Wale Puts on an Energetic Performance at San Diego’s North Park Theatre

Published

10 years ago

February 5, 2015

The Grammy nominated recording artist known as Wale put on an electrifying performance at the North Park theatre in San Diego this past weekend during the “Simply Nothing” tour. It began with a tantalizing warm up by his personal band that ensured that the sold out crowd was indeed ready to see the Washington D.C. rapper. After the suspense was at a breaking point, Wale burst onto the stage wearing a skull cap which covered most of his face as he performed the first of many of his mainstream hits. The combination of a live band, subtle prop placement, and a barrage of lyrical prowess from Wale made his performance unique and artistic.

Joining Wale on the 35-city tour was Miami based rapper Bizzy Crook, and the high-energy duo from California Audio Push. There was also a special guest performance by California’s on Joe Moses. Bizzy Crook kicked the night off wooing the crowd with potent lyricism combined with impeccable delivery.

Bizzy Crook

Performing hits from his latest mixtape “No Hard Feelings” the title track from the project had the whole place jumping! Make sure you check out his “Simply Nothing Tour” Vlog series as well to stay connected with him and his crew during the tour.

Joe Moses

Next on stage was Los Angeles rapper Joe Moses who has been tearing up the charts lately with songs like “ For a Real 1” feat Ty Dolla $ign and “Ratchets” remix feat Tyga. Moses hit the stage and had everybody in the theatre turnt up. He performed hits like “Burn Rubber” and “For a Real 1” while having the whole theatre screaming “Whoooooooop.”

Audio Push (Price & Oktane)

And last to hit the stage before the Headliner was the I.E. California duo known for the Hip Hop West Coast dance “Jerkin” was Audio Push. This was easily my favorite performance of the night as they combined an uncanny ability to work the entire crowd, spit melodic cadence, and showcase high energy during there entire set. Performing hits such as “Reppin” and “OTW”, Price and Oktane definitely held it down and proved exactly why they belong on the tour.

News

First Look at the Magical World of ‘Wicked’ Starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo (Trailer)

Published

1 year ago

February 12, 2024

Hollywood Melanin

The new trailer for the upcoming movie musical ‘Wicked’ has finally dropped, leaving fans buzzing with excitement. The film, which stars Ariana Grande as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, is set to be released in two parts.

The trailer opens with a stunning shot of the Emerald City, the iconic location from the original ‘Wizard of Oz’ story. We then see a young Elphaba arriving at Shiz University, where she meets Glinda for the first time. The two characters couldn’t be more different – Elphaba is a shy, green-skinned girl whom her peers often ostracize, while Glinda is a bubbly, popular blonde who seems to have everything she could ever want.

As the trailer progresses, we see glimpses of the musical numbers that have made ‘Wicked’ such a beloved show on Broadway. The production design features vibrant colors and intricate costumes that bring the world of Oz to life.

The pairing of Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, both vocal powerhouses, is beautiful and will yield beautiful musical numbers. In an interview with Jimmy Fallon, Erivo mentioned that she and Grande were surprised at how well their voices complemented each other.

The trailer also gives us a glimpse of the other characters in the film, including Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, and Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard of Oz.

‘Wicked’ part one is set to premiere later this year, with the second installment scheduled for November 2025.

Music

Ariana Grande – 34+35 (Remix) feat. Doja Cat & Megan Thee Stallion

Published

4 years ago

January 15, 2021

Joyce Brown

Ariana Grande, Megan Thee Stallion, and Doja Cat have teamed up for a new remix of Grande’s Positions track 34+35.

Film & Television

Why Did Michaela Coel Walk Away From a $1 Million Dollar Deal with Netflix?

Published

5 years ago

July 6, 2020

Joyce Brown

Michaela Coel, the star of HBO’s hit series I May Destroy You had to decline Netflix’s $1 million offer after the streaming giant refused to allow her to retain “at least 5 percent of her rights” for the show.

Coel’s success in the U.S. is largely credited to Netflix. The streamer was the U.S. distributor of Coel’s acclaimed comedy series Chewing Gum. Netflix also housed a feature musical titled Been So Long in which Coel was the lead, as well as the drama series Black Earth Rising. Coel also starred in an Emmy-winning episode of Black Mirror, also distributed by Netflix. So, naturally, Coel’s history with the streaming platform made it the premier destination for her new project. After a short negotiation with a Netflix executive, however, Coel had to find a different home for I May Destroy You in order to maintain ownership of the series.

According to Vulture, Coel recalled that Netflix made her a $1 million offer for I May Destroy You in spring 2017 but she turned it down. Why? The streamer wouldn’t allow her to retain any percentage of the copyright. Coel even discontinued her relationship with CAA after it “tried to push her to take the deal”.

I May Destry You is based on Coel’s personal experience of being sexually assaulted during the making of Chewing Gum. At the age of 32, Coel is in full creative control of the series as its showrunner, director, star, and writer. She wrote all 12 episodes and co-directed nine, stars as a young writer Arabella struggling to come to terms and process a recent assault.

The series is now streaming on HBO.