There are several ways to soundtrack a journey back from hell. On a Wednesday afternoon in late November, Jorge Pabón lifts himself out of his wheelchair, props himself up, and scrolls through his iTunes until the right song hits him. “Órale!” he exclaims, as the chugging guitar riffs of “Disposable Heroes,” Metallica’s adrenaline-pumping war epic, fill his own personal purgatory: the unassuming physical therapy gym inside New Franklin Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing in Queens, New York. He clasps his hands on the arm bike and propels bicycle pedals with his hands.
- 12/22/2023
- by Kory Grow
- Rollingstone.com
After an unexpected postponement, SAG-AFTRA and Hollywood studios made some steady progress toward a new deal during talks on Thursday afternoon, according to studio-side insiders with knowledge of the talks.
The insiders said talks are expected to continue on Friday, though that won’t be confirmed until the guild makes such an announcement in a memo to members. A representative for the guild declined to comment, citing SAG-AFTRA’s “deep focus on bargaining in good faith to secure a fair deal.”
The SAG-AFTRA negotiating committee met with AMPTP president Carol Lombardini and the quartet of CEOs that have been involved with labor talks — Disney’s Bob Iger, NBCUniversal’s Donna Langley, Warner Bros. Discovery’s David Zaslav and Netflix’s Ted Sarandos — a bit later on Thursday than usual due to schedule conflicts.
The guild’s national executive director and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland appeared prior to the start of...
The insiders said talks are expected to continue on Friday, though that won’t be confirmed until the guild makes such an announcement in a memo to members. A representative for the guild declined to comment, citing SAG-AFTRA’s “deep focus on bargaining in good faith to secure a fair deal.”
The SAG-AFTRA negotiating committee met with AMPTP president Carol Lombardini and the quartet of CEOs that have been involved with labor talks — Disney’s Bob Iger, NBCUniversal’s Donna Langley, Warner Bros. Discovery’s David Zaslav and Netflix’s Ted Sarandos — a bit later on Thursday than usual due to schedule conflicts.
The guild’s national executive director and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland appeared prior to the start of...
- 10/27/2023
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
The actors were joined by some hip-hop legends on the picket lines this morning.
Kurtis Blow, co-founder of the Hip Hop Alliance, joined SAG-AFTRA outside Paramount to call an end to the strike that has lasted for over 100 days.
He also highlighted how his membership of the guild was instrumental is helping to save his life after he had a heart transplant last year that was covered under SAG-AFTRA’s health plan.
“I am here supporting all the strikers, supporting SAG-AFTRA in this strike,” he told Deadline. “I think it’s very important that we show unity and solidarity. SAG-AFTRA is our partners, man. They are our partners in Hip Hop Alliance. We love them so much. As a matter of fact, the resources that we have available for all of our members is because SAG-AFTRA cares about people, especially the SAG-AFTRA health plan, which actually saved my life. I had a heart transplant,...
Kurtis Blow, co-founder of the Hip Hop Alliance, joined SAG-AFTRA outside Paramount to call an end to the strike that has lasted for over 100 days.
He also highlighted how his membership of the guild was instrumental is helping to save his life after he had a heart transplant last year that was covered under SAG-AFTRA’s health plan.
“I am here supporting all the strikers, supporting SAG-AFTRA in this strike,” he told Deadline. “I think it’s very important that we show unity and solidarity. SAG-AFTRA is our partners, man. They are our partners in Hip Hop Alliance. We love them so much. As a matter of fact, the resources that we have available for all of our members is because SAG-AFTRA cares about people, especially the SAG-AFTRA health plan, which actually saved my life. I had a heart transplant,...
- 10/26/2023
- by Rosy Cordero and Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP are back at the table today for more talks to resolve the actors strike that has been going on for over 100 days.
Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, chief negotiator at the union, told Deadline that he was “cautiously optimistic” about talks with the studios.
Crabtree-Ireland made a quick stop to Paramount where the union was hosting the Hip Hop Alliance and its co-founder Kurtis Blow before heading back over to the guild’s Wilshire Boulevard offices for talks with the likes of Carol Lombardini, Disney’s Bob Iger, NBCU’s Donna Langley, Netflix’s Ted Sarandos and Warner Bros. Discovery’s David Zaslav.
“We are having continued negotiations today and we’re 100% focused on making a fair deal at the table. That’s where it’s going. That’s what it’s all about. I am cautiously optimistic that can happen. I don’t really want to characterize what...
Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, chief negotiator at the union, told Deadline that he was “cautiously optimistic” about talks with the studios.
Crabtree-Ireland made a quick stop to Paramount where the union was hosting the Hip Hop Alliance and its co-founder Kurtis Blow before heading back over to the guild’s Wilshire Boulevard offices for talks with the likes of Carol Lombardini, Disney’s Bob Iger, NBCU’s Donna Langley, Netflix’s Ted Sarandos and Warner Bros. Discovery’s David Zaslav.
“We are having continued negotiations today and we’re 100% focused on making a fair deal at the table. That’s where it’s going. That’s what it’s all about. I am cautiously optimistic that can happen. I don’t really want to characterize what...
- 10/26/2023
- by Rosy Cordero
- Deadline Film + TV
City of Hope, one of the largest cancer research and treatment organizations in the United States, honored Lyor Cohen, global head of Music at YouTube and Google, last week at its Music, Film and Entertainment Industry (Mfei) fundraising group’s Spirit of Life Gala.
DJ Jazzy Jeff and LL Cool J perform onstage during City of Hope's 2023 Music, Film & Entertainment Industry Spirit of Life Gala
Credit/Copyright: Johnny Nunez/Getty Images for City of Hope
The annual event featured a special performance from LL Cool J and DJ Jazzy Jeff, plus a curated “DJ Cassidy’s Pass The Mic Live!” segment with – in order of appearance – Slick Rick, Kurtis Blow, Big Daddy Kane, Mc Serch, Nice ’N Smooth, Epmd, Redman, Onyx, Warren G, Domino, Musiq Soulchild, Dru Hill, Ja Rule, T.I., Swizz Beatz and Public Enemy.
This year’s Spirit of Life campaign culminated at the sold-out gala held...
DJ Jazzy Jeff and LL Cool J perform onstage during City of Hope's 2023 Music, Film & Entertainment Industry Spirit of Life Gala
Credit/Copyright: Johnny Nunez/Getty Images for City of Hope
The annual event featured a special performance from LL Cool J and DJ Jazzy Jeff, plus a curated “DJ Cassidy’s Pass The Mic Live!” segment with – in order of appearance – Slick Rick, Kurtis Blow, Big Daddy Kane, Mc Serch, Nice ’N Smooth, Epmd, Redman, Onyx, Warren G, Domino, Musiq Soulchild, Dru Hill, Ja Rule, T.I., Swizz Beatz and Public Enemy.
This year’s Spirit of Life campaign culminated at the sold-out gala held...
- 10/26/2023
- Look to the Stars
Members of the entertainment industry came together to celebrate 50 years of City of Hope, 50 years of hip-hop and the 40-year career of music executive Lyor Cohen at the annual Spirit of Life Gala at the Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles Wednesday night. Sixteen artists took to the stage during a special DJ Cassidy Pass the Mic Live! segment at the sold-out event, which counted Jay Z, Diddy, Jermaine Dupri and other A-listers among its 900 guests.
City of Hope’s Music, Film and Entertainment Industry (Mfei) fundraising group raised more than $4.3 million to address racial and socioeconomic inequities in cancer treatment and prevention at the event, adding to the more than $150 million Mfei has raised over City of Hope’s 50-year history. The focus on improving cancer outcomes for communities of color is what moved Cohen, who started out managing artists at Def Jam Records before co-founding his own independent label,...
City of Hope’s Music, Film and Entertainment Industry (Mfei) fundraising group raised more than $4.3 million to address racial and socioeconomic inequities in cancer treatment and prevention at the event, adding to the more than $150 million Mfei has raised over City of Hope’s 50-year history. The focus on improving cancer outcomes for communities of color is what moved Cohen, who started out managing artists at Def Jam Records before co-founding his own independent label,...
- 10/19/2023
- by Brande Victorian
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Public Enemy and Ice-t will link up to headline a special, free concert in Washington D.C. celebrating hip-hop’s 50th anniversary. The two-day National Celebration of Hip Hop show will take place Oct. 6 and 7 at West Potomac Park on the National Mall.
The concert will feature an array of rap luminaries and legends, including the Sugarhill Gang, Kurtis Blow, Kid ’N Play, Soulsonic Force, Roxanne Shanté, Melle Mel and Scorpio, Peter Gunz, Cl Smooth, DJ Kevie Kev Rockwell, Mad Skillz, and Busy Bee. DJ Hurricane will also be on...
The concert will feature an array of rap luminaries and legends, including the Sugarhill Gang, Kurtis Blow, Kid ’N Play, Soulsonic Force, Roxanne Shanté, Melle Mel and Scorpio, Peter Gunz, Cl Smooth, DJ Kevie Kev Rockwell, Mad Skillz, and Busy Bee. DJ Hurricane will also be on...
- 8/23/2023
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Public Enemy and Ice-t have been announced as the headliners for The National Celebration of Hip Hop, a free two-day concert being held this fall at the National Mall in Washington, DC. It all goes down at West Potomac Park on October 6th and 7th.
There will also be a Beastie Boys tribute set from DJ Hurricane with special guests, as well as performances from hip-hop luminaries including Kurtis Blow, The Sugarhill Gang, Kid ‘n Play, Soulsonic Force, Roxanne Shante, Cl Smooth, Melle Mel and Scorpio, Peter Gunz, DJ Kevie Kev Rockwell, Mad Skillz, Mc Sha-Rock, Busy Bee, Joe Ski Love, Positive K, Boogie Black, Mick Benzo, Gumbo and Donald D.
Tickets are free by pre-registering at the festival’s website. VIP packages are also available for purchase, ranging from $399 to $999.
“We are honored to continue to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop against the backdrop of America’s...
There will also be a Beastie Boys tribute set from DJ Hurricane with special guests, as well as performances from hip-hop luminaries including Kurtis Blow, The Sugarhill Gang, Kid ‘n Play, Soulsonic Force, Roxanne Shante, Cl Smooth, Melle Mel and Scorpio, Peter Gunz, DJ Kevie Kev Rockwell, Mad Skillz, Mc Sha-Rock, Busy Bee, Joe Ski Love, Positive K, Boogie Black, Mick Benzo, Gumbo and Donald D.
Tickets are free by pre-registering at the festival’s website. VIP packages are also available for purchase, ranging from $399 to $999.
“We are honored to continue to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop against the backdrop of America’s...
- 8/23/2023
- by Eddie Fu
- Consequence - Music
Recognition of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary has been in full force throughout 2023, but writer Kiana Fitzgerald’s celebration started almost a year early, in February 2022. That’s when she began crafting Ode to Hip-Hop, out now on Running Press. Her debut book chronicles “50 albums that define 50 years of trailblazing music,” spanning nearly the entire timespan of the genre: as early as Kurtis Blow and as recent as Megan Thee Stallion (who joins Lil Wayne, Lil Kim, Missy, Tupac, and Lil Nas X on the Yay Abe-illustrated book’s cover).
Fitzgerald says putting together this book,...
Fitzgerald says putting together this book,...
- 7/30/2023
- by Andre Gee
- Rollingstone.com
In 1988, Boogie Down Productions, Eric B. & Rakim, Doug E. Fresh, Kool Moe Dee, and Biz Markie were in the middle of the Dope Jam Tour when an altercation broke out during a stop at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York. Concertgoer Julio Fuentes, 19, was stabbed once in the chest amid an apparent robbery attempt mere minutes after he entered the venue. He died 30 minutes later at Nassau County Medical Center. Coupled with the murder of DJ Scott La Rock—a founding member of Boogie Down Productions who’d been...
- 5/14/2023
- by Kyle Eustice
- Rollingstone.com
On Sunday March 12, 2023, a bold statement was made between Justice For Women International/Children Uniting Nations and The Hip Hop Alliance to eradicate the verbal and physical abuse against women and children at their Inaugural Oscars viewing event.
This star-studded red-carpet event was at full capacity with support from the community, sponsors, and guests that were motivated to participate in saving lives.
Led by Daphna Edwards Ziman, Co-Founder and President of Cinémoi, and Founder of Justice For Women International/Children Uniting Nations, this partnership is a true testament that two entities can unite to deliver a unified message and impact our culture. The Hip Hop Alliance, represented by Co-Founders Chuck D, Kurtis Blow, and Krs-One, are taking a bold stance to be in alignment with Justice For Women International by making a commitment to unite the Hip Hop community to help fight the battle of human trafficking that we can no longer ignore.
This star-studded red-carpet event was at full capacity with support from the community, sponsors, and guests that were motivated to participate in saving lives.
Led by Daphna Edwards Ziman, Co-Founder and President of Cinémoi, and Founder of Justice For Women International/Children Uniting Nations, this partnership is a true testament that two entities can unite to deliver a unified message and impact our culture. The Hip Hop Alliance, represented by Co-Founders Chuck D, Kurtis Blow, and Krs-One, are taking a bold stance to be in alignment with Justice For Women International by making a commitment to unite the Hip Hop community to help fight the battle of human trafficking that we can no longer ignore.
- 3/27/2023
- Look to the Stars
Journalist Jonathan Abrams spent the last four years compiling an enlightening, entertaining, and deeply researched history of hip-hop. Abrams traces the music’s humble beginning in the Bronx and DIY block parties to some of the most popular music in the world today. In this exclusive excerpt from “The Come Up: An Oral History of the Rise of Hip-Hop,” Abrams tells how the infamous 1977 New York City blackout helped electrify a sound and cultural force.
Lemonade From Lemons
Bronx, New York, 1973–1979
Clive Campbell migrated as a child with his family...
Lemonade From Lemons
Bronx, New York, 1973–1979
Clive Campbell migrated as a child with his family...
- 10/14/2022
- by Jonathan Abrams
- Rollingstone.com
Hosted by Grammy-nominated rapper Fat Joe, the BET Hip Hop Awards kicked off Tuesday night, and fans got a chance to see some of the biggest names in the genre perform their hottest hits. Amid the awards and acceptance speeches, Tuesday’s show saw some impressive performances from artists including Kodak Black, GloRilla, Bleu, French Montana, Pusha T and many more.
The I Am Hip Hop Award recipient, Trina — described as “the most consistent female rapper of all time” in 2012 by Xxl and honored by Billboard as one of their “31 Female Rappers Who Changed Hip-Hop” in 2014 — delivered an emotional acceptance speech that was one of the most inspiring moments of the night.
While one of the biggest special surprises of the evening came from the founder of Loud Records, Steve Rifkind, who made an appearance to introduce a star-studded number featuring Lil’ Flip, Dead Prez, Fat Joe, Mobb Deep with Lil’ Kim,...
The I Am Hip Hop Award recipient, Trina — described as “the most consistent female rapper of all time” in 2012 by Xxl and honored by Billboard as one of their “31 Female Rappers Who Changed Hip-Hop” in 2014 — delivered an emotional acceptance speech that was one of the most inspiring moments of the night.
While one of the biggest special surprises of the evening came from the founder of Loud Records, Steve Rifkind, who made an appearance to introduce a star-studded number featuring Lil’ Flip, Dead Prez, Fat Joe, Mobb Deep with Lil’ Kim,...
- 10/5/2022
- by Corey Atad
- ET Canada
The WhaleWAVELENGTHS - FEATURESConcrete Valley (Antoine Bourges)De Humani Corporis Fabrica (Véréna Paravel, Lucien Castaing-Taylor)Dry Ground BurningHorse Opera (Moyra Davey)Pacifiction (Albert Serra)Queens of the Qing Dynasty (Ashley McKenzie)Unrest (Cyril Schäublin)Will-o’-the-Wisp (João Pedro Rodrigues)Wavelenghths - SHORTSAfter Work (Céline Condorelli, Ben Rivers)Bigger on the Inside (Angelo Madsen Minax)Eventide (Sharon Lockhart)F1ghting Looks Different 2 Me Now (Fox Maxy)Fata Morgana (Tacita Dean)Hors-titre (Wiame Haddad)I Thought the World of You (Kurt Walker)Moonrise (Vincent Grenier)The Newest Olds (Pablo Mazzolo)Puerta a Puerta (Jessica Sarah Rinland, Luis Arnías )The Time That Separates Us (Parastoo Anoushahpour)What Rules the Invisible (Tiffany Sia)Gala PRESENTATIONSAlice, Darling (Mary Nighy)Black Ice (Hubert Davis)The Greatest Beer Run Ever (Peter Farrelly)Butcher’s Crossing (Gabe Polsky)The Hummingbird (Francesca Archibugi)Hunt (Jung-jae Lee)A Jazzman’s Blues (Tyler Perry)Kacchey Limbu (Shubham Yogi)Moving On (Paul Weitz)Paris Memories...
- 8/4/2022
- MUBI
“Weird: The Weird Al Yankovic Story” will make its world premiere at TIFF, leading the Midnight Madness program’s 10-film lineup.
Starring Daniel Radcliffe as “Weird Al” Yankovic, the film chronicles the career of the music and comedy icon. Directed by Eric Appel, who co-wrote with Yankovic himself, the cast of the Roku biopic also includes Evan Rachel Wood, Quinta Brunson and Rainn Wilson.
As Midnight Madness’ opening night film, “Weird: The Weird Al Yankovic Story” will premiere on Sept. 8 at 11:59 Est.
Also Read:
Daniel Radcliffe Was Cast as Weird Al Thanks to a Graham Norton Appearance (Video)
“For TIFF audiences in the know, the Discovery, Midnight Madness and Wavelengths programmes are where you’re rewarded for taking risks and being adventurous,” offered Anita Lee, Chief Programming Officer, TIFF. “Whether it’s the discovery of an audacious new auteur, a brilliant visionary work that reimagines storytelling or the most...
Starring Daniel Radcliffe as “Weird Al” Yankovic, the film chronicles the career of the music and comedy icon. Directed by Eric Appel, who co-wrote with Yankovic himself, the cast of the Roku biopic also includes Evan Rachel Wood, Quinta Brunson and Rainn Wilson.
As Midnight Madness’ opening night film, “Weird: The Weird Al Yankovic Story” will premiere on Sept. 8 at 11:59 Est.
Also Read:
Daniel Radcliffe Was Cast as Weird Al Thanks to a Graham Norton Appearance (Video)
“For TIFF audiences in the know, the Discovery, Midnight Madness and Wavelengths programmes are where you’re rewarded for taking risks and being adventurous,” offered Anita Lee, Chief Programming Officer, TIFF. “Whether it’s the discovery of an audacious new auteur, a brilliant visionary work that reimagines storytelling or the most...
- 8/4/2022
- by Harper Lambert
- The Wrap
Go-go music is the soundtrack of Washington, D.C. Despite a four-decade history and a few national hits like “Da Butt,” by Experience Unlimited (E.U.), and “Shake Your Thang,” by Salt-n-Pepa with E.U., the funk offshoot, often referred to as a cousin of hip-hop, is a proudly regional music — born in the nation’s capital and embraced and supported by fans in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. A trip to the city will reveal the music blasting from automobiles and businesses as new bands carry on the...
- 6/16/2022
- by Jay Quan
- Rollingstone.com
French Montana has a knack for crafting au courant earworms that pay subtle homage to rap’s illustrious history. After cementing his rep as New York’s most in-demand mixtape maven (under the careful tutelage of ByrdGang iconoclast and self-proclaimed “wave God,” Max B), the Bronx Mc topped the charts in 2012 with “Shot Caller,” which had Ig models and dope boys bopping to the same madcap horns from Lords of the Underground’s grimy 1993 cut, “Funky Child.” It hit the streets like a gleeful tsunami — everyone wanted to ride the wave.
- 11/22/2021
- by Will Dukes
- Rollingstone.com
DJ Cassidy, the host with the most classic R&b and hip-hop stars in his contacts book, will return to BET Thanksgiving weekend with another in his series of “Pass the Mic” specials, this time devoted to the dance-based music of the late 1970s and ’80s.
“DJ Cassidy’s Pass the Mic: BET Soul Train Edition 2021” will immediately follow “The Soul Train Music Awards,” which airs on BET Nov. 28 at 8 p.m. Et. It’s the fourth in a series of after-party specials Cassidy has done for the network, the first having been after last year’s “Soul Train Awards,” with “Pass the Mics” subsequently following BET franchises like the Image and BET Awards. Steve Rifkind and Jesse Collins are the producers responsible for bringing Cassidy’s mic-passing series from the web to television.
Although the host is keeping some of his guests under his hat, the direction of the...
“DJ Cassidy’s Pass the Mic: BET Soul Train Edition 2021” will immediately follow “The Soul Train Music Awards,” which airs on BET Nov. 28 at 8 p.m. Et. It’s the fourth in a series of after-party specials Cassidy has done for the network, the first having been after last year’s “Soul Train Awards,” with “Pass the Mics” subsequently following BET franchises like the Image and BET Awards. Steve Rifkind and Jesse Collins are the producers responsible for bringing Cassidy’s mic-passing series from the web to television.
Although the host is keeping some of his guests under his hat, the direction of the...
- 11/15/2021
- by Chris Willman
- Variety Film + TV
It took twelve years of grueling touring and four album releases for me and my band, Young the Giant, to headline the legendary Forum in Los Angeles in 2019. The storied venue that had once housed every act under the sun — from Marvin Gaye to Bob Dylan — was now welcoming me, an Indian kid from Michigan. A kid who started out playing to no one at the Viper Room, The Roxy, and Whiskey a Go Go, too young to even be in the audience. As I walked on stage that night,...
- 4/27/2021
- by Sameer Gadhia
- Rollingstone.com
On August 14th, 1987, pioneering hip-hop heavyweights the Fat Boys cemented their status as one of rap’s premier pop culture ambassadors with the simultaneous release of their platinum-selling fourth album Crushin’ and their breakout comedy Disorderlies. With a matchless mixture of skills, charisma, a tireless work ethic, a sense of humor and a powerful mouth-powered rhythm machine, the trio of Mark “Prince Markie Dee” Morales, Damon “Kool Rock-Ski” Wimbley and Darren “Buff Love” Robinson (a.k.a. “the Human Beatbox”) was integral in bringing rap music to the attention of mainstream audiences.
- 2/19/2021
- by Will Hodge
- Rollingstone.com
Prince Markie Dee, a member of the pioneering hip-hop group the Fat Boys, died on Thursday, the group’s manager, Louis Gregory confirmed. He was 52. No cause of death has been given.
“Forever in my Heart. Prince Markie Dee was more than a rapper; he was one of my very best and closest friends,” Gregory wrote on Twitter. “My heart breaks today because I lost a brother. I’ll always love you Mark and I’ll cherish everything you taught me. Tomorrow is your birthday, swing my way big bro.
“Forever in my Heart. Prince Markie Dee was more than a rapper; he was one of my very best and closest friends,” Gregory wrote on Twitter. “My heart breaks today because I lost a brother. I’ll always love you Mark and I’ll cherish everything you taught me. Tomorrow is your birthday, swing my way big bro.
- 2/19/2021
- by Althea Legaspi
- Rollingstone.com
John Fletcher, who was known by the stage name “Ecstasy” while performing with the early rap group Whodini, has died, according to the group’s Grand Master Dee and numerous friends. He was 56. The cause of death was not revealed.
“One love to Ecstasy of the legendary #Whodini,” wrote Roots drummer Questlove on social media. “This man was legendary and a pivotal member of one of the most legendary groups in hip hop. This is sad man.”
Whodini were among the commercial pioneers of rap music as contemporaries of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five and Kurtis Blow. Their hit singles included “Friends,” “Freaks Come Out at Night,” “Magic’s Wand” and “The Haunted House of Rock.” The group earned one platinum (1 million units sold) and two gold albums.
Tributes poured in for Fletcher on social media.
“[In] 1987 I entered the Def Jam tour,” wrote Public Enemy’s Chuck D.
“One love to Ecstasy of the legendary #Whodini,” wrote Roots drummer Questlove on social media. “This man was legendary and a pivotal member of one of the most legendary groups in hip hop. This is sad man.”
Whodini were among the commercial pioneers of rap music as contemporaries of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five and Kurtis Blow. Their hit singles included “Friends,” “Freaks Come Out at Night,” “Magic’s Wand” and “The Haunted House of Rock.” The group earned one platinum (1 million units sold) and two gold albums.
Tributes poured in for Fletcher on social media.
“[In] 1987 I entered the Def Jam tour,” wrote Public Enemy’s Chuck D.
- 12/24/2020
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Update: The family and friends of John “Ecstasy” Fletcher have issued statements on his passing earlier today.
Jonnelle Fletcher, John Fletcher’s daughter, said, “The African and Native American ancestors have gathered around and chosen this day, during the Winter Solstice, Dec 23rd, 2020 to call upon a most endeared, generous, and sincere soul who graced The World’s heart through performance, hip-hop, family, children and grandchildren.
John “Ecstasy” Fletcher was a beloved man, the life partner to Deltonia and ex-husband to Carla, twin brother to Joseph,artist, friend, and lifetime performing partner to the Legendary Jalil of Whodini.
Whodini set a Hip Hop course of legendary status that we are all sure to pass on to our grandchildren.
Please send love and prayers to our family, and with open hearts we ask the ancestors to cover his soul in peace and tranquility. Play his music if it moves you, and...
Jonnelle Fletcher, John Fletcher’s daughter, said, “The African and Native American ancestors have gathered around and chosen this day, during the Winter Solstice, Dec 23rd, 2020 to call upon a most endeared, generous, and sincere soul who graced The World’s heart through performance, hip-hop, family, children and grandchildren.
John “Ecstasy” Fletcher was a beloved man, the life partner to Deltonia and ex-husband to Carla, twin brother to Joseph,artist, friend, and lifetime performing partner to the Legendary Jalil of Whodini.
Whodini set a Hip Hop course of legendary status that we are all sure to pass on to our grandchildren.
Please send love and prayers to our family, and with open hearts we ask the ancestors to cover his soul in peace and tranquility. Play his music if it moves you, and...
- 12/24/2020
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
John “Ecstasy” Fletcher, rapper and founding member of the pioneering hip-hop group Whodini, has died at the age of 56. The group’s Grand Master Dee confirmed Fletcher’s death to Variety. No cause of death was provided.
News of Fletcher’s death was first revealed by the Roots’ Questlove, with many others in the rap community also mourning the death of the Whodini rapper. “One Love to Ecstasy of the Legendary #Whodini,” Questlove wrote on social media. “This man was legendary and a pivotal member of one of the most legendary groups in hip hop.
News of Fletcher’s death was first revealed by the Roots’ Questlove, with many others in the rap community also mourning the death of the Whodini rapper. “One Love to Ecstasy of the Legendary #Whodini,” Questlove wrote on social media. “This man was legendary and a pivotal member of one of the most legendary groups in hip hop.
- 12/23/2020
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
John Lafia, who directed the horror film Child’s Play 2 and co-wrote Child’s Play, died by suicide this week in Los Angeles, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s office. He was 63.
Lafia’s family confirmed his passing Saturday in a statement to Deadline. “It is with great sadness we announce that loving father, film and television writer, director, producer and musician John J. Lafia passed away on Wednesday, April 29,” the statement said.
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Born on April 2, 1957, Lafia was influential in the Los Angeles experimental music scene in the 1980’s before launching a successful film career.
He attended UCLA, and his first feature film was The Blue Iguana (1988), which he wrote and directed as well as produced the soundtrack.
Lafia’s family confirmed his passing Saturday in a statement to Deadline. “It is with great sadness we announce that loving father, film and television writer, director, producer and musician John J. Lafia passed away on Wednesday, April 29,” the statement said.
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Born on April 2, 1957, Lafia was influential in the Los Angeles experimental music scene in the 1980’s before launching a successful film career.
He attended UCLA, and his first feature film was The Blue Iguana (1988), which he wrote and directed as well as produced the soundtrack.
- 5/2/2020
- by Anita Bennett
- Deadline Film + TV
A year ago, Adam Horovitz and Mike Diamond, of the Beastie Boys, premiered an extended theatrical evening in which the two got up onstage and chronicled the band’s 30-year history, from soup to nuts (pun intended), with photographs, TV and film clips, home videos, animated doodads, and other archival tidbits flashing on a screen behind them. The event, which premiered in Philadelphia, was staged by Spike Jonze, who had directed several Beastie Boys videos, notably the epochal ’70s-cop-show prankfest he laid over the big beat of “Sabotage.” Jonze approached the show as if it were the live-theater version of a documentary — the key difference being that Horovitz and Diamond wrote out what they were going to say beforehand, reading their recollections off a teleprompter (with a good deal of joshing spontaneity) and shaping it all, with the assistance of Jonze, so that the evening had the personalized flow and detail of a memoir.
- 4/20/2020
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
The 2018 Grammy nominations were a triumph for diversity, with far more hip-hop and R&b nominees in the top categories than ever before.
In a way, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that an organization devoted to supporting and honoring music would recognize the current ascendance of hip-hop as the dominant popular music form. But it is something of a delicious shock, because since they began in the 1950s, the Grammys have not exactly been inclusive.
No hip-hop song, for instance, has ever won Record of the Year or Song of the Year. You could argue that they’ve been shortsighted when it comes to rock music and Latin music and jazz and other genres, too, that there’s an inevitable conservatism that comes from having a huge body of voters considering such a vast musical landscape.
But the decades worth of snubs and oversights are not pretty. A timeline:
1959
At the first Grammys,...
In a way, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that an organization devoted to supporting and honoring music would recognize the current ascendance of hip-hop as the dominant popular music form. But it is something of a delicious shock, because since they began in the 1950s, the Grammys have not exactly been inclusive.
No hip-hop song, for instance, has ever won Record of the Year or Song of the Year. You could argue that they’ve been shortsighted when it comes to rock music and Latin music and jazz and other genres, too, that there’s an inevitable conservatism that comes from having a huge body of voters considering such a vast musical landscape.
But the decades worth of snubs and oversights are not pretty. A timeline:
1959
At the first Grammys,...
- 1/21/2020
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
The state of New York announced Thursday that it would contribute $3.7 million to the Universal Hip Hop Museum, a $80 million institution dedicated to the musical genre set to open in the Bronx in 2023.
Governor Andrew Cuomo officially signed off on the $3.7 million grant as part of a larger package of economic and community development funding statewide, CNN reports.
The Universal Hip Hop Museum, dubbed the first-ever museum dedicated to rap music, is currently operating as a pop-up exhibit in the Bronx Terminal Market ahead of its planned move to the...
Governor Andrew Cuomo officially signed off on the $3.7 million grant as part of a larger package of economic and community development funding statewide, CNN reports.
The Universal Hip Hop Museum, dubbed the first-ever museum dedicated to rap music, is currently operating as a pop-up exhibit in the Bronx Terminal Market ahead of its planned move to the...
- 12/22/2019
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
The world moves forward at a pretty good clip these days, presumably faster than it’s done in the past since it keeps outpacing the past that it seems to be leaving behind. But for fellows like Kurtis Blow this doesn’t seem to be a deterrent when it comes to reminding people why the past is still important. The rapper turned minister is still one of those that many people revere and remember for his many contributions to the music scene as well as to the lives of those he’s touched throughout his long career. While some folks might not know
10 Things You Didn’t Know about Kurtis Blow...
10 Things You Didn’t Know about Kurtis Blow...
- 5/23/2019
- by Tom
- TVovermind.com
Charlie’s Records is a classic immigration story turned personal. Director Tina Charles is a Wnba all star, Olympic gold medalist and first-time filmmaker. Her documentary follows her father Rawlston Charles, who came to New York from Trinidad in the 70’s, opened a calypso record shop in BedStuy (subject of a 2013 NYTimes article), then turned his store into a record studio where he produced for all the calypso greats including early rappers like Slick Rick and Kurtis Blow. Rawlston is responsible for producing megahits like “La Di Da Di” by Slick Rick and Doug E. Fresh, and “Hot Hot Hot” by Arrow.…...
- 5/14/2019
- by Dylan Kai Dempsey
- IONCINEMA.com
Rap icon Kurtis Blow is outraged Virginia's Attorney General chose to "honor" him by wearing blackface. Kurtis was on "TMZ Live" when he called out Mark Herring for being disrespectful, ugly and degrading when he wore blackface in 1980 as a 19-year-old college student at the University of Virginia. Herring admitted to dressing up as the rapper -- complete with "wigs and brown makeup" -- when he performed Blow's songs. Virginia's leadership has come under fire...
- 2/8/2019
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Ralph Northam is still the governor of Virginia.
The Democrat has yet to step down in the wake of a bizarre blackface controversy that has led nearly every prominent party leader to call for his resignation, including his state’s two senators. But if and when Northam does step aside, the line of succession doesn’t get any less problematic. Next up would be Justin Fairfax, the state’s lieutenant governor who is currently embroiled in allegations of sexual assault. After that, it’s the state’s attorney general, Mark Herring,...
The Democrat has yet to step down in the wake of a bizarre blackface controversy that has led nearly every prominent party leader to call for his resignation, including his state’s two senators. But if and when Northam does step aside, the line of succession doesn’t get any less problematic. Next up would be Justin Fairfax, the state’s lieutenant governor who is currently embroiled in allegations of sexual assault. After that, it’s the state’s attorney general, Mark Herring,...
- 2/6/2019
- by Ryan Bort
- Rollingstone.com
Public Enemy’s Chuck D has been named chairman of the forthcoming Universal Hip Hop Museum’s celebrity board, Billboard reports. The museum, whose mission “celebrates and preserves the history of local and global hip-hop music and culture to inspire, empower and promote understanding,” is slated to break ground in the Bronx next year with a projected opening in 2022.
“The credibility he brings to our team is mammoth,” museum chairman of the board Kurtis Blow said. “He also understands the importance of the Uhhm and vows to let the world...
“The credibility he brings to our team is mammoth,” museum chairman of the board Kurtis Blow said. “He also understands the importance of the Uhhm and vows to let the world...
- 12/20/2018
- by Althea Legaspi
- Rollingstone.com
For at least a decade now, rap beats have been getting fiercer every year. The biggest producers in the genre largely abandoned traditional acoustic instrumentation, instead embracing the abrasive potential of software. As Kanye West worked on his 2010 album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, he kept a note on his wall reading, “No Acoustic Guitar In The Studio.” Producers like Lex Luger and Metro Boomin, who enjoyed dominant runs in the 2010s, took that approach to an extreme, constructing hulking beats that hit like jackhammers. The wave crested last year,...
- 12/17/2018
- by Elias Leight
- Rollingstone.com
[[tmz:video id="0_3izgf3n8"]] Kurtis Blow isn't just a rap pioneer ... he's a Christmas rap pioneer, but this holiday season he's inviting all of hip-hop to join him by the yuletide fire. We got the NYC legend Tuesday at Reagan National in D.C. and asked why he thought hip-hop Christmas songs don't get as much play as more conventional choices, like Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You." To Kurtis the answer seems to be market share.
- 11/21/2017
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. For daily updates follow us @NotebookMUBI.Recommended VIDEOSPerhaps you haven't caught it by now, or simply need reason to watch it again: the first trailer for Paul Thomas Anderson's Phantom Thread, starring Daniel Day-Lewis and set in the 1950s London fashion scene.Independent filmmaker Zia Anger, whose provocative short work we're big fans of, offers a stunning video for Zola Jesus' new single.Kinet, the online avant-garde publishing platform co-programmed by Mubi's Kurt Walker, has released their seventh program in the form of an ambitious Halloween-themed omnibus film entitled Aos Sí. It includes new films by Gina Telaroli, Raya Martin, Sophy Romvari, Neil Bahadur, Walker, and many more.At the Toronto International Film Festival, we loved Louis Ck's I Love You Daddy, a dark comedy of artistry and perversion. The film, Ck's first since Pootie Tang, shot...
- 11/1/2017
- MUBI
It's hard to believe we're already into week three of Dancing With the Stars!
On Monday night, the 11 remaining contestants danced their hearts out to routines inspired by their ultimate guilty pleasures. From the most technical lifts to the sassiest performances, Et's breaking down all the best choreography moments we saw in the ballroom.
Watch: 'Dancing With the Stars' Pays Tribute to the Victims of Las Vegas Massacre With Touching Opening Message
Drew Scott & Emma Slater - Argentine Tango, "Red Right Hand" by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Dance highlight: We've patiently been waiting to see more lifts this season, and this week, we got them! Drew and Emma kicked off the night with a true crime-inspired piece, with the Property Brothers star holding his pro partner in the air at the 0:52 mark.
Judges' score: 23/30.
Et's score: 21/30. We found it a bit surprising that the judges' gave this pair such high scores, when some of...
On Monday night, the 11 remaining contestants danced their hearts out to routines inspired by their ultimate guilty pleasures. From the most technical lifts to the sassiest performances, Et's breaking down all the best choreography moments we saw in the ballroom.
Watch: 'Dancing With the Stars' Pays Tribute to the Victims of Las Vegas Massacre With Touching Opening Message
Drew Scott & Emma Slater - Argentine Tango, "Red Right Hand" by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Dance highlight: We've patiently been waiting to see more lifts this season, and this week, we got them! Drew and Emma kicked off the night with a true crime-inspired piece, with the Property Brothers star holding his pro partner in the air at the 0:52 mark.
Judges' score: 23/30.
Et's score: 21/30. We found it a bit surprising that the judges' gave this pair such high scores, when some of...
- 10/3/2017
- Entertainment Tonight
The competition on Dancing With Stars is heating up!
The 11 remaining contestants will take the floor once again on Monday night, performing dances inspired by their ultimate guilty pleasures, a brand new theme for the dance competition show.
But before the stars and their pro partners show off their skills, Et's breaking down everything you need to know about what to expect in the ballroom!
Who's on top of the leaderboard?
1. Frankie Muniz & Witney Carson: 25/30
2. Tie! Jordan Fisher & Lindsay Arnold, Lindsey Stirling & Mark Ballas: 24/30
3. Vanessa Lachey & Maksim Chmerkovskiy: 23/30
Watch: Nikki Bella Dishes On Her & John Cena's Real-Life 'Red Room' Ahead of 'DWTS' Guilty Pleasures Night
Who's in danger of elimination?
Nikki Bella & Artem Chigvintsev received the lowest score from the judges last Tuesday, 18/30. They were followed closely behind with a three-way tie between Derek Fisher & Sharna Burgess, Terrell Owens & Cheryl Burke and Nick Lachey & Peta Murgatroyd, who all received...
The 11 remaining contestants will take the floor once again on Monday night, performing dances inspired by their ultimate guilty pleasures, a brand new theme for the dance competition show.
But before the stars and their pro partners show off their skills, Et's breaking down everything you need to know about what to expect in the ballroom!
Who's on top of the leaderboard?
1. Frankie Muniz & Witney Carson: 25/30
2. Tie! Jordan Fisher & Lindsay Arnold, Lindsey Stirling & Mark Ballas: 24/30
3. Vanessa Lachey & Maksim Chmerkovskiy: 23/30
Watch: Nikki Bella Dishes On Her & John Cena's Real-Life 'Red Room' Ahead of 'DWTS' Guilty Pleasures Night
Who's in danger of elimination?
Nikki Bella & Artem Chigvintsev received the lowest score from the judges last Tuesday, 18/30. They were followed closely behind with a three-way tie between Derek Fisher & Sharna Burgess, Terrell Owens & Cheryl Burke and Nick Lachey & Peta Murgatroyd, who all received...
- 10/2/2017
- Entertainment Tonight
If you thought the sudden move of French director Burno Dumont from austere drama to increasingly wacky comedy in the TV miniseries P'tit Quinquin and last year’s farce Slack Bay was a shock, prepare yourself for Jeannette, an electro-musical dance film on the adolescent life of Joan of Arc. Opening with little Jeannette (Lise Leplat Prudhomme) humming prayers to herself along the river Meuse (in fact, Dumont re-locates the story to his beloved northern France), suddenly the music swells, she belts one out—”there is nothing, there is never anything, but perdition!”—and ends it all with a handspring and splits. “Why do you do that?” asks a passing child, but the answer is obvious: lonesome, poor, in love with charity and full of doubts, Jeannette bounds with childhood’s pent up energy and calls forth her questions, protests and passion in bodily, soulful fervor. With this beginning, Dumont...
- 9/13/2017
- MUBI
People is celebrating the Sept. 18 premiere of Dancing with the Stars‘ 25th season with 25 days of exclusive interviews, fun retrospectives and new details about what fans can expect from the milestone season.
Good news, Dancing with the Stars fans! We’ve got your exclusive look into which songs and dance styles all the couples will show off first.
Here’s the full rundown on what to expect on the DWTS premiere.
Malcom in the Middle star Frankie Muniz will dance the Foxtrot with pro Witney Carson to Harry Styles’s debut single “Sign of the Times” 98 Degrees singer Nick Lachey...
Good news, Dancing with the Stars fans! We’ve got your exclusive look into which songs and dance styles all the couples will show off first.
Here’s the full rundown on what to expect on the DWTS premiere.
Malcom in the Middle star Frankie Muniz will dance the Foxtrot with pro Witney Carson to Harry Styles’s debut single “Sign of the Times” 98 Degrees singer Nick Lachey...
- 9/9/2017
- by Maria Pasquini
- PEOPLE.com
[[tmz:video id="0_b8xs442x"]] Hip-hop legend Kurtis Blow strongly believes NFL owners are conspiring to keep Colin Kaepernick out of the league -- to send a message to other players to stay quiet about off-the-field issues. Blow was at the United We Stand rally in front of NFL headquarters in NYC -- when he explained why Colin should be hailed as a hero, not a villain. He's dead serious about his conspiracy theory -- and calls one team in...
- 8/24/2017
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Hundreds of people rallied in support of Colin Kaepernick in NYC Wednesday -- including Susan Sarandon -- who said proudly, "I'm With Kaep." The "United We Stand" rally went down in front of the NFL headquarters in New York -- stars like Kurtis Blow, ex-nfl player Willie Colon and rapper Mysonne were all there. Rally in support of Colin Kaepernick in front of @NFL. Together we win. I stand with Colin. #ImWithKap pic.twitter.com...
- 8/23/2017
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Earlier this year, the presence of YouTube videos from extremist groups -- and the fact that ads were running before those videos -- triggered a large-scale controversy that continues to reverberate across the online video community. While YouTube has already pledged to safeguard its brand partners from any association with content that contains hate speech or appeals to terrorism, its parent company has announced four additional steps it will take to curb the spread of those clips. Google has authored a blog post in which it discusses the ways it is using its technology and human resources to quash extremist videos.
The blog post, authored by Google general counsel Kurt Walker, reaffirms the commitment of both Google and YouTube to the battle against extremism. “While we and others have worked for years to identify and remove content that violates our policies,” reads the post, “the uncomfortable truth is that we,...
The blog post, authored by Google general counsel Kurt Walker, reaffirms the commitment of both Google and YouTube to the battle against extremism. “While we and others have worked for years to identify and remove content that violates our policies,” reads the post, “the uncomfortable truth is that we,...
- 6/19/2017
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
Elliott Wheeler.
Aussie Elliott Wheeler is the composer on Baz Luhrmann's Netflix series about the death of disco and rise of hip-hop, 'The Get Down'. Wheeler.s duties included producing and coordinating all the music heard in the show as well as writing his own.
How did you get the Get Down gig?.
Baz and I started working together on The Great Gatsby, and then we did the live musical version of Strictly Ballroom. After that finished I moved over to the States to set up there. Baz had mentioned that The Get Down was coming up, and a few months after that I moved over to New York to start working on the show..
What was his brief when he spoke to you?
Just because of the scope of the show and the amount of music that was going to be involved, we wanted to create...
Aussie Elliott Wheeler is the composer on Baz Luhrmann's Netflix series about the death of disco and rise of hip-hop, 'The Get Down'. Wheeler.s duties included producing and coordinating all the music heard in the show as well as writing his own.
How did you get the Get Down gig?.
Baz and I started working together on The Great Gatsby, and then we did the live musical version of Strictly Ballroom. After that finished I moved over to the States to set up there. Baz had mentioned that The Get Down was coming up, and a few months after that I moved over to New York to start working on the show..
What was his brief when he spoke to you?
Just because of the scope of the show and the amount of music that was going to be involved, we wanted to create...
- 4/13/2017
- by Harry Windsor
- IF.com.au
The latest installment in the filmmaker's series of journal-films combining iPhone footage and sounds and images from movies. A diary penned with cinema.Journal (6.6.16 - 1.10.17)feat. additional footage from Masha Tupitsyn and Isiah MedinaMy journal-film series (of which this is the third installment) came to be as a means of resolving the points of convergence and departure amongst the environments I occupy and those which I encounter in cinema. I like to view these films as a method of managing the images that take up my thoughts and memories into a new continuity, one in which the distinction between images seen on-screen and those personally experienced is no longer absolute. In dissolving this partition, these films provide a vector for the animation conceptual concerns through cinema - montage fulfilling that which language can only formally describe and vice versa. The following essay outlines some of the concerns this film attempts...
- 3/20/2017
- MUBI
Krush Groove screens Wednesday, December 7th at 8pm Schlafly Bottleworks Restaurant and Bar (7260 Southwest Ave.- at Manchester – Maplewood, Mo 63143) as part of Webster University’s Award-Winning Strange Brew Film Series.
You never know what’s brewing at Webster University’s Strange Brew cult film series. It’s always the first Wednesday evening of every month, and they always come up with some cult classic to show while enjoying some good food and great suds. The fun happens at Schlafly Bottleworks Restaurant and Bar in Maplewood (7260 Southwest Ave.- at Manchester – Maplewood, Mo 63143).
I’ve never seen this month’s Strange Brew pick, Krush Groove, a movie based on the early days of Def Jam Recordings, but apparently it’s a must see for all Hip Hop historians.
Krush Groove (1985) is a movie about the struggles of early rap groups trying to make it big in the 80’s when rap...
You never know what’s brewing at Webster University’s Strange Brew cult film series. It’s always the first Wednesday evening of every month, and they always come up with some cult classic to show while enjoying some good food and great suds. The fun happens at Schlafly Bottleworks Restaurant and Bar in Maplewood (7260 Southwest Ave.- at Manchester – Maplewood, Mo 63143).
I’ve never seen this month’s Strange Brew pick, Krush Groove, a movie based on the early days of Def Jam Recordings, but apparently it’s a must see for all Hip Hop historians.
Krush Groove (1985) is a movie about the struggles of early rap groups trying to make it big in the 80’s when rap...
- 12/1/2016
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Alain GuiraudieA shepherdess warns Leo, a passing hiker, of wolves in the prairies of southern France in Alain Guiraudie’s Staying Vertical. The screenwriter—for that’s what he is—tells her, on the contrary, he’s fascinated by them and hopes to see one. They sleep together that night, under the roof of her father, a man whose pummeled face and thick, calloused fingers look as if he has survived several boxing careers. The stare he gives the visitor suggests that while wolves stalk outside, inside may hardly be any safer, since Leo fucks rather noisily and the daughter already has two young boys and no husband in sight. The situation does not suggest a happy end to the spontaneous rendezvous. But after sleeping with the screenwriter one more time, the shepherdess instantly gives birth. Our traveling hiker, a sudden father, is strangely unperturbed by this decidedly unlikely chain of events.
- 10/7/2016
- MUBI
Septuagenarian firebrand Marco Bellocchio turns a critical eye at once sentimental and ironic to Italian men’s relationship to their mothers in Sweet Dreams, an inspired adaptation of a memoir by journalist Massimo Gramellini. Beginning with the dewy-eyed memories of a young Massimo in a halcyon 1960s, the boy dances, nestles and accompanies his mother everywhere, until her early and suspicious death sends him through the decades a man quietly emotionally and psychologically impaired—solitary, withdrawn, uncommitted. Or would he be like that anyway?Bellocchio slyly balances the swooning syrup of a boy’s longing for his mother with a man’s hang-ups in adulthood, his romances and career. After moving into his teenage years, the film jumps to the 1990s when Massimo, by then a sportswriter celebrated for his simple, direct and emotionless writing, encounters a Mephistophelean millionaire whose sudden death, rhyming with that of Massimo’s mother, sends...
- 9/14/2016
- MUBI
Oliver LaxeTime seems to have inverted: last year saw the release of British artist Ben Rivers’ The Sky Trembles and the Earth Is Afraid and the Two Eyes Are Not Brothers, a feature film that appears to be a behind-the-scenes record of the production of Spanish director Oliver Laxe’s second film, Mimosas, in Morocco. But soon The Sky Trembles turns into something else, its patchwork-colored landscapes drawing Laxe off his own film set and on a stripped-down journey through the desert. Kidnapped and covered in tin armor, Laxe goes through an allegorical rite of passage inspired by the writing of Paul Bowles and reminiscent of how, in his feature debut, 2010’s marvelous You Are All Captains, the young director is also replaced from his own film and which seems to get along just fine without him.This year we finally see Mimosas, the film whose production we spied in The Sky Trembles.
- 9/13/2016
- MUBI
The Brazilian critic-turned-filmmaker Kleber Mendonça Filho has followed up his prize-winning debut Neighboring Sounds with the tremendous melodrama Aquarius, which premiered this year in competition at the Cannes Film Festival. Told with the director's beautifully formed storytelling, Aquarius follows the saga of a famous music critic (a remarkable performance by Sonia Braga) who is the remaining holdout in the once-luxurious apartment complex Aquarius, fighting a new wave of development in the city of Recife. Notebook: In the news right now there are a lot of stories about corruption in Brazil and your film seems to touch upon that: themes of nepotism and family. I wonder how much of the contemporary situation you wanted to channel through this story of the apartment.Kleber MENDONÇA Filho: It’s a little hard to answer the question the way you put it because, not the current political situation, because it was impossible to predict even a year ago.
- 9/13/2016
- MUBI
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