If it’s chilly where you are, you can stay warm with these latest hot topics.
Maya Angelou’s powerful words live on in music. Her estate is releasing an album of poetry set to music Dr. Angelou wrote in the last seven years of her life. Caged Bird Songs features 13 tracks of Angelou’s streetwise commentary paired with hip-hop beats. “Music was such a huge part of my grandmother’s life,” said Colin A. Johnson, Dr. Angelou’s grandson, in a statement to ESSENCE. “She loved everything, from pop to country and, of course, hip hop. She was really excited about her words being presented in this way and I’m glad her fans will now be able to hear it.” The album’s production credits include award-winning singers and songwriters like Jennifer Hudson, Cee-Lo Green, and Jennifer Lopez. Caged Bird Songs is available now.
Stevie Wonder was honored by the American Society of Composersm Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) with the Centennial Award on Monday night in New York. The 64-year-old honoree gave a heartfelt speech at the awards ceremony. “It is an amazing world when you think about writing songs and talking about things when people say, ‘How can you write about that and you can’t see them?’ But the reality is seeing is feeling them; feeling them is in the spirit,” Wonder told the crowd. “You hear about pictures and about how someone looks and you write songs like ‘Isn’t She Lovely’…You write songs like ‘If Its Magic’ because you say, ‘What is the most magical thing in the world?’ And the most magical thing I see in the world is love.” [Yahoo! News]
The 17th Annual African American Women in Film Festival kicks off this week in New York City. The festival exists to expand, explore, and create business opportunities for minority female filmmakers. Screenings spotlight films produced by and featuring Black women, including Lifetime’s latest holiday feature, Seasons of Love (premiering Nov. 23), co-starring and produced by Taraji P. Henson. The festival runs from Nov. 19 through Nov. 22. [AAWIC]
Matthew Knowles has reportedly filed an injunction against TaQoya Branscomb—the woman claiming to be the mother of his child—effectively keeping her from speaking about their relationship or their child. In her first television interview on Inside Edition earlier this month, Branscomb said Knowles got angry when he found out she was pregnant, and never wanted to take responsibility for their four-year-old daughter. A judge has granted the temporary injunction but it’s unclear as to whether or not it only applies to her communication with the press. [Hello Beautiful]
Prince and 3RDEYEGRL have released a new psychedelic lyric video to his single FUNKNROLL. Get your first look and listen here: