groups have been kept completely apart from each other, so much so that they won’t meet up until the final episode — that’s when the winner of the Group A Finals (Bull or Skunk) will compete against the winner of the Group B Finals (Queen of Hearts or Banana Split).

See‘The Masked Singer’ judges get an ‘F’ for their Season 6 guesses — only 2 (!) correct out of 12 unmaskings

Both Bull and Skunk will perform twice during the upcoming December 1 episode. First up,...

Since 1997, Rahsaan Patterson has specialized in handsome songs, loving and lovelorn, packed with vocal pirouettes, supple pleading, and lush harmonies. The singer draws from R&b’s venerable Quiet Storm tradition, making music that would fit comfortably next to oldies by Anita Baker and Stevie Wonder. But when Patterson entered the music industry in the Nineties, R&b was growing less interested in “Quiet” and more interested in “Storm” — a certain amount of musical thunder was necessary to compete with hip-hop.

Still, Patterson found a niche, sprinkling more than a...

First things first: a big thank-you, Voice-cap readers, for the spirited debate that followed Monday’s post.

If you missed it, you can get up to speed here. But in a nutshell, I admitted that while I wholeheartedly admired Wendy Moten’s technical excellence, I didn’t necessary sense a lot of connection between her and the songs that she sings. Some of you had noticed that, too; others thought I was out of my pumpkin-spice mind.

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Dedication week on “The Voice” came to a close on November 16 as the Top 13 artists found out which two were eliminated and who advanced to next week’s Top 11. Among the finalists are a sibling trio (Girl Named Tom), a father-son duo (Jim & Sasha Allen), and 11 talented solo artists. This season’s four coaches are Kelly Clarkson, John Legend, Ariana Grande and Blake Shelton. As always, Carson Daly hosts the Emmy-winning program. So how did the Top 13 results play out on Tuesday night?

SEEAll 15 ‘The Voice’ coaches ranked worst to best

Below, read our minute-by-minute “The Voice” recap of Season 21, Episode 17 to find out what happened Tuesday, November 16 at 8:00 p.m. Et/Pt. Then be sure to sound off in the comments section about your favorite artists on NBC’s long-running reality TV show, which coach you’re rooting for and who you think will ultimately join “The Voice...

Who’s performing tonight (November 10) on “The Masked Singer” Season 6? One of the front-runners to win it all, Bull, returns to the stage on Wednesday night alongside fellow Group A members Skunk, Pepper and Jester. The last time these four singers appeared on Fox’s reality TV show, they said goodbye to Hamster (aka Rob Schneider), who received the lowest number of votes that week. Now only Bull, Skunk, Pepper and Jester remain to compete in the Group A semi-finals.

See‘The Masked Singer’ reveals for all seasons: Celebrities and costumes through the years

If you’re more of a fan of the Group B contestants, rest assured that they’ll be seen next week during its own semi-finals episode. That’s when Banana Split, Mallard, Queen of Hearts and Caterpillar will face off on the big stage for a spot in the finals.

This week, “Alter Ego” judge will.

Who’s performing tonight (October 6) on “The Masked Singer” Season 6? After last week’s introduction of Group B, it’s time to return to Group A, which we first met in the two-night season premiere. This talented collection consists of a spicy new wildcard (Pepper), a whining human (Baby) and a trio of crooning animals. Do you think any of these Group A celebrities has what it takes to join the “Masked Singer” winners list? Sound off down in the comments section.

See‘The Masked Singer’ reveals for all seasons: Celebrities and costumes through the years

Four contestants have already been unmasked from this sixth edition of Fox’s reality TV ratings juggernaut, based on the instant votes from the audience and panelists Robin Thicke, Jenny McCarthy, Ken Jeong and Nicole Scherzinger. They were: Octopus (Dwight Howard), Mother Nature (Vivica A. Fox), Pufferfish (Toni Braxton) and Dalmatian (Tyga).

The Group...

You got us, The Masked Singer. We thought we knew all your tricks, and still, you got us.

The Season 6 premiere on Wednesday promised a double elimination, and it delivered… technically. Of the five new covert crooners we met during the hour, two were called upon to leave in the final moments. But only one was unmasked, leaving viewers to have to come back for the premiere’s second half — airing Thursday at 8/7c on Fox — to find out exactly who was wearing that (truly terrifying) costume.

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The sixth season of “The Masked Singer” has finally arrived, with all of the judges and the host (Nick Cannon) back for another cycle of wild and wacky fun. This year features a roster of 16 secret celebrities wearing extravagant costumes who’ve been divided into two groups. Up first is Group A, which consists of Bull, Mother Nature, Octopus, Pufferfish and Skunk. Each of them took the stage on Wednesday night, with the lowest two vote-getters being unmasked in front of America. That’s right, it was a shocking double elimination!

See See all ‘The Masked Singer’ costumes and celebrity reveals through the years

Below, read our minute-by-minute “The Masked Singer” recap of Season 6, Episode 1, titled “2 Night Season Premiere, Part 1: Group A Premiere,” to find out what happened Wednesday, September 22 at 8:00 p.m. Et/Pt. Then be sure to sound off in the comments section about your favorite...

Another season of The Masked Singer means another season of the panelists — Jenny McCarthy, Ken Jeong, Robin Thicke, and Nicole Scherzinger — making some possibly on-the-nose and also very out-there guesses as to which celebrity has taken the stage in one of the costumes. But have they figured out who is the Skunk in TV Insider’s exclusive sneak peek at the Season 6 premiere? “Let’s just name some divas,” McCarthy suggests, and Jeong is very much on board to do just that. Among his guesses: Janet Jackson, Erykah Badu, Alicia Keys, and Anita Baker. “This sounds exactly like Anita Baker,” he insists. Thicke disagrees. But might they all agree after McCarthy names Mary J. Blige? Watch the clip above for more as the names keep coming. We’ll have to wait to see if any of the panelists are on the right track. Just like the panelists are back, so is Nick Cannon as host.

On “Free Ride,” the first single from Mykki Blanco’s new mini-lp Broken Hearts & Beauty Sleep, the musician constructs a tabernacle from which to worship the sensation of love. The accompanying video features Blanco refiguring tropes of family, community, and celebration to more inclusive ends. What might read as dysfunctional — multiple generations dwelling in a rickety Rv — is recast with gentle reverence. Blanco’s gift has always been the queering of perspective, refusing to stay fixed in any particular mode. Broken Hearts & Beauty Sleep brings that framework to notions of love and loss.