CBU June/July Emagazine

C B U EMAG

6 & 7.20

Having To Deal With What They Put Us Through

Makes Us Wanna Holler!

Black Lives Matter

A Special Thank You to: Cover Model:

Chri s DeLoat ch @chrisdeloatchofficial Chris is signed to @theartistagency. He is a D.C. model, actor and singer. His credits include CBU emagazine, @janetjackson, @krave_magazine, @swervmagazine.

His new single “ALIVE” is on iTunes now. https://music.apple.com/us/album/alive-feat-g-themastermind-single/1459534886 Chris’s IMDb link www.imdb.com/name/nm7471042

Cover Photography By:

L e sl i e a n d r e wS @leslieandrewsphoto Leslie Andrews is a Beauty & Fashion Photographer and owner of @midtowncollective and www.leslieandrewsphotography.com.

Her work has appeared in Essence, VZSN Magazine, Kontrol Brides and many more.

Take A Moment To Follow Them & Check Out Their Work

Before he died, a father said to his son; “Here is a watch that your grandfather gave me. It is almost 200 years old. Before I give it to you, go to the jewelry store downtown. Tell them that I want to sell it, and see how much they offer you."

The son went to the jewelry story, came back to his father, and said; "They offered $150.00 because it's so old."

The father said; “Go to the pawn shop."

The son went to the pawn shop, came back to his father, and said; "The pawn shop offered $10.00 because it looks so worn."

The father asked his son to go to the museum and show them the watch.

He went to the museum, came back, and said to his father; “The curator offered $500,000.00 for this very rare piece to be included in their precious anJque collecJons."

The father said; “I wanted to let you know that the right place values you in the right way. Don't find yourself in the wrong place and get angry if you are not valued.

Those that know your value are those who appreciate you, don't stay in a place where nobody sees your value."

Know your worth.

Facebook - Levi B. Gregory

BLACK MUSIC MONTH

How Marvin Gaye’s ‘Inner City Blues’ remained a protest anthem for nearly 50 years

By Jack Pepper, thevinylfactory.com

Marvin Gaye was not necessarily a visionary; he just described the injustices he witnessed around him. Instead it is an indictment on the widening gulf of inequality, racial instability and social hardship endured throughout America’s urban spaces that his words are as potent and relevant now, nearly 50 years on, as they were when this 7ʺ was first released.

They were as potent in 1981, when Gil Scott-Heron spoke of the Siege of New Orleans, and ten years later when Q-Tip called politicians “magicians” on Tribe’s ‘Youthful Expression’. It is a record covered and sampled both for its groove and its message.

Back in ’71 though, the track’s immediate catalyst was Motown co-writer James Nyx Jr.’s scathing analysis of misspent tax dollars – how could the US government be spending billions on sending astronauts to the moon, while life in the ghettos of Detroit remained so tough? Reading the paper one morning, Nyx was drawn to a story that referred to the ‘inner city’ – the neglected area they talked about. What better way, he thought, to sum up the issues that he and Gaye had written down – than a song entitled ‘Inner City Blues’.

Recorded in March and released in September ’71, Gaye produced the entire track at the studio nicknamed Hitsville USA – Motown’s first headquarters. The Tamla record – which topped the R&B charts and gained attention worldwide – also featured as the final track on the seminal What’s Going On – Gaye’s eleventh and most enduring album.

Based on what’s been going on lately in 2020, CBU wanted to remind you of its relevance now since it is theme for this month’s issue

Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler – Lyrics) Writer/s: Marvin Gaye, James Nyx Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BMG Rights Management Rockets, moon shots Spend it on the have-nots Money, we make it Fore we see it, you'll take it Oh, make you wanna holler The way they do my life Make me wanna holler The way they do my life This ain't livin' this ain't livin' No, no baby, this ain't livin' No, no, no, no Inflation, no chance To increase finance Bills pile up, sky high Send that boy off to die

Oh, make me wanna holler The way they do my life Make me wanna holler The way they do my life, oh baby

Oh, they don’t understand

Hang ups, let downs Bad breaks, set backs Natural fact is Honey, that I can't pay my taxes

Dah, dah, dah Dah, dah, dah Dah, dah, dah Mother, mother

Oh, make me wanna holler And throw up both my hands Yea, it makes me wanna holler

Everybody thinks we're wrong Who are they to judge us Simply cause we wear our hair long

And throw up both my hands Crime is increasing Trigger happy policing Panic is spreading God knows where, where we're heading

Marvin Gaye - Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) Click below to see the video

Click Here To See The Trailer

In The Room Where It Really Happens!

For the ‘Hamilton’ superfans

Lin-Manuel Miranda, center, created and starred in “Hamilton” on Broadway. A filming of the show was slated for theatrical release in 2021, but instead will stream this summer because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Credit...Sara Krulwich/The New York Times

Good news if you haven’t been able to see “Hamilton” (or just want to rewatch it, over and over): The film version begins streaming on Disney Plus on July 3.

The movie — which is not really a movie but a live-capture of the stage production — was shot over three days in June 2016. It stars much of the original cast of the award-winning Broadway show. This is how the film came together.

Miranda, leL, with Leslie Odom Jr., who co-stars as Aaron Burr.Credit...Disney

THE FINAL SEASON New Episodes At OWN TV Now

Click Here To See The Trailer

POLITICS

‘My Art Is a Superpower

That Allows People to Grieve’:

Artist Nikkolas Smith on Painting Ahmaud Arbery and Other Victims of Injustice

By Sarah Cascone, news.artnet.com

Nikkolas Smith. Photo by Vanessa Crocini, courtesy of Nikkolas Smith.

The artist has previously depicted Martin Luther King Jr. and Atatiana Jefferson.

Like many, artist Nikkolas Smith was horrified when he first saw the footage of the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, the 25-year-old black man who was gunned down by two white men while jogging in his Georgia neighborhood on February 23.

But more than just echoing the outraged calls for justice, Smith turned to his art, creating a moving tribute to Arbery and sharing it on social media.

“Today I will not draw joy,” he wrote in the Instagram caption accompanying the raw, sketchy portrait of Arbery wearing a black suit and bow-tie.

“Today I draw Pain. Today I sketch Injustice.” Over the past five days, the image has amassed nearly 64,000 likes.

The Los Angeles artist has a knack for responding to major cultural moments, and for addressing issues of social justice, particularly racial disparities, through his art.

On Thursday, following the widespread dissemination of video footage of Arbery’s death and the subsequent public outcry, Travis McMichael, 34, and his father, Gregory McMichael, 64, were charged with murder and aggravated assault. The two men claimed they armed themselves and chased down Arbery because they believed he was a burglary suspect.

We spoke with Smith over email about his work and its relationship to activism.

How do you feel about the strong response you received for your portrait of Arbery?

The response to my Ahmaud art has been overwhelming and humbling. It has become the most viral art piece I’ve posted to Instagram.

I’ve received so many messages that say that I’ve painted what people are unable to say, and that my art is a superpower that allows people to process and grieve during highly emotional moments of injustice.

While I wish I didn’t have to create so many artivist pieces related to death, it makes me feel empowered that my art can be a therapeutic tool for so many people—it causes people to think and talk about issues that are often very uncomfortable to deal with.

How did you first come to hear of Arbery’s death and what motivated you to create the piece and depict him as you did?

I first saw the unthinkable murder of Ahmaud when it was posted [on Twitter] by Shaun King [a writer and civil rights activist]. For a day or two, I couldn’t bring myself to create anything related to this tragedy, but the more time passed, the more hurt and sadness I felt, along with many people in the black community and around the world. When these unjust murders occur, the pain I feel will often motivate me to create a visual response.

What is your artistic process like and what tools and materials do you use?

My style of art is what I would call unfinished, painterly, semi-abstract, and expressive. I mainly create digital paintings in Photoshop, using my Wacom Intuos tablet. I give myself anywhere from 30 minutes to three hours every Sunday and just speed paint what I’m feeling.

Nikkolas Smith depicted the Obamas as the superhero family from Pixar’s The Incredibles. Courtesy of Nikkolas Smith

Do you normally make several drafts before finalizing a composition?

Nope. I just jump into speed painting with a sort of addition-subtraction method of adding paint strokes, and continue to refine as I go along, oftentimes using just one single layer in Photoshop.

When did you first realize that art could be a tool for activism?

About seven years ago, I created an art piece of Martin Luther King Jr. in a hoodie, in response to the unjust murder of Trayvon Martin. It quickly became the most viral piece I had ever created at the time, and the next day I was being interviewed live on CNN, explaining the meaning of the art and how it was linked to Dr. King’s ideal of not being judged by your outward appearance. That was the moment I realized how universally impactful activist art can be to inspire people to make a positive change in the world.

Next page: Nikkolas Smith depicts Martin Luther King Jr. in a hoodie as a tribute to Trayvon Martin. Courtesy of Nikkolas Smith.

Nikkolas Smith made a painting of Atatiana Jefferson and her nephew, capturing the moment before she was killed by police responding to a non-emergency response call at her home. Courtesy of Nikkolas Smith.

Are there specific moments where you feel like you have had an important impact through your work?

My most viral art of 2019 was my recreation of Atatiana Jefferson’s final joyful moment of life, playing video games with her nephew, before being inexcusably murdered by the police in her own home. To my surprise, Congressman Marc Veasey blew up the art to poster size and displayed it on the floor of Congress as he was passionately advocating for police conduct reform. This was a moment I never could’ve imagined, that my art would be used in such a monumental way.

Throughout the years, creating art of a Syrian child in Aleppo, children in immigration camps, families seeking asylum, or NFL players kneeling against police brutality, I have been honored to be a part of helping to raise awareness and funds for issues that I never thought I would be able to advocate for. It has truly shown me the power of art to help people see the world through another human being’s eyes.

Da 5 BLOODS - FILM REVIEW

Da 5 Bloods review: Is Netflix movie worth watching or not

By John Dotson, monstersandcritics.com

Isiah Whitlock Jr.. as Melvin, Norm Lewis as Eddie, Delroy Lindo as Paul, Clarke Peters as Otis and Jonathan Majors as David in Da 5 Bloods. Pic credit: Netflix

As a director, Spike Lee has never shied away from confronting topics of race, injustice, and politics head-on.

After years of perfecting a balance between entertainment and gospel, Lee has somehow found that sweet spot. It was demonstrated in the Oscar-Nominated Blackkklansman, and here it is pushed further with Da 5 Bloods.

Even though Lee himself has always been an activist through his art, one cannot help but be amazed at how timely his cinematic discussions have been lately.

In Da 5 Bloods, Lee manages to explore America’s sins in innovative ways with extremely entertaining characters. But is it preachy to a fault or exactly what America needs right now?

Da 5 Bloods review: Is the Netflix movie worth watching or not?

Da 5 Bloods centers around four soldiers who return to Vietnam years after their emotional tours in the war-torn country.

Their motivation is to bring back one of their fallen comrades (or “Bloods” as they call themselves) to retrieve his buried remains and bring them back to his family.

Da 5 BLOODS - FILM REVIEW

On top of this, the soldier named Stormin’ Norman’s (Chadwick Boseman) remains are buried next to millions of dollars worth of gold.

Throughout the film, Lee explores how these Bloods have been jaded in various ways throughout the years. Some of them have money problems, some have a piece of themselves they left behind in Vietnam, one soldier is a drug addict, and one of them has untreated PTSD. There is one thing these men have in common. Paul, Otis, Melvin, and Eddie feel like they fought for a country that never valued their rights in the first place.

As they seek out their treasure, the journey that unfolds is an incredible picture of four men trying to cope with their history as black soldiers in a war no one wanted.

Clarke Peters as Otis and Delroy Lindo in Da 5 Bloods. Pic credit: David Lee/Netflix

The character relationships absolutely make the film. Once the film begins, Lee throws us into their lives without further explanation. They feel like they exist before the viewers even see them.

Their chemistry is infectious, as well as heartbreaking.

All the actors bring their best work to the table, especially Isiah Whitlock, who might become more prominent in the movie industry in lead roles thanks to Lee giving him a great part to play.

However, the conversation that will take place over the next year leading up to the Oscars will revolve around Delroy Lindo (Ransom, The Devil’s Advocate) as Paul.

His performance rips and shreds through this movie. Lindo’s role as Paul is the most bitter of them all because of his pain and regret from his time as a soldier.

Da 5 BLOODS - FILM REVIEW

He’s also a Trump supporter and wears a backward MAGA hat throughout the film. And because of the biVerness that he felt, as a soldier, the viewer instantly understands why he would choose to support such a controversial figure.

There are scenes in this film that are devastaWngly authenWc when depicWng the horrific toll of PTSD. Lindo more than rises to the occasion when showing the terrible realiWes of a life with PTSD, especially untreated.

Of course, given the poliWcal climate, some of the topics are going to have people on fences at Wmes.

It does not shy away from current issues of the moment, but that’s expected with a Spike Lee film. One can argue that with the character of Paul, Lee is trying to provide a surrogate for those on a different side of the aisle to have these discussions about how people of color were treated during the war and aYer. As a wriWng strategy, it’s a smooth concept for geZng people in the conversaWon, who otherwise would not parWcipate.

Another tool that Lee infuses in Da 5 Bloods is liVle easter eggs of history within the dialogue.

During conversaWons, the soldiers dive into morsels of military history involving people of color that feel seamless and serve as a brief history lesson — and he does so with transiWons in aspect raWo to throw the viewer into the past.

Most directors do not have the skills to find the balance, but somehow, in Da 5 Bloods, it does not make the film come to a halt. It’s all part of the greater narraWve because it’s the character’s history too.

Overall thoughts One can argue the film does get preachy, but just like Blackkklansman, Lee manages to dance with tension, comedy, and history all in one.

Once this film turns a corner, it becomes magnificently tense as well as riveWng. We spend so much Wme laughing as well as crying with these men that once stakes are set in place, one will oYen forget to breathe.

In some ways, Spike Lee pushes his ambiWons while capitalizing on what worked with his previous film. And it might even be a beVer movie because it’s enWrely original and not based on any novel or real-life story.

Between the performances, story, and direcWon, Da 5 Bloods is a stellar film about how the fight is never over for soldiers.

Regardless of where one falls on the divided secWons of the country, that’s something anyone with a military background in warfare understands.

Da 5 Bloods is now streaming on Ne@lix

Click Here To See The Trailer

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H E A LT H Y LIV IN G

Healthy Eating For Men Reviewed by Esther Ellis, MS, RDN, LDN

Food is more than just fuel. Your diet can help fight disease and keep you feeling younger.

Eating Right A healthy diet for men includes: • At least 2 cups of fruits and 2½ cups of vegetables each day for vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytochemicals.

• Whole grains. Eat at least half of all grains as whole grains each day. Replace refined grains with whole-grain bread, cereal, pasta, brown rice or oats.

• At least 38 grams of fiber per day for younger men; 30 grams of fiber per day for men older than 50.

• At least two to three servings of fish per week.

• Unsaturated fats such as oils, nuts and oil-based salad dressings in place of saturated fats such as full-fat dairy foods, butter and high-fat sweets.

• 3,400 milligrams a day of potassium from fruits, vegetables, fish and dairy.

Energy Foods Since men have more muscle and typically are bigger than women, they require more calories throughout the day. Moderately active males likely need 2,200 to 2,800 calories per day. Your energy needs depend on your height, weight and activity level.

For energy and disease prevention, men should eat whole grains such as whole-grain bread, pasta, cereal, brown rice, oats, barley, beans, lentils, fruits and vegetables. These foods are high in fiber, help manage hunger and fullness and help fend off certain cancers, such as prostate and colon.

More than Meat Eat a variety of protein foods, including seafood and plant-based sources, like beans, peas and soy products. Cut down on saturated fat from high fat meats and full-fat dairy products and fried foods.

Instead, opt for foods with unsaturated, heart-healthy fats such as olive oil, canola oil, nuts, seeds and avocados.

Consider working with a registered dietitian nutritionist to develop healthy habits that will last a lifetime.

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Health & Wellness

Gyms May Start Reopening Soon—But Will it Be Safe to Go Back?

What you need to know before you break a sweat back at the studio.

During a coronavirus task force news briefing on April 16, President Trump revealed a three-phase plan for "Opening Up America Again." Though there’s no set date for when it will actually go into effect—and it will vary state by state and likely, even city by city—non-essenWal business owners and individuals have begun to prepare for what a reopening plan will look like.

On the list of those businesses given the green-light to reopen: gyms. The quesWon is, will big box gyms and small studios alike be safe enough to go back to in this first phase?

And what can you do to protect yourself if you decide to go?

Here’s everything you need to know.

Is it safe to return gyms when they reopen?

Gavis Harris, MD, infectious diseases physician and critical care medicine fellow at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center tells Health that returning to gyms at this time could be dangerous. “From a biologic and physiologic perspective, it’s a bad idea,” he says, citing that the novel coronavirus is spread via droplets, so people in gyms can easily spread it this way. He adds that the virus can also potentially last on shared surfaces for days. “Couple that with an enclosed space, the risk of exposure is exceptionally high,” he says.

When gyms do reopen, Harris mentions the importance of wearing masks for those working out and those working at the gym. He also says that one major problem with gym reopening is that no firm protocols from public health experts have been put in place for gym owners, so really, it’s up to individual gyms to create their own plans to help keep you safe and keep their spaces disinfected.

The number-one thing all gyms will have to do, according to Harris, is thoroughly clean and disinfect surfaces aYer every single client uses them, and create adequate venWlaWon, so air parWcles don’t hang around. Social distancing remains important at the gym too, he says, suggesWng gym goers bring their own wipes and frequently wash or saniWze their hands throughout their workout, as well.

To help with some of the protocol for what gym owners should do to keep their spaces safe, the InternaWonal Health, Racquet, and Sportsclub AssociaWon (IHRSA), the fitness industry’s nonprofit, has created a list of best pracWces, including quesWons operators should ask before reopening, Meredith Poppler, vice president of communicaWons and leadership engagement of the IHRSA tells Health. The list of quesWons includes those about staff and visitor screenings, social distancing, and sanitaWon—all important factors to set in place before leZng people back into the gym.

Dr. Harris doesn’t discount the benefits of exercise and gyms in general, giving individuals the moWvaWon to move as well as socialize. But he cauWons against returning to these spaces too soon. “At this Wme, I would strongly advise against going to public gyms and other fitness clubs unless appropriate health measures can be assured,” he says. This is especially true for those with underlying health condiJons.

Is it safe to return gyms when they reopen?

The good news: Most gyms have been preparing for reopening since closing. For example, Life Time, with 150 locations across the country, has created a 53-page document to detail exactly what that will look like— and released a video and online plan to members last week to get the word out on safety precautions for both the gym staff and visitors. There's no set reopening date yet, but the dates will likely stagger for different locations.

Life Time in particular plans to increase the frequency of cleaning, offer more disinfectant products to clients, and limit the number of clients allowed in classes and at the gym overall, Amy Williams, manager of public relations for Life Time tells Health. They’ll also have signs and markers throughout the gym to reinforce social-distancing rules, place weight machines farther apart, and only allow the use of every other cardio machine and every other locker in locker rooms.

Staff will also have temperature checks before heading into work and will be in masks. Williams says they’ll encourage gym-goers to wear masks as well, and clients will also have the option for temperature checks before entering the space. “We want to make sure members feel good, confident, and safe when they come back, so that’s swaying our decision [on when to reopen],” Williams says.

ClassPass, with more than 30,000 partners across 30 countries, also says they’ll reopen classes on the platform as soon as gyms say they’re ready. They’ll also remind the studios to update class capacity, as many will likely lower the number of people per workout, Mandy Menaker, senior public relations manager, tells Health. She adds that more than two-thirds of their partners have opted in for virtual class offerings— the site has 50,000 livestreams a week—and ClassPass will continue to forego their commission on those digital classes through June 1, so that will likely remain an option even after some studios open.

Poppler says that while the IHRSA thinks it’s important for gyms to open, it’s also crucial that each one does so when they’re ready and have created a safe space. “To be 100% crystal clear, while we believe health and fitness clubs are vital to their communities and should be included in phase 1 openings across the country, we want this done as safe as is practically possible,” Poppler says. “On the state level, IHRSA is reaching out to all 50 governors, explaining that clubs will work with their state’s health department to ensure clubs open as soon as is possible when it is safe to do so in a way that puts the health of staff, members, and communities first.”

First: Don’t go back to the gym if you don’t feel confident in its cleanliness—and don’t be afraid to ask about what your gym is doing to curb the spread of coronavirus.

As Harris mentioned, masks and your own cleaning supplies are always smart. When you’re at the gym, make sure to wipe down any equipment before and after use. Also, the same precautions stand of washing your hands as often as possible and not touching your face. “Health clubs are taking the extra steps necessary to provide a clean and safe environment, but everyone has an essential role to play—staff and members alike,” says Poppler.

Virtual classes likely aren’t going away for a while either, so until cases of COVID-19 drop in your area and officials say it’s OK to return to gyms and you feel confident doing so, you might want to stick to those athome options. When you do venture out, be super diligent about cleaning and practice the safety protocols you’ve likely been doing for weeks now.

The information in this story is accurate as of press time. However, as the situation surrounding COVID-19 continues to evolve, it's possible that some data have changed since publication. While Health is trying to keep our stories as up-to-date as possible, we also encourage readers to stay informed on news and recommendations for their own communities by using the CDC, WHO, and their local public health department as resources.

Stay Healthy.

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And finally…here’s Sony’s PlayStation 5

By Bryan Heater, techcrunch.com

Today’s PlayStation 5 event was all about the games — generally a good sign when your system is due out by the end of the year. But after more than an hour of real PS5 gameplay capture, Sony had one more important thing up its sleeve: the console.

Announced back at CES in January, we’ve seen very little of the hardware thus far, beyond last month’s DualSense Controller reveal.

TECH

Sony finally revealed the PS5 tower in all its glory — and I’ve got to admit, the damn thing looks pretty slick. That goes double when placed up against the Xbox Series X, which frankly looked a bit more like a router than I think most were expecting. The PS5 isn’t entirely unrouter-like, but at least it’s a sleeklooking one. While it seems likely we’ll see multiple color options, the unit that featured prominently in the event featured the same sort of white with black trim color scheme we saw on the controller review.

Here, however, there are some sharp finds and radical angles that could make it difficult to place the system in a horizontal configuration, if you’re so inclined. The back, meanwhile, features an exposed black surface with a fairly large cooling vent. As seen to the left, there are two distinct versions of the system. At left is the standard PS5 and at right is the Digital Edition, which ditches the familiar disc drive. Seems Sony’s not ready to abandon physical games just yet. Like Microsoft’s digital version of the last Xbox, the system will most likely come with a price cut over the standard model. It also appears a fair bit thinner.

Specwise, we know we’re in for an AMD Zen 2 CPU and AMD’s RDNA 2-based GPU, coupled with 16GB of RAM and an 825GB SSD — no word on whether that last bit will vary between models. There’s also a separate HD camera accessory and matching Pulse 3D headphones, which feature that 3D audio Sony has long been pushing.

Plenty more details to come — including price — ahead of the system’s launch this holiday season.

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E N T R E P R E N E U R S H IP

Nail artist Jimmy Nguyen works with a client in his studio in Phoenix on May 18, 2020.

Thomas Hawthorne/The Republic

'I had $20 to my name’: How a Phoenix nail artist found Instagram fame and his own lane

By Elizabeth Montgomery, usatoday.com

No one does nails like Jimmy Nguyen does nails.

The self-taught Phoenix nail arJst went from working in warehouses to garnering more than 25,000 Instagram followers who fawn over his unique nail designs.

On his Instagram (@buddhasnails) Nguyen showcases his painterly versaJlity with nail art inspired by arJsts Keith Harring and Junji Ito, spiky pink sJleao nails that ombre into gold flake Jps and transparent coffin-shaped nails flaunJng his signature Old English typeface.

StarJng at $70 a set, Nguyen's work ranges from Frida Kahlo portraits and intricate bumblebees to lifelike pathos vines. He freehands all his work using nail polishes and acrylic paint. No stencils. And abstract pieces that would usually cover a large canvas are resized to fit nails short, long or sJleao.

Nail ar?st Jimmy Nguyen works with a client in his studio in Phoenix on May 18, 2020.

Thomas Hawthorne/The Republic

Nguyen planned to open his own nail salon, Slain Studios, earlier in 2020, but the opening was pushed back due to the coronavirus pandemic. After two years of getting the shop ready, he now plans to open in July.

"I'm just thankful I'm able to like to take care of my family," Nguyen said. "Back in the day, I couldn't do any of this."

How Jimmy Nguyen got his start in nail salons

Nail artist Jimmy Nguyen in his studio in Phoenix on May 18, 2020.

Thomas Hawthorne/The Republic

Art came naturally for Nguyen. He said he's always been an artist but didn't start applying his art to nails until 2008.

"I moved into my mom's and slept on the couch. I had $20 to my name," Nguyen said. "I just couldn't take it anymore working crappy jobs.”

"It's crazy when I was a kid I always would draw something really tiny. It's weird," he said. "I was fascinated with like tiny things like, I'd make tiny paper cranes or I try to draw something really small. I guess it worked out.”

Then he moved to Florida to spend a year managing his aunt's nail salon. That's where he began to develop a following and a clientele who noticed his work. Eventually, he returned to Phoenix to be closer to his daughter, doing nails on the side.

Nguyen grew up in nail salons in metro Phoenix.

But when he was younger, he didn't want to grow up to become a nail artist.

"In Asian households that do nails, they don't want their kids to do nails," Nguyen said.

"I embedded in my head that I never wanted to do it.”

After high school, Nguyen worked in an Amazon warehouse to make ends meet, but he hated it.

One of his Phoenix clients was a local bartender who always asked him for out-of-the-box nail designs. He executed them with ease, and word spread.

So he decided to embrace it. In 2013, he started taking clients at Stash House, a nail art mecca in central Phoenix.

"It was hard, man; I would sit there for hours. If I didn't have a client I would sit there and I practice

didn't have a client, I would sit there and I practice my craft and post it (on Instagram)," Nguyen said.

"When you're first starting, you sit and you hustle. I had to do discounts, you know, I'd try to do anything just to get my name out there."

How his salon plans survived the COVID-19 shutdown

Nail ar?st Jimmy Nguyen in his studio in Phoenix and some of his work on May 18, 2020. Thomas Hawthorne/The Republic

His name is out there now and on the radar of celebrities like "Basketball Wives" star Evelyn Lozada and "The Long Island Medium" Theresa Caputo.

Nguyen is far from letting up.

Being an independent nail artist during a pandemic is complicated. In March, his phone filled with messages and calls for appointments. But after taking a few private clients, he made the tough decision to stop and stay home.

"It was rough; I did a couple of house calls, which I know I shouldn't have, but I have a wife and kids to feed," Nguyen said.

When Gov. Doug Ducey's stay-at-home order ended May 16, the calls flooded Nguyen's phone again.

With social distancing in mind, he took one client at a time.

"I'm busy; I don't even get a chance to use the restroom," he said. "I see about nine people a day, nine hours of work."

YOUR PERSONAL ST YLE

E N T R E P R E N E U R S H IP

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Our premium products are formulated to alleviate skin care concerns through natural solutions. Our products use premium ingredients, are ethically sourced, and are highly effective. Our formulations offer relief from problem skin (such as aging, oily, dry, sensitive, acneic, and tired skin) as well as shaving concerns (such as razor burn, razor bumps, ingrown hairs, dry skin, nicks and cuts, and beard itch).

Although we cannot cure any of those ailments, our formulations are quite effective in providing great skin relief for healthier, better looking skin. Based in Dallas, Texas, the company specializes in online retail and wholesale distribution of its cosmetic products.

As a company, we are most proud of our commitment to our mission statement: to alleviate skincare concerns through natural solutions, while being an ethically and socially responsible company beneficial to the community.

Nature Loves You Skincare products were meticulously crafted with premium botanicals to give users superior skin nutrition for healthier, better looking skin. We know from our personal testimony that it is beneficial & effective. Through our ethical and socially responsible business model, all of our products are cruelty-free, toxin-free, and GMO-free. We do not test on animals, nor do we use any ingredients that contain harmful synthetics. Keeping to our commitment to help communities in need, we donate a portion of our time and profits to various charities, in both the local and international communities.

Nathan Townsie

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And what better way to do that than to invest in a great anti-aging regimen. Our Moisturizing Rejuvenation Serum is amazing.

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Click Here To See The Trailer

Having To Deal With What They Put Us Through

Makes Us Wanna Holler!

The Good The Bad & the Ugly Whether it is the lack of respect that we’ve received as a race, being killed by bad police officers, low quality healthcare, subversive racism, putting up with voter suppression, dealing with years of red-lining, living with the constant reminders of confederate statues and flags, fighting with militant and racist groups and forcing corporate America to understand that we are not asking for a handout but just to be treated as equals, life as African Americans in 2020 should be getting better but it is not.

George Floyd’s death and the deaths of so many others that have been overlooked was finally the line in the sand that re-invigorated the movement and we are not going to take it anymore.

The protests, over the past few weeks, have garnered support nationally and have continue to garner support from countries from around the world. They also our echoing our words no justice, no peace and that Black Lives Matter!

We will continue to push back until we are heard and until changes are made.

The following images from the internet over the past few weeks are surreal, hurtful, bold, ugly and loving but they remind us that

BLACK LIVES MATTER!!!

For a week, Seth Meyers turned the start of his show over to Amber Ruffin, who shares some of her encounters with the police.

Click the video to hear the stories.

Rayshard Brooks death: Atlanta police oďŹƒcer ďŹ red; police chief steps down

I am a police officer. I take the utmost pride in my job. If I can teach you vs taking you to jail, I will. If I can help you pay for something vs you stealing it I will. I will not tolerate the destruction of a reputation that us good cops spent years to build. This incident that occurred in Minneapolis does not define the brave men and women that do this job with dignity.

Whether you want to believe it or not, majority of Police Officers believe in justice. We are not disagreeing with you. We are only disagreeing with being lumped into a situation that we disagree with just as much as you do. I'd be damned if we didn't walk this course with you. In unison.

Love, compassion and a firm belief in unity is what is required to push us all forward.

In Hawai‘i, one of the ways we honor someone's life is through a paddle out. Many held hands in the waters off Honolulu in memory of George Floyd, and the countless black lives stolen by racial injusLce. This human lei represents unity and aloha, but also a collecLve and urgent cry denouncing racism. Our purpose is to connect people with aloha in our remote archipelago, where diversity is respected and valued. Yet, we know that our islands are also tainted by this deeply rooted societal problem. We must be beQer at idenLfying and speaking out against racism, and fighLng for what is right – what is pono – for our employees, guests, friends and neighbors. #BlackLivesMaFer Photo courtesy of: @maQaleong

Couple Celebrates Wedding At Protest After Coronavirus Cancels Original Plan When Dr. Kerry Ann Perkins and Michael Gordon's New Jersey wedding was postponed, they opted for a mini-ceremony near Logan Square in Philadelphia, before they marched in solidarity among thousands of protesters.

The future is bright for one North Carolina couple who recently got engaged at a Black Lives Matter protest.

Xavier Young popped the question to Marjorie Alston at a protest last Saturday, and she said yes.

Gayle King: So what action can white people who see themselves as allies, what can they do?

Ava DuVernay: You know, I really feel strongly that that's not a question that people who are not white should answer. You know, we take on the emotional labor of racism. And it is not our job to explain to white folk how to fix their broken selves in this context, right? Because there's a brokenness there that says that I am better, that I can — I will be believed. Right? That's what this woman grew up with, the privilege of being believed, the privilege of the presumption of innocence. ... There are many educated Caucasian folk who are talking to each other about it. They need to continue to do that, so that we can save our energy for survival and thriving.

“All Black Lives Matter� is painted on Hollywood Boulevard in front of TCL Chinese Theatre on Saturday.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Chicago Police battling protestors in the downtown business district.

The deaths of Robert L. Fuller (24), leI, and Malcolm Harsch (29) found hung in separate areas of L.A. County were not suicides, their families said. Credit...LeI, Robert Fuller Family via Najee Ali; Malcolm Harsch Family – May 31.

Protesters gathered outside the Palmdale Sheriff’s station on Saturday to demand an independent investigation into the death of Robert L. Fuller. Credit...Apu Gomes/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Police detain protesters as they march down the street during a solidarity rally for George Floyd in New York. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)

Tyra Peterson, center, and other volunteers clean up in front of the Under Armour store on Michigan Ave after a night of protests and violence in Chicago, May 31, 2020. Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune

Black Lives Matter is projected onto the Houses of Parliament, in London, Friday, June 5, 2020, as part of the ongoing worldwide demonstrations following the death of George Floyd. Just like the coronavirus, racism has no borders. Across the world, disgruntled people, representing a broad spectrum of society, marched this weekend as one to protest against racial injustices at home and abroad. (Victoria Jones/PA via AP) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Police used tear gas as violence broke out at a Black Lives Matter protest attended by 20,000 people in Paris./AP

Chicago Mayor Lightfoot faced widespread criticism from protesters for the way the city’s curfew was enacted — with less than an hour’s notice she halted CTA trains from the Loop shut down and bridges over the Chicago River raised.

Chicago protestors burn U.S. flag in support of protest of George Floyd’s death.

Chicago protestor siang on top of Chicago Transit Bus during the protest

Dear Black Man, You are AMAZING, You are BEAUTIFUL, You are APPRECIATED, You are LOVED đ&#x;’œđ&#x;’œ.

I’m watching the protests across this nation, in response to the death George Floyd. All I can think about are my young scholars and the reason why I had to create I MATTER. They face a world that tells them every day you can be killed at the hands of those called to serve and protect. You can be innocent, but already guilty because of the color of your skin. You can be accused with no evidence and be forced to be imprisoned.

Part of my responsibility as a school leader is not to just ensure our young people are prepared academically, but for the real world that doesn’t see them as equal, but often as a target, a threat, something other than human. When I tell my young man to say “I MATTER� it’s a reminder that they are worthy DESPITE the brutality and constant images that shows how our lives are not valued. I tell my young men “I love you� because I can’t see this life without any of brilliance in this world. I stand unapologetically reaffirming the greatness that we come from because I refuse to lose hope, even in this moment of feeling defeated because our future lies in fighting for them—our children, our community, and our culture. #education #ourchildren #principal Nadia Lopez, Founder and Principal at NYC Department of Education

Model: Chris Moses @saintmakel

Photography: Masshuu | Xita ProducVons @XitaProducVons @masshuubiita

Macy’s in New York City looted and vandalized after protests

Murals from Around The World

Naples, Italy You can see the slumbering but dangerous volcano Vesuvius in the background, a natural symbol of pent-up anger. Street artist Jorit Agoch has portrayed Floyd, along with Lenin, Martin Luther King, Malcom X and Angela Davis. Floyd is weeping blood like a saint pictured in a southern Italian church, giving the work a Neapolitan twist. Agoch has incorporated an innocent man’s brutal and racist killing into his own banner of global revolution that looks out over a dazed Naples just coming out of lockdown – to be confronted by a painting calling for seismic change, revolution.

Photograph: Ciro Fusco/EPA

Nairobi, Kenya Direct nobility and simple eloquence characterise this work. Floyd’s face has been sensitively copied from a photograph alongside one word, Haki, which means Justice, in chunky yellow and black letters. The surgical mask worn by the Maasai man in the foreground reminds us that Floyd’s death has unified and awoken a planet that’s been lost in the pandemic.

Photograph: Brian Inganga/AP

Murals from Around The World Peterborough, UK Black and white hands join to make a heart shape in this skilfully spray painted mural by Nath Murdoch, seen here adding a finishing touch. It’s temp;ng to wonder if he is taking too cosy and op;mis;c a mul;-racial message from an incident that has revealed the depth of casually violent racial injus;ce that divides the US. But there’s nothing wrong with a bit of hope on our streets.

Photograph: Joe Giddens/PA

Berlin, Germany Floyd’s face has been added to the graffiti-covered remains of the Berlin Wall, which is the Louvre of street art. Yet it is also a curiously toothless way of commemorating a man whose death is still raw and unappeased. Putting Floyd in the hip Mauerpark risks turning him into a tourist attraction. Photograph: Omer Messinger/Zuma Wire/Rex/Shutterstock

Murals from Around The World Milan, Italy You could easily miss this – it’s one more bit of chunky writing among Milan’s many stylistically similar slogans. ‘I can’t breathe,’ says a wideopen mouth. But perhaps its comparative anonymity is telling.

The cry has more than one resonance in an Italy that’s just emerging from lockdown into a face masked world. Racism and coronavirus both haunt this choking plea.

Photograph: Andrea Fasani/EPA

Barcelona, Spain Floyd’s incarnations in street art are unbounded. While the best just focus on his face, this adds several layers of perhaps unnecessary explication. Not content to turn him into an angel, it portrays this man who died so violently in police custody as a kind of Marvel superhero angel. OK. He’s gone from victim to saviour – and the cruel reality gets lost.

Photograph: Pau Barrena/AFP/Getty Images

Murals from Around The World

Belfast, Northern Ireland Micky Docherty finishes his mural at Belfast’s International Wall on the Falls Road. Belfast is a city with its own powerful tradition of angry and harrowing street art. Now Floyd has joined the city’s mural gallery of heroes and martyrs. A strongly and bleakly painted depiction of a white police officer looking at us while he kneels on the suffocating Floyd engages us directly.

Above is Floyd’s face, painted sensitively and simply, without any angel wings or other distractions. This is outstanding street art – they know how to nurse a memory in Belfast.

Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA

Grimbergen, Belgium The brutal circumstances of Floyd’s death are graphically depicted at one end of this mural by Djamel Oulkadi. It illustrates the widely seen video in which white police officer Dennis Chauvin presses his knee onto Floyd’s neck for eight minutes and 42 seconds. At the other end of the wall, Floyd’s face is in heaven, surrounded by clouds. Harsh realism and religious hope make for uneasy art. Photograph: Isopix/Rex/Shutterstock

NASCAR’S Bubba Wallace reflects on a dramatic week, and finding his voice 'We are much more than just drivers who drive a race car.

We are ambassadors' autoblog.com

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Bubba Wallace can count Spike Lee and Demi Lovato in his corner since he became the leader of NASCAR’s push for change.

Where he has failed to find support is from corporate America.

Wallace is the only black full-time driver at NASCAR's top level and has had to scrap for sponsorship money his entire career. Since he has taken a prominent role as an activist — successfully calling on NASCAR to ban Confederate flags at its events and leading the conversation among his peers about racial equality — the only new friends Wallace has are celebrities and fans.

Richard Petty Motorsports has not heard from a single potential sponsor looking to back Wallace on the track.

“Nope. Nothing,” Wallace said Friday in an interview with The Associated Press. "There's a lot going on and part of me thinks, ‘Hell, they always told me winning would make the sponsors come,’ and we won a couple times and the sponsors never came.

It has not always been a comfortable role. It took Wallace a few days to offer his thoughts on fellow driver Kyle Larson's firing for use of a racial slur. Even after George Floyd was killed last month while in police custody in Minneapolis, Wallace was not the first driver to speak out for racial equality.

To understand why requires a look at his childhood. Wallace is of mixed race, born in Alabama but raised in Concord, North Carolina, the area most NASCAR teams call home. He was drawn to auto racing over other sports and admittedly was somewhat sheltered in his youth from racial discrimination. His father, who is white, wouldn’t stand for ignorant or racist comments and handled all negative experiences his son encountered at the tracks.

“What I go through and before all this, I didn’t have it as bad as other African Americans in the community,” Wallace said. “The encounters I had were very few, but they were powerful. The negative encounters I’ve had with law enforcement were very few, but they stood out.”

Wallace remembers those comments well, things like “can you afford this car?” and the suggestion he must sell drugs to pay for luxuries.

It was not necessarily Floyd's death that was a watershed moment for Wallace. He told AP he began to find his public voice on racism after watching video in May of Ahmaud Arbery's fatal shooting in Georgia.

He said he now recognizes he must not let his platform go to waste.

“We are much more than just drivers who drive a race car,” he said. “We are ambassadors. We are leaders of our own brands, and then in life things are thrown at you, you have to stand up for what's right. That brings on a whole new role. It's not on the front of the agenda that you see, but if you read the fine print it's part of becoming an athlete and the pedestal you get with that.”

It's been challenging for Wallace, who first publicly called on NASCAR to ban the Confederate flag in a live CNN interview. By the time NASCAR responded Wednesday, Wallace had two sheriff's deputies assigned to him for security at Martinsville Speedway in Virginia.

Darrell “Bubba” Wallace, NASCAR's only current Black driver, and his team, Richard Petty Motorsports, unveiled a special Black Lives Matter paint scheme for the race.

His father, with whom he's had a sometimes rocky relationship with, traveled with him to Atlanta Motor Speedway where Wallace wore an “I Can't Breathe” shirt over his firesuit. He was part of a driver effort all last week to make a video calling for change, and by the end of the race he was completely drained and fainted as Fox interviewed him.

Wallace said his sleep has been choppy — he finished a round of morning television interviews and crashed for a four-hour nap — and is trying to find time to focus on Sunday's race near Miami while also answering the overwhelming crush of attention he's been under.

He has leaned on his family and his girlfriend, Amanda, who has teased him about pop star Lovato's support ("big fan crush there"). And he has also noted there's now worry about his safety at the track amid a backlash from fans angry over the flag ban.

Wallace isn't sure what comes next in his role as activist but he said he is determined to fight for equality.

He has not kneeled during the national anthem, which is a revered ritual in NASCAR's elaborate prerace ceremonies.

He hasn't ruled it out.

“I've thought about it, still thinking about it," Wallace said. “I'm still learning up on it, reading about it, so I'm not clear on that just yet.”

NASCAR releases image of noose found in Bubba Wallace's garage at Talladega

The entire field of NASCAR drivers participating in Monday's Geico 500 at the Talladega Superspeedway pushed Bubba Wallace's No. 43 car to the front of the pack a day after a noose was found in his garage stall.

NASCAR on Thursday released an image of the noose found in driver Bubba Wallace's garage at Talladega Speedway. A crewmember on Wallace's racing team spotted the noose over the weekend and reported it to NASCAR, but an FBI investigation found that the rope had been in the garage since 2019.

NASCAR completed its own investigation into the incident Thursday, finding that across 1,684 garage stalls, 11 had a pull-down rope tied in a knot, and one tied in a noose — the No. 43 garage that Wallace used this week.

"Upon learning of and seeing the noose, our initial reaction was to protect our driver. We're living in a highly charged and emotional time. What we saw was a symbol of hate and was only present in one area of the garage and that was of the 43 car of Bubba Wallace," NASCAR President Steve Phelps said in a statement.

Wallace, in an interview with CBS News this week, said it was a relief that he was not targeted but doubted the conclusion that the rope was part of a "garage pull." He also vehemently denied the notion that the noose was staged. "They want to turn it into a hoax when I was just - rational thoughts off the factual information that I was given," he said.

NASCAR's president on Thursday also pushed back at the idea of a hoax. "Bubba Wallace and the 43 team had nothing to do with this," Phelps said. "Bubba Wallace has done nothing but represent this sport with courage, class and dignity.”

Wallace on Wednesday credited his "strong support system" of his mother, sister, father and girlfriend for helping him get through recent weeks, and said the display of support he received from his fellow drivers was "emotional.”

"Definitely a moment that will stand out for me for forever," he said. "Knowing that, you know, we have that family support that's how NASCAR is. It was good to see, and I definitely appreciate that."

Photo on the left: NASCAR released the photo of what it found in Bubba Wallace’s garage Photo below: Bubba Wallace was surrounded by his fellow NASCAR drivers . He took a selfie as they support him.

https://www.tulsa2021.org/

Dubbed the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot (the “Riot”), this manmade calamity could more accurately be labeled an assault, a disaster, a massacre, a pogrom, a holocaust, or any number of other ghastly descriptors. This, America’s worst “race riot,” would remain a taboo topic for decades.

2021 will be the 100th Anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre. The Centennial Commission will leverage the rich history surrounding the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre by facilitating actions, activities, and events that commemorate and educate all citizens.

CBU has added two videos to the right that are from the TV show 60 Minutes. The show reported on the Massacre in 1999 and 2020.

Please click on the videos to see their reports to learn more about the massacre.

1999 – 60 Minutes “Tulsa Burning”

2020 – 60 Minutes “Exhume The Truth”

PROTECTING YOUR CREDIT

Make sure you cycle all your credit cards through your wallet occasionally to keep your accounts active — this can help you avoid any surprise reductions to your credit limit. Crystal Cox/Business Insider

Why American Express lowered my card's limit even though I have a credit score of 836 — and what I could have done to avoid it

By Eric Rosenberg for businessinsider.com

When I opened a leQer from American Express dated February 15, 2020, I definitely didn't expect to see that the credit limit on my Amex EveryDay® Credit Card from American Express was cut, but that's exactly what happened.

I have an excellent credit score (836 according to TransUnion's model, and 818 according to Equifax), but I quickly realized why this happened: I hadn't used that card in quite a while.

Why credit card companies lower credit limits When you apply for a credit card, the credit card issuer looks at your credit and the ability to pay back any outstanding balance. SomeLmes the decision is made by a computer in the blink of an eye. If you're approved, based on your income and credit history, the credit card company sets your credit limit.

I have four credit cards from American Express but only use one of them regularly, my American Express® Gold Card, which has no preset spending limit. Using the "check your spending power" tool, I quickly found I can borrow at least $50,000 with that card.

My less-active American Express cards are older cards that I downgraded to in order to stop paying annual fees for cards I no longer wanted. My Blue Sky card has an $8,100 credit limit and my old Blue® from American Express cardhas a $8,300 limit. My Amex EveryDay® Credit Card from American Express, formerly an Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card from American Express, had a high $20,500 limit at the start of the year.

After looking at my credit limits and activity, someone — or some algorithm at Amex — decided to cut my EveryDay card's limit by $10,000 to $10,500. The reason, according to the letter from American Express, was: "There has been minimal activity on your account in the last twelve months.”

Inactivity is one of the most common reasons for credit card companies to lower credit limits. They may also cut limits to lower their risk with specific customers. Just because the credit card company sets a limit at a specific point in time doesn't mean your finances will always be the same. If your credit score suddenly drops, for example, the credit card company might decide to lower your credit limit.

Additionally, in the face of the coronavirus crisis, some credit card issuers have begun reeling in credit limits to minimize their risk during this uncertain time.

How a lower credit limit can hurt your credit score Your cards' credit limits factor heavily into the formula that determines your credit score. Your credit limits specifically factor into the second biggest factor of your credit score: your credit balances, or your credit utilization.

If you have high balances in relation to your total credit limit across all your card accounts, your credit score will suffer. A very low balance, on the other hand, will help your score. The credit score formula looks at the percentage of your available credit in use. Higher limits mean each purchase uses a smaller percentage of your credit limit.

When my credit limit was cut on my Amex card, my total available credit limits went down by $10,000. This wasn't a huge deal for my credit, as I have big limits across many cards, but for some people, it could be a bigger problem.

To better understand the impact, let's look at an example: Assume you have a $5,000 balance split between three cards and a total available credit limit of $30,000. In this scenario, you are using 16.7% of your credit. That's well within the expert suggested limits of using no more than 20% to 30% of your available credit.

But if your credit limits are dropped to $20,000, all of a sudden you're using 25% of your available credit. That change is almost certain to negatively impact your credit score.

As a general rule, higher credit limits across your card accounts are better as long as you can manage them responsibly and don't spend more than you can afford to pay back in full every month.

What you can do to avoid a lower credit card limit There are three strategies you can take to avoid the same fate as me: Maintain your credit score The first strategy to keep up your credit limits is to keep your credit score high. If you always pay on Lme and keep your balances low, your score should increase over Lme. Avoid late payments and high credit balances whenever possible.

Maintain or grow your income Your debt-to-income raLo tells lenders how much of your income is needed to keep up with your credit-related bills. A growing income helps here, as does keeping your credit balances low.

Keep your credit cards ac\ve For the specific reason my credit limit was cut, it's a good idea to keep cards acLve. Using a card at least once every few months for a small purchase should be enough to avoid having limits cut — or, even worse, cards closed — due to account inacLvity.

Use a system to keep your cards under control My wife and I have about 20 credit cards between the two of us. That's a lot of accounts to keep active. With so much to juggle, I'm not surprised my limit was cut by American Express.

To keep cards active, I use a combination of strategies. Some cards have a small recurring charge each month, like Netflix or Spotify, that I pay with auto-pay. Other cards come out every three or six months and get used once or twice before going back in the drawer.

Whatever system works best for you to keep cards active, be sure to stay on it to maintain your credit card limits and credit score. In the long run, it is a great decision for your financial health.

Click Here To See The Trailer

BODY CAM - FILM REVIEW

Watch the Trailer for Mary J. Blige, Nat Wolff Movie ‘Body Cam on Video On Demand (VOD) With movie theaters still closed across the country, Paramount has decided to release its apparently supernatural action-thriller Body Cam on digital and VOD platforms this month.

Mary J. Blige (Mudbound) and Nat Wolff (The Kill Team) star in the film, which Malik Vitthal directed from a script by Richmond Riedel and Nicholas McCarthy. The supporting cast includes David Zayas and Anika Noni Rose.

When a routine traffic stop results in the unexplained, grisly death of her colleague, a cop (Blige) realizes footage of the incident will play for her eyes only. As the attacks mount, she races to understand the supernatural force behind them.

When a routine traffic stop results in the unexplained, grisly death of her colleague, a cop (Blige) realizes footage of the incident will play for her eyes only.

As the attacks mount, she races to understand the supernatural force behind them.

I’ve gotta say, I was a lot more interested in this movie before I realized there was a supernatural force at play. I was picturing a movie like Black and Blue, with crooked cops out to retrieve a body cam with sensitive footage on it, but this one is more of a genre film, and as such, feels better suited for home viewing than theaters anyway.

Paramount Home Entertainment made Body Cam available for purchase on May 19 before the film headed to VOD on June 2. A DVD release is planned for July 14.

BASK by Basnight

Available at www.bybasnight.com.

Introducing BASK by Basnight for spring/summer 2020. BASK by Basnight is a lightweight, skin-nourishing body oil made for summer. It is reinforced with our herbal-infusion and blended with a mixture of sweet almond, mongogo and avocado oils for a moisture-rich experience for your skin.

The crowd favorite, peach, blackberry and amber (PBA) is back- a fruity and jammy take on a warm summer night. There are two new fragrances; watermelon, orange and honeysuckle (WOH) - inspired by a grassy and fruity summer day and guava, cedar and oak moss (GCOM), a fruity, musky and woodsy fragrance perfect for a summer vibe.

BASK by Basnight is available at www.bybasnight.com.

When we say Bask is made for summer, we mean it!

Available at www.bybasnight.com.

Click Here To See The Trailer

J u ne is P r id e M o n t h

Click Here To See The Trailer

J u ne is P r id e M o n t h

'Noah's Arc' TV Series Is Reuniting for Anniversary Special Wow, what a moment.

By Mikelle Street 15 years after it began its history-making and yet-to-be matched run on scripted television, Noah's Arc is getting the gang back together. Announced today, the characters from Patrik-Ian Polk's groundbreaking series are teaming up for an hour-long special and virtual reunion.

Originally airing on Logo, Noah's Arc made history as the first scripted series to center a group of Black gay men — it actually still stands alone in this aspect. The characters Noah, Alex, Ricky, and Chance, gave an alternate version of Sex and the City, depicting a myriad of narratives and perspectives. Through its work, the show looked into conversations about relationships, intimacy, STIs, and more. It was complex, funny, and just downright good television.

The special episode comes 12 years after the show ended (and the release of the ailiated film Noah's Arc: Jumping the Broom) and is titled Noah's Arc: The Rona Chronicles. It will air on July 5 at 8 p.m. EST and be followed by a live Q&A moderated by Queer Eye's Karamo Brown. Cast members Darryl Stephens, Jensen Atwood, Rodney Chester, Doug Spearmen, Christian Vincent, and Gregory Kieth, will all be a part of that Q&A. Gilead is a title sponsor of the episode's premiere and it will stream on Patrick-Ian Polk Entertainment's YouTube and Facebook pages. The event will also support charity.

Polk has built for himself a full collection of work that was formative for a generation of Black gay men. In addition to Noah's Arc, he was the brains behind The Skinny and Punks. Through these works, as well as the work he still does, he allowed Black gay men to not only see versions of themselves but also provided them digestible venues for the pragmatic sex education that few others would provide. Since, he's gone on to be the co-executive producer of Being Mary Jane and the upcoming P-Valley.

For those who haven't seen Noah's Arc, all nine episodes are currently available online. The feature film Jumping the Broom is available to stream as well.

J u ne is P r id e M o n t h

New One-Hour Special with Host and Actor Dyllón Burnside, Exploring LGBTQ+ Identity in the U.S. South on PBS “Championing LGBTQ+ Healthcare in Mississippi” Premieres: Tuesday, June 23 on PBS Voices Description: Dyllón Burnside meets Scott Rodgers, M.D. and Lillian J. Houston, M.D., two doctors who founded the Center for LGBTQ Health at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, one of the few LGBTQ+ clinics in Mississippi to provide quality healthcare without fear of discrimination. In many parts of the South it’s legal for doctors to deny services to LGBTQ+ people based on their religious beliefs. To make matters worse, the South has the highest concentration of people living with HIV/AIDS in the U.S. These doctors and their team are determined to address these issues head-on.

“The Bakery Battleground: The Mississippi Baker Standing Up For Gay Rights” Premieres: Tuesday, June 30 on PBS Voices Description: Dyllón Burnside examines the crucial role of allies in advancing LGBTQ+ rights and how religious beliefs have sometimes been used as a pretext for discrimination. In this episode, he visits Mitchell Moore, a baker in the heart of the Bible Belt who risks his business, Campbell’s Bakery, to take a stand for LGBTQ+ rights.

Pride began as a protest.

In 2020 in L.A., it will be again

As protests against police brutality continue, including this one in Anaheim on June 3, the group that organizes L.A. Pride pivoted to holding a march later this month in solidarity with Black Lives Matter.

(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

It started with the global pandemic that made in-person gatherings a health risk.

Now, with protests against police violence and racial oppression sweeping the world, LGBTQ leaders are urging their communities to express solidarity and support, whether in person or online.

“We don’t make space for the reality that black queer people exist,” said David Johns, executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition, an organization that serves the needs of the African American LGBTQ community in the United States.

“Everybody should be really clear about [Pride’s] origins in resistance and rebellion.

Pride has more to do with what people are calling protests than [it does] with the parades that ignore all of these realities.”

In recent years, most Pride celebrations have been joyous, with parades, dance music, parties, crowded bars and corporate-sponsored rainbow swag. It’s a stark change from the attitudes at the first Pride marches, said Michael Bronski, author of “A Queer History of the United States” and professor of the practice in media and activism in studies of women, gender and sexuality at Harvard University.

“The first march in 1970, they were anchored in anger,” Bronski said. “This was really a political march. There were no corporate sponsors. Nobody had signs on buses and trains with rainbow flags for Levi or Subaru. … The first gay pride march and Stonewall was a recognition that gay men and lesbians were in fact oppressed by a larger society.”

Those Pride marches — which first took place 50 years ago this month — were a commemoration of Stonewall a year earlier, where the community staged three days of insurrection against police violence and unjust laws. At the time, gay bars were routinely raided by police.

A lot of people know about what happened at Stonewall, Bronski said, but they don’t realize that it probably wouldn’t have happened the way it did without the massive unrest and upheaval that took place around the country in the 1960s.

Stonewall “was born of a moment of enormous cultural and social and political upheaval in America. I would argue that Stonewall would never have happened if it wasn’t for the Black Power movement, the radical feminist movement, ... antiwar protests, the counterculture. All of those movements were in your face. And what marked Stonewall so clearly was that it was in your face.”

Earlier this week, a new sign went up on the Stonewall building: “Pride is a riot.”

Bronski said “riot” is perhaps an imprecise term to describe Stonewall now — he prefers “insurrection” — but that it is good to remember Pride’s origins in resistance toward oppression.

“Saying ‘Stonewall was a riot’ really brings it back to police abuses, abuses of the law, really brings it back to its political roots,” Bronski said.

Which brings us to Pride this year. L.A. Pride was one of the first events to announce a postponement and then cancellation due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Christopher Street West Assn., the organization that produces the L.A. Pride festival and parade, planned a slate of online events and a TV special.

Then, Pride pivoted. On Wednesday, Christopher Street West announced that this year’s event was back on, in the form of a solidarity protest march. The decision was a unanimous one, said Estevan Montemayor, the organization’s president.

“I think it is our imperative to continue to fight the injustice and the oppression that we are currently witnessing. It’s our moral imperative,” Montemayor said. “Our organization’s mission is to create safe and inclusive spaces for the LGBTQ+ community and our allies. If we did not do this, we would not be in compliance with our own mission.”

The march is planned for Sunday, June 14. It will begin at 10 a.m. at the intersection of Hollywood and Highland boulevards and proceed to West Hollywood, ending at Santa Monica and San Vicente boulevards. Participants are urged to wear masks and follow other coronavirus health and safety precautions.

“In 1970, we gathered on Hollywood Boulevard to protest police brutality and oppression to our community,” Montemayor said. “We will do that again this year, where it began, in solidarity with Black Lives Matter.”

There are other ways to celebrate Pride this year. The Human Rights Campaign has compiled a list of virtual events and resources from around the country.

“Rather than try to plan a Pride event of our own, given that the virtual space is pretty crowded, we wanted to lift up local Prides and make sure local communities are equipped to celebrate Pride remotely,” said Elizabeth Bibi, the organization’s senior advisor for communications.

Options include volunteer opportunities, ways to find local events, ideas for celebrating at home, and fun things like how to make Pride pizzas and celebrate in “Animal Crossing.”

The Human Rights Campaign issued a video statement on June 1 from President Alphonso David acknowledging both the beginning of Pride month and the ongoing protests. The campaign also issued a statement, along with more than 100 other LGBTQ organizations, condemning racial violence and expressing solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.

“Pride started as a protest,” Bibi said. “The LGBTQ community needs to understand that change comes about through protest, and we acknowledge that. We’re embracing antiracism as core to our principles.”

David Johns, the National Black Justice Coalition president, had some advice for nonblack members of the LGBTQ community who are looking for something they can do right now. For starters, he said: “Sit in the discomfort. “There are very few things that require white people to do things, let alone to sit in the discomfort of reckoning the privilege and racism and antiblackness,” he said. “Just sit in it.”

Put some skin in the game too, he said: Donate to LGBTQ organizations led by black people, indigenous people, trans people. Sign petitions and legislation that seek to reduce police violence. Use your platform, whatever that may be, to lift up people and organizations doing work in black queer spaces. Reconsider the framing of Pride as a party and acknowledge its history.

“We’ve gone on a street and had a very public parade and erased all the reasons why we got here,” Johns said. “We take pictures with the police and celebrate with the police while forgetting they’re the reason we’re here.”

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Cast Set For

Regina King’s Directorial Debut, One Night in Miami b y W ils o n M o r a le s , b la c k f ilm . c o m

Film centers on Muhammad Ali Cassius Clay, Jim Brown, Malcolm X and Sam Cooke Production has started on Oscar-winning actress Regina King’s directorial debut, One Night in Miami, based on the debut play from Kemp Powers, who has adapted it for the screen.

Set on the night of February 25, 1964, “One Night in Miami” follows a young, brash Cassius Clay as he emerges from the Miami Beach Convention Center the new Heavyweight Boxing Champion of the World.

Against all odds, he defeated Sonny Liston and shocked the sports world. While crowds of people swarm Miami Beach to celebrate the match, Clay – unable to stay on the island because of Jim Crow-era segregation laws – spends the evening at the Hampton House Motel in Miami’s African American Overtown neighborhood celebrating with three of his closest friends: Malcolm X, Sam Cooke, and Jim Brown.

”’One Night in Miami’ is a love letter to black manhood that powerfully explores themes of race, identity and friendship,” says Director Regina King. “Each of them has contributed

so much to culture and history. We’re so excited to have Kingsley, Eli, Aldis and Leslie in the lead roles showing a different side of these iconic men.”

Cast includes Kingsley Ben-Adir (“The OA”) as civil rights activist Malcolm X, Eli Goree (“Riverdale”) as professional boxer and civil rights activist Cassius Clay (before becoming Muhammad Ali), Aldis Hodge (Clemency) as NFL champion, actor and civil rights activist Jim Brown, and Grammy and Tony Award winner Leslie Odom, Jr. (Harriet) as singer/songwriter, entrepreneur and civil rights activist Sam Cooke.

Beyonce's Involvement With Black Panther 2 Debunked

By Spencer Perry, comicbook.com

A nice sounding but baseless rumor began to spread from UK tabloid The Sun, claiming that Beyoncé was preparing to "sign a mega deal" with Disney. The rumor went on to state that the musician turned actress was gearing up for a deal that would tie her to "three major projects” including the highly anticipated Black Panther sequel. As all too-good-to-be-true rumors go, this one sounded great but is in fact, not true at all. Variety reporter Matt Donnelly officially debunked the news on Twitter, but noted it's likely she'll work with Disney again at some point.

"Despite overwhelming excitement at the prospect, sources tell me there is no big Disney film deal for Beyonce," Donnelly tweeted. "And she will not contribute to the soundtrack for #BlackPanther2. As a self-professed proud member of the Disney family, it's likely she'll work w them again at some point.”

Beyoncé previously worked with Disney on their 2019 reboot of The Lion King, lending her voice to the character of Nala and producing the album The Lion King: The Gift for the film as well.

She was nominated for three Grammy awards for her work on the album, no doubt contributing to the creation of the above rumor.

Chadwick Boseman will return for the sequel as the titular hero once again but official confirmation on other returning characters or any new characters that might be introduced has not been confirmed just yet. Filmmaker Ryan Coogler will return once again to direct Black Panther 2, marking his first sequel of his career.

“When it comes to making a sequel, I’ve never done it before, a sequel to something that I’ve directed myself,” Coogler told IndieWire last summer. . “So I think there’s gonna be a lot of pressure there, but what we’re going to try to do is just focus on the work, like we always do. Really try to go step by step and try to quiet everything else around us, really focus on trying to make something that has some type of meaning.”

Black Panther 2 remains scheduled to arrive on May 6, 2022 (despite nearly every other movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe being delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic). Upon its release the film will be the third of five planned MCU movies for the year 2022 with Thor: Love and Thunder scheduled for February 11, 2022, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness on March 25, 2022, Captain Marvel 2 on July 8, 2022, and an Untitled Marvel Studios movie on October 7, 2022.

Click Here To See The Trailer

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BIKING

Do You Wanna Ride?

In a recent published article in

The New York Times this past May, it was reported that as the coronavirus pandemic shrinks life in major American cities — limiting pastimes and discouraging use of buses and subways — hundreds of thousands of Americans are flocking to one of the most basic forms of mobility: the bicycle.

It also stated that in March, nationwide sales of bicycles, equipment and repair services nearly doubled compared with the same period last year, according to the N.P.D. Group, a market research company. Sales of commuter and fitness bikes in the same month increased 66%, leisure bikes jumped 121%, children’s bikes went up 59% and electric bikes rose 85%.

Most of us would probably love to ride a bike to work but depending on distance, weather and any after work plans that you may have, it may not be as convenient as it sounds to ride a bike to work. Plus, I know most brothers don’t want to mess up their office look or arrive sweaty. Most of you are thinking, “Nah, man! I can’t fuck with that!”

But should you choose to ride your bike, the benefits of doing so include less people around you, it’s cheaper than gas and public transportation and it is way easier to lock up your bike somewhere than to park a car.

Although, the previously mentioned benefits are great, I want to point out the single MOST IMPORTANT benefit to riding your bike regularly and that is your health and wellness.

On a nice sunny day, safety gear on and possibly your favorite tunes are playing as you ride along, you get to hit the side streets, see some sights and neighborhoods that you don’t regularly pay attention to, pass by and smile at some cuties (don’t act like won’t be doing it) and all the while you will burn some calories, drop some weight and sculpt that body to that of an Olympic athlete.

We hope!

C he c k out t he m a in phys ic a l be n e f it s f r o m bikin g .

Going for a ride is good for your heart and muscles, and it may improve how you walk, balance, and climb stairs.

Dr. Clare Safran-Norton, a physical therapist at Harvardaffiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital contributed to a Harvard University Medical School health article the benefits of biking.

1. It's easy on the joints. When you sit on a bike, you put your weight on a pair of bones in the pelvis called the ischial tuberosities, unlike walking, when you put your weight on your legs. "That makes it good for anyone with joint pain or age-related stiffness," says Dr. Safran-Norton.

2. Pushing pedals provides an aerobic workout. That's great for your heart, brain, and blood vessels. Aerobic exercise also triggers the release of endorphins, the body's feel-good chemicals—which may make you feel young at heart.

3. Cycling builds muscle. In the power phase of pedaling (the downstroke), you use the gluteus muscles in the buttocks, the quadriceps in the thighs, and the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles in the calves. In the recovery phase (backstroke, up-stroke, and overstroke), you use the hamstrings in the back of the thighs and the flexor muscles in the front of the hips.

Cycling works other muscles, too. You use abdominal muscles to balance and stay upright, and you use your arm and shoulder muscles to hold the handlebars and steer.

4. It helps with everyday activities. "The benefits carry over to balance, walking, standing, endurance, and stair climbing," says Dr. Safran-Norton.

5. Pedaling builds bone. "Resistance activities, such as pushing pedals, pull on the muscles, and then the muscles pull on the bone, which increases bone density," says Dr. Safran-Norton.

Biking benefits beyond health

Now that we know that we can improve our health if we bike, let’s talk about the about what else happens if you ride.

Getting away from it all Even before the pandemic, when I needed to take a break from being at home, family, a significant other or in front of electronic device, it was always easy to grab my bike and go for ride.

Biking is great for alone time and introverts. As you ride it will become apparent or if you have been riding, a reminder, that biking is definitely a great time to release and relax.

As you ride along, it is just you and the great outdoors. Whether in a park on a bike trail or in the hood just rolling along, I hope you get recover your sense of self. The goal is to try to get somewhat center since you aren’t around the distractions that you get at home. If you don’t think you have time, then just go for a quick 30-minute ride. It will roll by fast, so we recommend at least an hour.

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June is Black Music Month

Celebrating Black Music Month June is African American Music Appreciation Month!

Created by President Jimmy Carter in 1979, this month celebrates the African American musical influences that comprise an essential part of our nation’s treasured cultural heritage.

Formerly called National Black Music Month, this celebration of African American musical contributions is re-established annually by presidential proclamation. Though by no means exhaustive, we’ve prepared a primer that will guide you through some of the different genres that African Americans have created, inspired and fostered. hbps://nmaahc.si.edu/blog-post/celebra?ng-black-music-month

BET Awards 2020 will go virtual with June broadcast The show will go on! The 2020 BET Awards will air June 28 as planned, the network announced Wednesday — but it will come together virtually.

The show will be produced “using an array of innovative techniques and artist-generated content, ” the press release said, promising an all-star lineup and allowing audiences to participate in the “celebration of black love, joy, pride, and power” they’ve come to expect from BET. This year’s show marks the 20th anniversary of the BET Awards and 40th anniversary of the network.

Boyz II Men have a hit with

"Love Struck"

They’ve been part of our lives for three decades, and that relationship doesn’t show signs of slowing down yet. The trio known as Boyz II Men continues to deliver the goods as we enter the ‘20s. They were part of a cool all-star COVID-19 quarantine song, “House Party,” a few weeks ago, and now they have returned with what appears to be their biggest hit in more than a decade.

“Love Struck” is the result of the trio’s appearance on NBC’s Songland television show, which teams aspiring songwriters with stars. Songwriter ChrisLee wrote “Love Struck” and Boyz II Men delivers the winner. BoasWng a mild LaWn sound, and opening with acousWc guitar and popping beat, the song tells the tale of an intoxicaWng aVracWon that overtakes the people involved. The Boyz’ harmonies sound fantasWc on this song, and we expect this will be shooWng up the charts over the Summer.

Check out “Love Struck” below, and tell us what you think.

Boyz II Men – “Love Struck”

H.E.R. and Daniel Caesar have each recorded mul6ple hit duets.

Leon Benne;/Ge;y Images

It Takes Two: How R&B Duets Win the Streaming Game

At a time when R&B’s fortunes remain uneven, singers are finding strength in numbers, pairing up to record hits

Many contemporary albums arrive with less than a week’s notice, but Jhene Aiko started to roll-out her new full-length, Chilombo, months ago. She released four different tracks to stoke anticipation, only to find that when the album finally came out March 6, a brand new song immediately supplanted the lead singles as a fan-favorite. “B.S.”, a casually vengeful back-and-forth with another R&B singer, H.E.R., quickly became Aiko’s highest-charting track.

CollaboraWons like this one seem to account for more and more of R&B’s big hits recently. The lineups on these singles suggest a round-robin mixed doubles tournament with a couple of key players: Daniel Caesar and Kali Uchis (double plaWnum), Caesar and H.E.R. (double plaWnum), H.E.R. and Bryson Tiller (plaWnum), Tiller and Summer Walker (over 180 million streams), Walker and Usher (over 140 million), Brandy and Caesar (Number One on R&B radio), PJ Morton and Jojo (winner of the Best R&B Song Grammy in 2020), and now Aiko and H.E.R. “There’s always been something great about a duet, because you can get a real conversation,” explains Rex Rideout, a producer-songwritermulti-instrumentalist who spent years at Universal Motown and has three decades of major-label R&B credits. When done correctly, “it heightens the emotion of a song.”

And the commercial lesson is clear. At a time when R&B’s fortunes remain uneven, runaway solo hits are unusual.

To make a song that resonates widely, it often helps to offer two perspectives — and to access two fanbases.

This is hardly unique to R&B: The streaming era has led to a boom in collaborations in all genres. Earlier this year, the analytics company Chartmetric released a report suggesting that collaboration has doubled over the past ten years, with almost all that growth taking place in the last three years, when streaming cemented itself as the music industry’s commercial engine. The highest uptick in collaborations occurred in hip-hop, which also happens to be the most popular genre of music today. R&B was ranked third, with a rise in teamwork still well above the all-genre average.

It’s easy to imagine some of the factors behind this rise. The ability to collaborate online makes new combos possible, no matter where the artist works. “There’s so much accessibility,” explains David “Swagg R’Celious” Harris, who helped write H.E.R. and Tiller’s “Could’ve Been.” “You can just send a track to Usher in Atlanta if you’re in L.A. — ‘yo, jump on this real quick.’”

H.E.R. and Tiller’s

Another obvious reason for the rise of collaborations is to connect to new markets. A duet “opens you up to a whole ‘nother fanbase,” says Brian Warfield, one half of the production duo Fisticuffs, who helped craft “B.S.” Since streaming is nearly free, it’s easier than ever for duets to attract more ears, which means higher stream counts, which means a higher chart position.

PJ Morton feat. JoJo - Say So - (Acous]c) From 'The Piano Album’ (winner of the Best R&B Song Grammy in 2020)

Skip Marley, H.E.R. - Slow Down

For R&B, working in tandem has parWcular historical resonance. The genre has always nurtured the world’s most elite vocalists, and puZng two stars together on a track can lead to ecstaWc heights.

Think of Smokey Robinson and Aretha Franklin’s brief but sWll overwhelmingly beauWful duet on Soul Train — aYer the pair’s first stunning harmony, Franklin quips that “we should have been a duo” — or Cherrelle vying to out-combust Alexander O’Neal in the final stretch of “Saturday Love.”

Ooh Baby Baby - Aretha Franklin ft. Smokey Robinson – Live/SoulTrain

Alexander O'Neal & Cherrelle - Saturday Love

“It’s like the dynamic in the NBA: If Lebron and Anthony Davis get together, what could happen there?” Harris explains. “You can create these super-teams on songs.”

R&B duets reached a peak in the late Seventies and Eighties, when the genre jumped from one pulpy, dramatic high-point to the next before rap came along and pushed everyone back to basics. Radio was dominated by Lionel Richie and Diana Ross, Teddy Pendergrass and Stephanie Mills, Luther Vandross and Cheryl Lynn, James Ingram and Patti Austin.

Luther Vandross & Cheryl Lynn If This World Were Mine soul train

Catch me during the Essence Festival virtual concert THIS Saturday, 6/27 starting at 7PM. Join me in raising your voice to support economic parity, health equity, education equality and equal justice for black and brown communities.

Visit www.essencefestival.com to learn how you can get involved, see schedules and RSVP

Prince Estate Shares Powerful Previously Unreleased “Baltimore” Video

The song was ini,ally released in 2015 in response to Freddie Gray’s death while in police custody.

Prince‘s estate is marking the late icon’s 62nd birthday with the release of the politicallycharged video for his 2015 single, “Baltimore.”

The clip features footage, photos, and headlines, from the 2015 Baltimore uprising, which was sparked by the death of 25-year-old Freddie Gray on April 19th, 2015, while in police custody. Eventually featured at the top of Prince’s HITNRUN album, an early version of “Baltimore” was released as a show of solidarity with protestors on May 9th. The completed track arrived on May 26th of that year, just a few weeks after his Rally 4 Peace benefit concert in the city.

Along with the previously unreleased video, the estate shared a timely-beyond-its-years handwritten note from the artist. It reads: “Nothing more ugly in the whole wide world than INTOLERANCE [between] Black, white, red, yellow, boy or girl. INTOLERANCE.” Watch the powerful video for Prince’s “Baltimore” above.

Juan And Lisa Winans Featuring Marvin Winans ‘It Belongs To Me’ (Video)

Dare Records celebrates the release of gospel music’s premiere millennial GRAMMY-nominatedcouple, Juan and Lisa Winans ’, official debut single, “It Belongs To Me,” featuring 6X GRAMMY-Award winner Marvin Winans. Following the success of their 2018 Holiday EP, A Little Soul for Christmas, “It Belongs To Me” encourages all that the good news and promises of God are for them and will come to pass. It’s a beautifully rendered and timely message as the world faces a global health crisis and rising social and political unrest. “It Belongs To Me” will be available on all major digital retail outlets on Friday, May 8, 2020.

Juan Winans began his career with the Billboard #1 Gospel Album, “Winans Phase 2: We Got Next.” Juan and his sister Deborah Joy Winans (“Greenleaf”) toured in the original musical Born For This: The BeBe Winans Story , for which Juan won Best Male Lead at the 2019 NAACP Theater Awards. Lisa Winans (formerly Lisa Kimmey ) is best known as one third of the Dove Award winning, Contemporary Christian Music trio, Out of Eden. The group was active from 1994 to 2006, producing seven albums. During Lisa’s tenure with Out of Eden , she appeared on the 90’s sitcom “Moesha ,” and hosted original programming for the Gospel Music Channel. In 2006, Out of Eden retired and released a greatest hits compilation. The trio reunited in 2014 for a special Gotee Records compilation album with a cover of House of Heroes’ single “Constant.”

Dare Records celebrates the release of gospel music’s premiere millennial GRAMMY-nominated couple, Juan and Lisa Winans’, official debut single, “It Belongs To Me,” featuring 6X GRAMMY-Award winner Marvin Winans. Following the success of their 2018 Holiday EP, A Little Soul for Christmas, “It Belongs To Me” encourages all that the good news and promises of God are for them and will come to pass. It’s a beautifully rendered and timely message as the world faces a global health crisis and rising social and political unrest. “It Belongs To Me” will be available on all major digital retail outlets on Friday, May 8, 2020.

Juan Winans began his career with the Billboard #1 Gospel Album, “Winans Phase 2: We Got Next.” Juan and his sister Deborah Joy Winans (“Greenleaf”) toured in the original musical Born For This: The BeBe Winans Story , for which Juan won Best Male Lead at the 2019 NAACP Theater Awards. Lisa Winans (formerly Lisa Kimmey ) is best known as one third of the Dove Award winning, Contemporary Christian Music trio, Out of Eden. The group was active from 1994 to 2006, producing seven albums. During Lisa’s tenure with Out of Eden , she appeared on the 90’s sitcom “Moesha ,” and hosted original programming for the Gospel Music Channel. In 2006, Out of Eden retired and released a greatest hits compilation. The trio reunited in 2014 for a special Gotee Records compilation album with a cover of House of Heroes’ single “Constant.”

“Our single, (“It Belongs To Me”) is more than a song to us, it’s the way we are aspiring to live. Jesus said that He came to give us abundant life. That’s a big, bold statement and just one of many promises offered to us as children of God. This song is a declaration of our desire and dedication to living in those promises; to possessing every gift and blessing that God makes available to us through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. ‘It Belongs To Me’ is our anthem of grace and faith,” says Juan Winans.

This Spring, Juan and Lisa Winans will appear on the second season of the NBC hit show “SONGLAND” in an episode featuring Boyz II Men. “Songland” provides talented up-and-coming songwriters with a one-of-akind opportunity to collaborate with visionary music producers who are responsible for today’s biggest hits.

The series’ innovaLve format takes an inside look at the creaLve process behind songwriLng, and each episode provides one up-and-coming songwriter the opportunity to have their song recorded by a charttopping arLst. “SONGLAND” premieres Monday, April 13th at 10PM ET/PT on NBC. For more informaLon on ‘SONGLAND,’ visit hQps://www.nbc.com/songland.

“It Belongs To Me” will be available wherever music is sold and streamed.

'More Is More’: Why Hip-Hop Stars Have Adopted The Instant Deluxe Edition

ArUsts like Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Baby and Nav have bulked up their track lists to super-serve fans during the pandemic -- and the strategy may be here to stay.

by Jason Lipshutz, billboard.com

Lil Baby's album My Turn was never supposed to have a deluxe edition. "That wasn't in our plans," Pierre "Pee" Thomas, CEO of Quality Control Music, tells Billboard of the Atlanta rapper's first solo project in nearly two years.

Upon its Feb. 28 release, the 20-song album topped the Billboard 200 chart with 197,000 equivalent album units earned, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data, and Lil Baby was gearing up for a summer headlining tour that would serve as a victory lap for his biggest album bow to date. That tour, of course, won't happen this summer, due to the coronavirus pandemic; Thomas says that the scrapped live run particularly stung, with Lil Baby at a pivotal moment in his upward trajectory.

"This was such a big project that came out -- this was supposed to be his year to go up another level in his career," says Thomas. "Once we realized that there wasn't gonna be any touring, we were just trying to figure out: How can we keep the momentum going?"

The conclusion they reached was to add six new songs that Lil Baby recorded after My Turn's release to the project, including the aptly titled "Social Distancing," and issue a deluxe edition of the album on May 1. The two-month turnaround between the unveiling of My Turn and its expanded edition helped solidify the "instant deluxe" -- quickly following a new album with more music, then billing it all under the same title -- as an increasingly common strategy in hiphop, as a means of conjuring new interest in an existing project. And the strategy proved successful for Lil Baby, whose My Turn surged on the Billboard 200 following the deluxe release with 100,000 equivalent album units, up 147% from its previous week (41,000 units) on the chart.

Deluxe editions are nothing new in popular music -- for decades, artists have been reissuing albums with bonus content to extend the life of a project or to celebrate a milestone anniversary of an album. Everyone from Usher to Lady Gaga to Imagine Dragons to Sam Smith have dropped a deluxe edition of an album well after the initial album's release. Lizzo recently used a deluxe edition of her 2019 album Cuz I Love You to add the smash hit "Truth Hurts" to the track list, and Shawn Mendes did the same when he added the Camila Cabello duet "Senorita" to a deluxe version of his 2018 self-titled album.

Lil Baby performs onstage at the BET Hip Hop Awards 2019 at Cobb Energy Center on October 5, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia.

(Oct. 4, 2019 - Source: Carmen Mandato/Getty Images North America)

Yet recent deluxe editions have challenged the idea that listeners need an extended time period before being served more music -- especially in a streaming world, in which new songs can be added to a project almost instantly. In March, Lil Uzi Vert released his long-awaited, 18-song album, Eternal Atake... and exactly one week later, he unveiled 14 more songs and added them to the album, under the new adjusted title Eternal Atake (Deluxe): Lil Uzi Vert Vs. The World 2, instead of a standalone album. The result: Eternal Atake spent two consecutive weeks atop the Billboard 200 chart, its second week numbers boosted by the 14 newly added bonus tracks.

The trend is growing: hip-hop arJsts like Moneybagg Yo and G Herbo have announced deluxe ediJons of recent albums just weeks aler their respecJve releases. And earlier this month, Nav pushed the concept of a "deluxe ediJon" even further, releasing his 18song Good IntenOons album on May 8 and adding 14 more songs to the project three days later. The result was the second career No. 1 album for the Canadian rapper, earning a career-best 135,000 equivalent album units.

As the coronavirus pandemic has essenJally shut down the live industry, the quick-turn deluxe ediJon has proven to be an effecJve stand-in markeJng tool. "I think it's just everyone figuring out the best way to release music for their parJcular audience, their genre, and with the [pandemic], because no one knows the Jme frame of when this situaJon is going to end," says Britney Davis, vp arJst relaJons, markeJng and special projects at Capitol Music Group, who worked on Lil Baby's My Turn release. ArJsts want to "just connect with fans, to bring a moment of joy or excitement during this Jme," Davis points out, and releasing more music than originally planned has filled that fan-service role.

Hip-Hop arOst, Moneybagg Yo

Yet Carl Chery, head of urban music at Spotify, believes that the strategy will outlast the pandemic and become a new norm in hip-hop. With the sheer volume of rap releases each week, he says, deluxe editions help overcome short attention spans and breathe new life into existing projects -the album equivalent of remixing a single to push it up the charts.

"I think that they stumbled upon a new formula," Chery says. "Staying top of mind is a thing that is increasingly hard to do, especially in hip-hop. You come out with an album, there's new music, and then we move on to the next one. ... It makes sense that artists like Uzi and Lil Baby are feeding their fans more because of the pandemic, but I also don't think it's going anywhere after we go back to normal.”

Some hip-hop stars have chosen to forgo the instant-deluxe route during the pandemic and instead just drop entirely new albums; both DaBaby and YoungBoy Never Broke Again, for instance, recently collected new No. 1s on the Billboard 200 just a few months after previously doing so with different projects. Yet part of the appeal of the deluxe edition strategy -- adding songs to one album instead of dividing them across full-lengths -- is a more focused promotional effort. If an artist like Lil Baby wants to treat My Turn as a defining album, Thomas argues, then saving six new songs for an upcoming project would ultimately drive attention away from that album.

"You want to be able to capitalize and get the full potential of everything that a new project has to offer to you, as far as touring, merch -- just leveling up as an artist," says Thomas. "We weren't planning on putting out another album anytime soon, because he never had a chance to reap the full benefits off My Turn.�

If the instant-deluxe does outlast the pandemic, will it fully cross over into other genres? While the strategy has mostly been utilized by hip-hop stars thus far, artists like Dua Lipa, who has teased a deluxe edition of her Future Nostalgia album, and The Weeknd, who added three songs to his After Hours LP soon after its release, suggest that the formula could become a pop mainstay too.

Yet Chery is skeptical, based on how much more prolific most modern hip-hop artists have become relative to other genres. If rappers record music "at the speed of streaming," as he puts it, then they'll generally have more content with which to bulk up their albums and feed their fans.

Yet Chery is skeptical, based on how much more prolific most modern hip-hop artists have become relative to other genres. If rappers record music "at the speed of streaming," as he puts it, then they'll generally have more content with which to bulk up their albums and feed their fans.

Yet Chery is skeptical, based on how much more prolific most modern hip-hop artists have become relative to other genres. If rappers record music "at the speed of streaming," as he puts it, then they'll generally have more content with which to bulk up their albums and feed their fans.

"Hip-hop has started so many trends, if we look at the last 10 years -- and they don't all translate into other genres," Chery says. "[Hip-hop output] is just constant. You would think that pop music would take cues from it, or other genres would take cues from it, but they're just not built like that.

The audience behavior is completely different as well -- I don't know if a pop audience is trained to take in so much content."

Carl Chery - Creative Director, Head of Urban Music - Spotify

Regardless of where the trend goes next, the instant-deluxe has turned into a burgeoning strategy with little downside. Fans of Lil Uzi Vert who had been waiting since 2017 for a new solo project now have 32 new tracks instead of 18; Nav delighted his supporters earlier this month by releasing the equivalent of two albums instead of one. As long as the deluxeedition material is on par with that of the standard edition, Davis argues, there's no reason not to super-serve fans.

"I mean, why not?" she says. "More is more in this situation."

Tamia and Eric Benet reunite on classic in quarantine

Back in 1999, popular young singers Eric Benet and Tamia teamed up for a beautiful duet - "Spend My Life With You" - that became a wedding standard and continued the ascent of both artists.

Now, more than two decades later, the two singers have established fantastic careers and gathered millions of fans. But, like the rest of us, each is spending a lot of time at home right now. So...they decided to create a long distance duet, teaming up again to cover their own big hit, each from home. As Tamia posted: "It’s been a while since my friend @Eric Benét and I got together to sing one of our favorites ❤ happy date night to all the lovers out there.

These two longtime ST Faves and past SoulTracks Readers' Choice Award winners still sound fantastic, and this song is definitely a date night favorite. Check out "Spend My Life With You," below, quarantine style.

Eric Benet and Tamia "Spend My Life With You” (Live From Home)

Morris Mills leads a "Revival" “Revival,” the funk/rock gospel cut by Morris Mills, will drive the traditionalist crazy. Too wordly, they will say. But like the late, great Prince Rogers Nelson, Mills’ mentor and the artist who serves as the influence of so many performers, Mills doesn’t worry about his detractors. The guitarist goes where his musical muse leads.

As we learned from Mills’ previous works, that muse often leads him into places where genres intersect and where there is little or no social distancing (to use a term that is in vogue these days) between the secular and the sacred. That’s how Mills gives us a cut like the funky “Revival.”

Some might focus so much on the hard charging, thumping bass line, those rock influenced guitar chords and Mills’ Prince influenced vocals that they will absolutely ignore what is a pretty explicit message about the transforming power of Christ, which includes lyrics that reference the Old Testament Book of Jeremiah.

But to paraphrase Mills, this is how he does it in 2020. Check “Revival” out here. It is the title cut from his upcoming album.

By Howard Dukes for www.soultracks.com

Read the article “The Day The Music Paused” by clicking here.

Inside Rapper Drake’s Manor House in Hometown Toronto Superstar Drake goes home to Toronto to build his eye-popping pleasure dome

By Mayer Rus Photography by Jason Schmidt Styled by Colin King Remember the chintzy, pimped-out McMansions that were a staple of the longrunning MTV series Cribs? The Toronto home of mega recording artist Aubrey Drake Graham is something else altogether.

Measuring 50,000 square feet, with amenities such as an NBA regulation-size indoor basketball court crowned by a 21square-foot pyramidal skylight, Drake’s astonishing domicile certainly qualifies as extravagant. But instead of vast expanses of cheap drywall and mountains of ungainly furniture upholstered with a hot glue gun, stately Drake Manor, as envisioned by Canadian architectural and interior designer Ferris Rafauli, is a marvel of old-world craftsmanship, constructed of limestone, bronze, exotic woods, and other noble materials. Every detail of the sprawling property has been meticulously conceived and executed. And there isn’t a Scarface poster in sight.

Two sculptures by Kaws flank the home’s entrance. Custom bronze-and-solid-marble chandelier by Rafauli; Escarpment Light and Nero Marquina marble cover the floor.

Drake, in a Kapital sweatshirt and 1017 ALYX 9SM pants, with Rafauli in the lounge.

“Because I was building it in my hometown, I wanted the structure to stand firm for 100 years. I wanted it to have a monumental scale and feel,” Drake says of his passion project. “It will be one of the things I leave behind, so it had to be Wmeless and strong,” he adds.

Dubbed The Embassy, the house takes its cues from tradiWonal Beaux Arts architecture, disWlled and slightly abstracted to imbue the classic idiom with a more contemporary spirit.

“In form, materials, and execuWon, the structure is a proper 19th-century limestone mansion. But the exterior profiles are more minimal and the lines are a bit cleaner,” says Rafauli, who heads his own namesake luxury design/build firm based in Ontario. “This isn’t stucco, paint, and fake gold. That’s not what Drake wanted, and that’s not what I do.”

Rafauli describes the crazysexycool interiors as “modern Art Deco,” again referencing a classic historical style that has been tweaked and rejuvenated to mirror the spirit of the times as well as the DNA of his high-profile client. “Once you’ve chosen a certain style, you can dance within that style,” the designer observes. Drake insists, “It’s overwhelming high luxury. That message is delivered through the size of the rooms and the materials and details of the floors and the ceilings. I wanted to make sure people can see the work I’ve put in over the years reflected from every vantage point.

BELOW: In the master bedroom, Rafauli incorporated a hummingbird tapestry by Alexander McQueen for The Rug Company into the bedding. Rafauli custom carpet by The Rug Company. The bed is by Hästens x Ferris Rafauli; pendants

by Jonathan Browning Studios.

Drake, wearing Tom Ford and sneakers by Nike, in his Toronto home. Fashion styling by Mellany Sanchez.

A backlit panel of brown agate semi-precious stone soLly illuminates the studio lounge. Erwan Boulloud aluminum cocktail table; vintage Ricardo Fasanello chair.

Indeed, the scale of the rooms sets the tone for the home experience from the moment one enters the vast entry hall, which is clad in solid limestone with beveled inserts of Nero Marquina marble beneath a faceted ceiling of anWque mirror framed in bronze. The epic great room, which soars to 44 feet high, pumps up the volume even further. At one end of the space, a bespoke concert grand piano by the venerable Austrian piano maker Bösendorfer designed in collaboraWon with Japanese arWst Takashi Murakami and Rafauli sits nestled within a portal defined by floor-to-ceiling panels of macassar ebony set alongside bronze screens fronWng more anWque beveled mirror. “Drake’s world completely revolves around music, so he wasn’t going to buy just any piano. This prized possession is an authenWc marriage of arWstry, craY, and quality,” Rafauli notes.

The second jewel of the great room is a monumental iteraWon of Lobmeyr’s iconic

Metropolitan chandelier, originally designed by Hans Harald Rath for the Viennese maker to decorate the Metropolitan Opera in New York City in 1963. With more than 20,000 pieces of hand-cut Swarovski crystal, the dazzling light sculpture is the second largest installation of its kind in the world.

The designer’s nods to Art Deco style become more explicit in the lavish canary-yellow lounge, which, like several other spaces in the house, can be glimpsed in Drake’s videos for his songs “When to Say When”/“Chicago Freestyle” and “Toosie Slide.” The room’s crowning glory is a foliate ceiling of concentric backlit hexagonal panels wrapped in Alcantara faux suede, with a massive Venini-glass sunburst chandelier dropped from its center. The furnishings, here as throughout the home, were all custom designed

by Rafauli in materials that range from dyed ostrich skin and mohair to macassar and bronze.

A bespoke Bรถsendorfer concert grand piano designed by Ferris Rafauli and Takashi Murakami anchors the great room.

Drake’s favorite spot in the house is his 3,200square-foot master-bedroom suite, with an addiWonal 1,100 square feet of covered terraces.

“The bedroom is where I come to decompress from the world at the end of the night and where I open my eyes to seize the day,” he says.

“The bed lets you float, the shower lets you escape and gather your thoughts, and the closet makes you want to talk to yourself while you’re geZng dressed.”

As always, God is in the details. The bed and bed base, which weigh roughly one ton and cost more than many people’s entire homes, is from Rafauli’s new line for Hästens, called Grand Vividus. The headboard, accented with antique mirror and channel-tufted leather, encompasses a whiskey-and-champagne bar on the reverse side. The nightstands feature mother-of-pearl inlays, and the bedding incorporates an Alexander McQueen hummingbird tapestry from The Rug Company.

A backlit panel of brown agate semi-precious stone softly illuminates the studio lounge. Erwan Boulloud aluminum cocktail table; vintage Ricardo Fasanello chair.

Suede chairs by Rafauli line a Paonazzo marble island in the kitchen. Gabriel Scott pendants; La Cornue x Ferris Rafauli range; Kohler sinks; Waterworks fittings.

A suspended cantilevered block marble stair is adorned with chandeliers by Rafauli.

Uniforms of basketball legends line the jersey hall. Gabriel Scol ligh]ng.

The centerpiece of the master bath is a 4,000-pound tub of faceted black marble carved from a single block. Equally dramatic is Drake’s two-story closet, adorned with amethyst hardware, rock crystal, and seating upholstered in diamond-tufted shearling with polished nickel studs. It’s the perfect place to display the musician’s extensive wardrobe, sneaker collection, and the array of precious Hermès Birkin bags that he has been amassing for years

A backlit panel of brown agate semi-precious stone softly illuminates the studio lounge. Erwan Boulloud aluminum cocktail table; vintage Ricardo Fasanello chair.

And the hits keep coming. There’s the world-class recording studio, which Drake likens to “eccentric 1970s studios mixed with Annabel’s in London”; the well-used kitchen that features the first stove from Rafauli’s new line for La Cornue; the awards room, which tells the story of Drake from his childhood to his years on the Canadian television show Degrassi: The Next GeneraSon to his reign as a Grammywinning arWst; the hall of sports jerseys displayed in museum-like vitrines; and the indoor swimming pool sheathed in black granite.

Surveying the splendors of his Canadian pleasure palace, Drake takes the long view: “I think the house shows that I have true faith in myself to take on this task when I was just 27 and see it through,” says the now 33-year-old superstar. “I also think the house says that I will forever remain solid in the place I was born.”

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