Entertainment Archives - The Florida Daily Post https://floridadailypost.com/entertainment/ Read first, then decide! Mon, 05 Aug 2024 15:06:10 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://i0.wp.com/floridadailypost.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/New-favicon-Florida-Daily-post-1.jpg?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 Entertainment Archives - The Florida Daily Post https://floridadailypost.com/entertainment/ 32 32 168275103 One thing that hasn’t changed in Hollywood: Male characters still more than double female ones https://floridadailypost.com/one-thing-that-hasnt-changed-in-hollywood-male-characters-still-more-than-double-female-ones/ https://floridadailypost.com/one-thing-that-hasnt-changed-in-hollywood-male-characters-still-more-than-double-female-ones/#respond Mon, 05 Aug 2024 15:06:10 +0000 https://floridadailypost.com/?p=64236 In recent years the movie industry has gone through the streaming revolution, the pandemic, labor strikes and “Barbenheimer.” But after countless upheavals in Hollywood, you’re still more than twice as likely to see male speaking characters in theatrical releases than you are female ones. Just 32% of speaking characters in the top 100 movies at […]

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In recent years the movie industry has gone through the streaming revolution, the pandemic, labor strikes and “Barbenheimer.” But after countless upheavals in Hollywood, you’re still more than twice as likely to see male speaking characters in theatrical releases than you are female ones.

Just 32% of speaking characters in the top 100 movies at the box office in 2023 were women or girls, according to the University of Southern California’s Annenberg Inclusion Initiative annual report released Monday. That’s very nearly the same percentage as when Stacy L. Smith first began the study in 2007. Then, it was 30% of speaking characters.

The gender imbalance was pronounced in other areas, too. Just 30% of leading roles in the top films were women or girls, a huge decrease of 14% from 2022 and roughly the same figure as in 2010. Only 11% of films were gender balanced, with girls or women in 45-54.9% of speaking roles.

“No matter how you examine the data, 2023 was not the ‘Year of the Woman.’ We continue to report the same trends for girls and women on screen, year in and year out,” Smith said in a statement. “It is clear that there is either a dismissal of women as an audience for more than one or two films per year, a refusal to find ways to create meaningful change, or both.

“If the industry wants to survive its current moment, it must examine its failure to employ half the population on screen,” added Smith.

“Barbie” may have been the No. 1 film at the box office last year, but, as has historically been the case, a few prominent releases don’t by themselves move the needle against persistent trends.

The USC study doesn’t analyze what Hollywood makes, just what’s most widely watched in theaters. That leaves out a wide swath of movies produced for streaming, as well as most independent releases. But in capturing the majority of popular films in theaters, the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative tracks how much the industry’s vows of inclusivity actually line up with what’s on movie screens.

In an election year where much of Hollywood will be backing Vice President Kamala Harris to become the first female American president, researchers concluded that “progressive Hollywood” is “actually not progressive at all.”

The stubborn lack of progress for female characters in film is only more striking when compared to some of the gains made by underrepresented racial and ethnic groups. While there remain major inequalities there, too, some findings show considerable change.

In 2023, 44% of speaking characters came from underrepresented groups, roughly matching or even slightly exceeding the racial makeup of the U.S. population (41%). The percentage of white characters decreased to 56% in 2023, down from 62% the year prior. In 2007, 78% of all characters were white.

Among protagonists, underrepresented racial and ethnic groups made up 37% of main characters, an increase of 6% from 2022 and more than ever before. In 2007, that figure was 13%.

Last year’s main characters were 12.6% Black, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino characters and 18.4% Asian. None of the 100 top movies featured casts that matched U.S. demographics for Hispanic/Latinos, who account for 19.1% of the population — and even more of ticket buyers.

Many other groups were closer to invisible, entirely, in 2023’s top box-office films. There were just five movies out of the 100 with an LGBTQ+ lead or co-lead. Just 2.2% of the films included a speaking character with a disability. And only four speaking characters were nonbinary.

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Booming Turkish TV drama industry captures hearts and minds worldwide and boosts tourism https://floridadailypost.com/booming-turkish-tv-drama-industry-captures-hearts-and-minds-worldwide-and-boosts-tourism/ https://floridadailypost.com/booming-turkish-tv-drama-industry-captures-hearts-and-minds-worldwide-and-boosts-tourism/#respond Tue, 16 Jul 2024 04:35:26 +0000 https://floridadailypost.com/?p=63899 Under the sweltering Turkish sun, tourists wander through sets that recreate Ottoman and Byzantine-era castles, take selfies with actors in traditional Ottoman costumes and watch horseback stunt performances. Among them is Riia Toivanen, 22, a devoted fan of Turkish television drama who traveled to Istanbul from Finland with her mother to delve into the realm […]

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Under the sweltering Turkish sun, tourists wander through sets that recreate Ottoman and Byzantine-era castles, take selfies with actors in traditional Ottoman costumes and watch horseback stunt performances. Among them is Riia Toivanen, 22, a devoted fan of Turkish television drama who traveled to Istanbul from Finland with her mother to delve into the realm of her beloved shows.

Some 8,000 miles (12,800 kilometers) across the globe in Villa Carlos Paz in Argentina, 66-year-old retired teacher Raquel Greco watches an episode of a Turkish romantic comedy, surrounded by memorabilia from her once-in-a-lifetime trip to Istanbul where she visited landmarks she knew from years of watching Turkish shows.

“It seemed to me that I was dreaming, I couldn’t believe I was living what I saw every day in the series,” she said of her visit in April this year.

The global popularity of Turkish TV dramas — or dizi in Turkish — has thrust Turkey into the position of a leading exporter of television, greatly bolstering the nation’s international image and drawing millions of viewers and tourists worldwide to its historical and cultural sites which are backdrops to many of the shows.

The success of television shows has fueled a burgeoning billion-dollar industry that continues to expand into new markets, experts say. The popularity of these shows is also greatly enhancing Turkey’s soft power on a global scale.

Between 2020 and 2023, the global demand for Turkish series increased by 184%, positioning Turkey as one of the biggest exporters of TV shows around the world, according to Parrot Analytics, a research company.

“We reach over 400 million viewers every night around the world,” said Izzet Pinto, CEO of Global Agency, which exports Turkish dramas to world markets. “The soft power we create with Turkish dramas cannot be even compared to what could be done in politics.”

Although “Deli Yurek” was the first Turkish series to be exported — to Kazakhstan in 2001 — it was the 2005 romantic series “Gumus” that catapulted Turkish dizis to global fame. The series, which revolves around a woman from a traditional background adapting to urban life, became immensely popular in the Middle East.

“A Thousand and One Nights,” a 2006 romantic drama loosely based on the collection of Middle Eastern folktales and set in modern-day Istanbul, captivated audiences in the Balkans. “Magnificent Century,” based on the 16th-century Ottoman Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent, led the way for historical fiction.

Once an importer of Latin American telenovelas, Turkey is now exporting its dramas to the region. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro visited the set of the historical drama series “Resurrection: Ertugrul” in 2018, highlighting the appeal of the dizi in his nation.

Haley Uganadi, the founder of the Turkish TV series fan platform “Dizilah,” says the popularity of the dramas comes from themes that focus on family, friendship, and love, usually set against the backdrop of luxurious lifestyles in Istanbul or Turkey’s rich history.

“They offer something for everyone, regardless of where you are from. Watching Turkish dramas, I see reflections of my mom, myself, and my siblings,” Uganadi said.

Her platform receives about 1.5 million viewers monthly, with fans from the United States, Canada, Greece, India, and Pakistan.

Pinto points to the family-oriented nature of Turkish dramas. “There’s no nudity, no cursing or bad words, not much hate. So, this becomes watchable by the family,” he explains.

As the industry grows, it is expanding the themes of its series, such as “Red Roses,” which explores the dynamics between a staunchly secular Western-oriented family and a fictional Islamic brotherhood.

During a lull in filming, actor Ozcan Deniz, who previously starred in series such as “The Mansion with Vines” and “Bride of Istanbul,” said this diversification was essential if the industry is to flourish.

“Countries that were not able to transform (into) a different genre are now lagging behind in the export of series,” Deniz said. “Turkey has now caught this momentum, but if it cannot diversify, if it cannot also tell different things, it will end somewhere.”

Toivanen and her mother were touring Bozdag Film Studios, a vast complex in northern Istanbul, where historical Ottoman-era blockbusters like “Resurrection: Ertugrul” and “Foundation: Osman” were shot.

Toivanen says her love of the romantic dramas “Black Money Love” and “Endless Love” brought her to Istanbul. “I like Turkish culture very much,” she said. ”(The series are) very friendly and warm, and there is a lot of drama going on.”

The first episode of “Resurrection: Ertugrul” had over 157 million views on the Urdu-language YouTube channel of Turkish state broadcaster TRT, said producer and screenwriter Mehmet Bozdag, who created the popular historical dramas that fictionalize the lives of Ottoman leaders and heroes. “Foundation: Osman” was broadcast in over 110 countries, he said.

During its run, “Resurrection: Ertugrul” peaked as the fourth most in-demand show worldwide in May 2020, with demand more than 68 times that of the average show worldwide, according to Parrot Analytics.

Dr. Deniz Gurgen Atalay, assistant professor of film and TV at Bahcesehir University in Istanbul, cited Turkish media as saying the industry generated $1 billion in 2023 from overseas exports and has an important impact on tourism, especially in Istanbul.

“The TV series sector has a huge share in this. The image of Istanbul presented by the series, the food eaten here, the drinks drunk, the music listened to, the living standards, and the culture here offer a very pleasant place of appreciation within the framework of the series,.” Atalay said.

Mert Yazicioglu, another star of “Red Roses,” whose eagerly anticipated second season is set to premiere in late September, was clad in the attire of his character, a member of an Islamic sect, when he took a break from filming to chat.

The series has propelled the soft-spoken 31-year-old to stardom, with Turkey’s media tracking his every footstep.

“We have introduced Turkish culture abroad. That makes us very happy,” he said, wearing his character’s baggy beige trousers and matching waistcoat.

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Music Review: Clairo aims to ‘Charm’ on lush and layered new album https://floridadailypost.com/music-review-clairo-aims-to-charm-on-lush-and-layered-new-album/ https://floridadailypost.com/music-review-clairo-aims-to-charm-on-lush-and-layered-new-album/#respond Sun, 14 Jul 2024 22:10:01 +0000 https://floridadailypost.com/?p=63863 Clairo, the Atlanta-based indie pop singer-songwriter, is out and about with “Charm,” her third album overall and first record in three years. The 11-track release is a masterclass in modern but reflective music, hearkening back to ’70s-inspired pop grooves with a smooth layer of Clairo’s characteristic soul. Clairo previously landed on many a cool kid’s […]

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Clairo, the Atlanta-based indie pop singer-songwriter, is out and about with “Charm,” her third album overall and first record in three years.

The 11-track release is a masterclass in modern but reflective music, hearkening back to ’70s-inspired pop grooves with a smooth layer of Clairo’s characteristic soul.

Clairo previously landed on many a cool kid’s aesthetic playlist with lovely tracks such as “Sofia” and “Bags.” She continues along the themes of love and sexuality here, blending playful melodies with astute lyrics that observe the heart’s volatile conditions: wanting, waiting, accepting, and exploring.

The standout song is “Sexy to Someone,” a repeat-worthy track on which Clairo sings about wanting to be wanted. “I want afterglowing and when I call a car / Send me eyes with the knowing that I could pull it off,” Clairo croons against an upbeat drum shuffle and soft synthesizer stabs. Desiring to be sexy to someone is sexier than singing about simply being sexy. These are the savvy songwriting levels that Clairo understands and delivers.

If you want something to move your body to, steer toward “Add Up My Love,” a certified bop by Clairo standards, quicker in pace than her usual lilt and a track that shows off the singer’s vocal ability.

Credit must go to Clairo and her “Charm” co-producer Leon Michaels (of The Dap-Kings and El Michels Affair) for their attention to analog. Clairo and company brought together a live ensemble of horns, woodwinds and vintage synthesizers to create a sound that is lush and respectful of the pre-digital process.

Clairo fans are likely to love this release. Newcomers to her music will be glad they found her. Clairo remains a standout artist among the current cadre of indie pop practitioners for her quality lyricism and consistent melodic inventiveness. She’s a cut above one-trick ponies that deliver fleeting earworms.

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How reggaeton stars are driving a basketball boom in Puerto Rico https://floridadailypost.com/how-reggaeton-stars-are-driving-a-basketball-boom-in-puerto-rico/ https://floridadailypost.com/how-reggaeton-stars-are-driving-a-basketball-boom-in-puerto-rico/#respond Sun, 14 Jul 2024 22:08:13 +0000 https://floridadailypost.com/?p=63860 Vianca Braña never used to attend basketball games in her hometown of Carolina, Puerto Rico — or anywhere else in the United States territory. But in recent years, the 23-year-old has left the arena with a hoarse voice, often wearing a T-shirt that reads “Carola,” a nickname for her town. “We started making this fun, […]

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Vianca Braña never used to attend basketball games in her hometown of Carolina, Puerto Rico — or anywhere else in the United States territory. But in recent years, the 23-year-old has left the arena with a hoarse voice, often wearing a T-shirt that reads “Carola,” a nickname for her town.

“We started making this fun, and I wanted to represent the town where I’m from,” said Braña, who attended her first game the year Puerto Rican reggaeton star Bad Bunny bought a team in the island’s professional men’s basketball league. It was also around that time that she began placing bets on different teams across Puerto Rico with her girlfriends.

Braña’s fervor illustrates how Puerto Rico’s professional men’s basketball league is experiencing a revival, driven by reggaeton stars like Bad Bunny, Ozuna and Anuel AA, who are stepping into the financial game, buying local teams and helping to stack up a loyal fan base the island hasn’t witnessed in over 40 years.

What were once half-empty arenas in Puerto Rico are now packed, filled with families and young fans cheering for their favorite teams, from Los Capitanes de Arecibo in northern Puerto Rico to Los Leones de Ponce in the south.

Attendance more than doubled from 2018 to 2023, skyrocketing from some 480,000 tickets sold to nearly 1 million, according to Puerto Rico’s professional men’s basketball league, whose digital presence has also soared in the past few years.

A pivotal moment in the league’s revival came in 2021, when three-time Grammy winner Bad Bunny became co-owner of Los Cangrejeros de Santurce, along with his manager, Noah Assad.

Bad Bunny’s frequent game-day visits sparked a resurgence in Puerto Rico’s basketball scene. Other artists like Anuel AA quickly followed, buying Arecibo’s Capitanes team before a new owner took over in 2023, and Ozuna acquiring Manatí’s team, renaming it Los Osos, in 2022. The league, known as BSN, currently has 12 teams playing, compared with nine just four years ago.

Basketball games have transformed into premier rendezvous events, attracting celebrities like NBA legend LeBron James, former boxer Floyd Mayweather and reggaeton artists including Arcangel and Rauw Alejandro, capturing audiences of all ages hoping to get a glimpse of them.

“When Noah and Bad Bunny came along, we generated a lot of noise,” said Ricardo Dalmau, president of BSN. “It was an explosion of attention.”

Dalmau said local TV ratings also saw an upward tick after they began broadcasting some games in 2021, with the biggest surprise being their largest viewership block: women ages 18 to 49, a new audience that was also reflected in the bleachers.

“You never know what artist you’re going to find in the (league),” he said.

Before its recent surge in popularity, the league was under financial strain. Although Dalmau did not provide specific numbers, he said there used to be a lot of uncertainty about whether certain teams would participate or whether the league could fulfill players’ contracts. “We don’t have those problems anymore,” he said.

Javier Sabath, a popular basketball commentator on the island, said he is witnessing what his father — a sports commentator himself decades ago — describes as the environment in the 1980s, the heyday of the league.

“New generations have never seen this before,” Sabath said. “The boom with urban artists revived the Puerto Rican sports history that had been forgotten.”

Sabath said the momentum created by artists has fueled fans’ excitement beyond just seeing reggaeton stars. “Indirectly, these artists are attracting enough attention to make people interested in our league,” he said. “It’s a domino effect.”

A bittersweet moment took place recently, when Puerto Rico national men’s basketball team, composed of several of the league’s star players, qualified for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. The victory over Lithuania broke a 20-year drought for the team that last competed in 2004, beating the USA team in the Athens Olympics. It is also a loss for the league’s teams playing later in the summer.

The league’s renaissance comes after its peak over 40 years ago. Teams in Bayamón, Quebradillas, Ponce and other towns had produced renowned players, including Butch Lee, the first Puerto Rican player to enter the National Basketball Association; Raymond Dalmau, whose son currently presides over the league; and Rubén Rodríguez, who played for Los Vaqueros in Bayamón.

As part of the current frenzy, ex-NBA players have moved to Puerto Rico in recent years to join the league. Will Barton and Jared Sullinger play for San Juan’s team, while other ex-NBA players like DeMarcus Cousins, Lance Stephenson and Brandon Knight also joined before moving on to other stints.

Still, some problems remain beyond the league’s control, including severe budget cuts, with the government slashing the island’s sports and recreation department budget by more than half over the past decade. A lack of investment and maintenance in sports arenas across the island has caused leaks, leading to game suspensions after heavy rains.

“Despite the lack of economic resources, we’ve been able to sort it out,” said Ray Quiñones, secretary of sports and recreation of Puerto Rico, whose infrastructure budget was cut from about $15,300 in 2014 to barely $7,500 in 2024.

Sports arenas face the additional problem of chronic power outages across Puerto Rico, which is still rebuilding its electric grid after Hurricane María, a Category 4 storm that razed the island in September 2017.

In June, a game in Carolina between the home team, Los Gigantes, and Los Indios of Mayagüez was suspended after a widespread power outage left more than 340,000 customers without electricity. A month earlier, a game in San Juan’s main arena was also suspended due to a power outage.

Despite the challenges, younger generations are finding refuge outside their homes — which also contend with frequent power outages — and a new sense of pride by attending the games.

For fans like Annais Ramírez, basketball arenas feel like safe spaces, especially for women looking to engage in historically male-dominated areas.

“There are so many artists coming to the games, and you wonder if you’ll run into one,” the 27-year-old said as she stood next to her friend, who sported a necklace with a diamond-encrusted “C” for the town of Carolina.

Her love for Carolina’s team has grown beyond her expectation to run into a celebrity. During her free time, Ramírez goes on social media to catch up on the games she couldn’t attend in person, checking out highlights, halftime performances and crowd reactions.

“Those motivate you to be part of the movement,” she said. “On weekdays, this helps me unwind.”

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BET Awards 2024: Usher is honored, Will Smith returns, and the election is top of mind https://floridadailypost.com/bet-awards-2024-usher-is-honored-will-smith-returns-and-the-election-is-top-of-mind/ https://floridadailypost.com/bet-awards-2024-usher-is-honored-will-smith-returns-and-the-election-is-top-of-mind/#respond Mon, 01 Jul 2024 04:53:41 +0000 https://floridadailypost.com/?p=63695 Usher accepted the lifetime achievement award at the 2024 BET Awards — even if the superstar mused it might be a bit early. The Grammy winner stayed on his feet as a parade of artists performed his hits — Childish Gambino kicked it off with “U Don’t Have to Call,” joined by Keke Palmer, who […]

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Usher accepted the lifetime achievement award at the 2024 BET Awards — even if the superstar mused it might be a bit early.

The Grammy winner stayed on his feet as a parade of artists performed his hits — Childish Gambino kicked it off with “U Don’t Have to Call,” joined by Keke Palmer, who took the lead on “You Make Me Wanna…” Coco Jones appeared in the audience for a sultry rendition of “There Goes My Baby,” serenading Usher and his wife Jenn Goicoechea.

Summer Walker hit the stage for “Good Good,” Tinashe did “Nice & Slow,” Marsha Ambrosius tackled “Superstar” and Chlöe performed “Good Kisser.” Teyana Taylor and Victoria Monét teamed up for “Bad Girl,” mirroring Usher and Beyoncé’s choreography from their performance of the song. Latto brought the energy for “Yeah!” In some ways, the homage underscored the women that carried much of the night — dominating the performances.

After introductions by Terry Lewis and Jimmy Jam, Usher accepted the award from music executive L.A. Reid.

“Getting here has definitely not been easy, but it has been worth it,” Usher began his lengthy speech, reflecting on his career, which has spanned over three decades. He questioned the timing, saying, “I’m still running and gunning and I still love this (expletive) like I did when I was 8 years old,” he said.

Much of his speech couldn’t be heard to audiences at home because it was censored.

“I forgive each and every person who had anything to say negative about me because it only motivated me to be who I am,” he said at one point.

Earlier in the night, Will Smith stood in a circle of fire — joined by Fridayy and the gospel choir Sunday Service — to make the live debut of his latest single, “You Can Make It.”

“I don’t know who needs this right now,” Smith opened his set. “But I am here to tell you, you can make it.”

Mid-way through, Kirk Franklin joined, and then two rapped together. “Nobody gets an easy ride,” Smith, who is in the midst of his comeback from slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars two years ago, told the room. “There is wisdom in that fire. Dance in your darkest moments.”

The forthcoming presidential election was a huge topic of conversation throughout the show. After Childish Gambino presented Killer Mike with the album of the year award for “Michael,” the rapper used his acceptance speech to address his Grammys arrest and voting.

“Technically, I was not supposed to be here. I was put in handcuffs, and I was marched out of this building. But I want to tell you, look at God. ’Cause I’m back, baby. I’m back and I’m winning,” he said in his speech. Killer Mike was arrested at the Grammys earlier this year over a physical altercation he said was caused by an “over-zealous” security guard; he was not charged over the incident.

“They going to tell you who we vote for is important,” he continued his speech, “And it is who we vote for on the big stage. It’s important, but it’s more important you know who your city council person is, who your prosecutor is.”

Megan Thee Stallion opened the show by emerging from an egg — a metaphor for her a new musical rebirth — before diving into with an energetic medley of her new singles “Hiss” and “Boa.”

“BET, Where my girls at?” she said, shouting out Monét and Jones in the crowd before launching into “Where Them Girls At” — a track that’s been an immediate fan favorite since Friday’s release of her third studio album, “Megan.”

Taraji P. Henson hosted the show at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. Her opening monologue was a performance, Henson rapping “It’s about us,” in a loose parody of Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” which he released in the midst of his reignited feud with Drake.

“No beef in here tonight,” she joked, “Can we say plant-based?”

Tyla, the Johannesburg , South African amapiano superstar, won two honors on the show, starting with best international act.

Later in the night, she’d take home the award for best new artist. “This is crazy,” she said. “I just want to dedicate this one to Africa.”

Monét, who earlier this year won the Grammy for best new artist, made her BET debut and set a high bar for performances, condensing a full set into a few mins with three costume changes and a pair of songs, “On My Mama” and “Alright.”

Then Sexyy Red took the stage, performing her smooth bedroom ballad “U My Everything” before moving to another stage and a costume change — tackling “Get It Sexyy” in front of an LED screen depicting the White House and dancers dressed like the Secret Service.

The show took a tonal shift when VanVan and Heiress Harris, two child rappers, their empowerment anthem “Be You” in a school room set. Harris is the daughter of rapper T.I. and singer Tiny Harris.

Best female R&B/pop artist went to SZA and best actress to Regina King, both of whom were not in attendance; the BET HER award went to Monét for “On My Mama.” She brought her mother up to accept it.

Country musician Tanner Adell brought her “Buckle Bunny” and her new song, “Cowboy Break My Heart.” GloRilla emerged from above, descending to join her dancers for “Yeah Glo!” and “Wanna Be” — the latter of which saw a surprise appearance from Megan Thee Stallion. Shaboozey kept the country coming with “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” and was joined by rapper J-Kwon, who appears on the track, creating an unexpected and rewarding collaboration across genres.

Lauryn Hill closed the night, beginning with “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” going into “Lost Ones,” before introducing her son YG Marley for his reggae tracks “Survival” and “Praise Jah In The Moonlight.” Best of all: Wyclef Jean appeared, and the trio — in front of a full-band — performed Fugees’ “Fu-Gee-La.” Pras, the third member of Fugees, was not present. The rapper, who was accused in multimillion-dollar political conspiracies spanning two presidencies, was convicted in April.

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Back to Woodstock, with Wi-Fi: Women return after 55 years to glamp and relive the famous festival https://floridadailypost.com/back-to-woodstock-with-wi-fi-women-return-after-55-years-to-glamp-and-relive-the-famous-festival/ https://floridadailypost.com/back-to-woodstock-with-wi-fi-women-return-after-55-years-to-glamp-and-relive-the-famous-festival/#respond Thu, 27 Jun 2024 13:28:53 +0000 https://floridadailypost.com/?p=63639 Beverly “Cookie” Grant hitchhiked to the Woodstock music festival in 1969 without a ticket and slept on straw. Ellen Shelburne arrived in a VW microbus and pitched a pup tent. Fifty-five years later, the two longtime friends finally got back to the garden, but this time in high style. The women, now 76, were recently […]

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Beverly “Cookie” Grant hitchhiked to the Woodstock music festival in 1969 without a ticket and slept on straw. Ellen Shelburne arrived in a VW microbus and pitched a pup tent.

Fifty-five years later, the two longtime friends finally got back to the garden, but this time in high style.

The women, now 76, were recently treated to a two-bedroom glamping tent at the upstate New York site equipped with comfy beds, a shower, a coffee maker and Wi-Fi. No mud from drenching rains this time. They sat in pavilion seats to watch shows by Woodstock veterans John Fogerty and Roger Daltrey.

“We’re like hippie queens!” Grant joked over breakfast during the trip earlier this month.

The Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, the not-for-profit organization that runs the site, rolled out the tie-dyed carpet for Grant and Shelburne to promote its new glamping facilities and to delve deeper into Shelburne’s trove of photos from the generation-defining festival held Aug. 15-18, 1969.

The once-trampled hillside by the main stage is now a manicured green space near a Woodstock-and-’60s-themed museum and the concert pavilion. But the return visit still bought back a flood of memories. Shelburne was able to retrace the steps she took as a 21-year-old college student in the photos taken by her then-boyfriend, and future husband, David Shelburne.

“I’m looking at this person in the photograph, who is me, but a person just starting out in life at that age. And now I’m looking back at sort of bookends of my life,” Ellen Shelburne said. “All these decades later, I’m back at Woodstock and it just brings it all up in such a positive way.”

Grant and Shelburne did not know each other in August 1969 and they attended the concert separately.

Shelburne came from Columbus, Ohio, with David Shelburne, his best friend and another woman. They purchased tickets, got there early and bought ponchos at a local store after rain was forecast. She slept in a pup tent.

“I was never cold, wet, hungry, muddy, dirty, uncomfortable or miserable,” she said. “It was the total opposite.”

Grant went to Woodstock on a lark.

A long-haired surfer she knew named Ray came up to her and a friend on a beach in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and said, “There’s this music festival happening in New York. You want to hitchhike up there with me?” Grant’s friend dropped out along the way, but she and the surfer made it to the town of Bethel. The last driver dropped them off at the edge of the epic traffic jam outside the festival and gave them a blanket.

Grant walked the last several miles to Woodstock barefoot.

Both women were wowed by Jimi Hendrix, The Who and other musical acts, but also by the good vibes from the 400,000 or more people who converged on Max Yasgur’s dairy farm some 80 miles (130 kilometers) northwest of New York City.

“If we needed food, someone gave us food. Someone gave us water. We needed nothing,” Grant said.

The two women met months later in Columbus, where they each ran shops adjacent to Ohio State University with the men they went to Woodstock with. And they each married their concert companions, though Grant got a divorce several years later.

David and Ellen Shelburne ran a film and video production company together until he died four years ago. Grant moved to Florida and eventually became a chef on mega-yachts before starting her own business providing crews for those big boats.

Each woman kept a spark of the Woodstock spirit. Shelburne said she’s “stuck in the ’60s and proud of it.” They got the bug to return to the festival site last year after providing oral histories in Columbus to curators for the Museum at Bethel Woods.

Just like in 1969, the women were provided what they needed during their recent long weekend of peace, love and nostalgia — though this time it was a “Luxury 2 Bedroom Safari Tent” with a front deck and the shower in a bathroom. And when it rained this time, they were able to stay dry in the museum.

On a sunny Saturday, Bethel Woods senior curator Neal Hitch drove the women around in a golf cart to explore the spots where David Shelburne shot his festival photos. Unlike others who focused their cameras on the stage, he documented festivalgoers camping, swimming, selling goods, relaxing and having fun. Hitch noted that David Shelburne’s images also are valuable because they are in sequence, meaning they tell a story.

At one stop, Shelburne stood by a tree line as she held a photo of a field full of campers. She was standing on the spot where her late husband took the photograph and was looking at the same field, minus the campers, 55 years later. Visibly moved, she said “oh” a few times and let out a deep breath before exclaiming, “Wow!”

It broke her heart that her husband is not in the photographs, but she felt his presence that weekend.

The women ranged across the festival site over several days, from the stage area to the woods where vendors had set up stalls. Despite the changes — the luxury tents, the fences, the museum — the women said they recognized the same mellow, friendly vibes here that they experienced as 21-year-olds.

And they were thrilled to immerse themselves in it again decades later.

“It’s very wonderful to see that it’s in history forever,” Grant said, “and we’re a part of that.”

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That cool Tony Awards moment when Jay-Z joined Alicia Keys? Turns out it wasn’t live https://floridadailypost.com/that-cool-tony-awards-moment-when-jay-z-joined-alicia-keys-turns-out-it-wasnt-live/ https://floridadailypost.com/that-cool-tony-awards-moment-when-jay-z-joined-alicia-keys-turns-out-it-wasnt-live/#respond Tue, 18 Jun 2024 04:03:07 +0000 https://floridadailypost.com/?p=63558 Jay-Z’s electrifying reunion with Alicia Keys on what appeared to be a live duet of “Empire State of Mind” at the Tony Awards was actually pre-taped, a show official who wasn’t authorized to speak publicly told The Associated Press. The appearance of the rapper in support of Keys’ musical “Hell’s Kitchen” led to a boost […]

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Jay-Z’s electrifying reunion with Alicia Keys on what appeared to be a live duet of “Empire State of Mind” at the Tony Awards was actually pre-taped, a show official who wasn’t authorized to speak publicly told The Associated Press.

The appearance of the rapper in support of Keys’ musical “Hell’s Kitchen” led to a boost of excitement inside the arena but it now appears it was a piece of Hollywood trickery, undercutting the Broadway communities’ full-throated embrace of live singing and dancing.

A representative from Jay-Z’s Roc Nation and a producer at White Cherry Entertainment did not return messages seeking clarification on what happened Sunday night. A senior publicist for the telecast also did not return requests for comment on Monday.

“Hell’s Kitchen,” which won two awards Sunday night — for star Maleah Joi Moon and Kecia Lewis, who plays her mentor — is loosely based on Keys’ years growing up in that Manhattan neighborhood and contains old hits and new songs from the singer-songwriter. Keys is a producer but doesn’t appear in the show. The show ends with a rousing edition of “Empire State of Mind.”

Each best new musical nominee at the Tony Awards gets a slot performing and “Hell’s Kitchen” was first, with the cast playing a medley of songs — including her hit “Fallin’” — from the show.

Then Keys appeared at the piano on the stage of the David H. Koch Theater in Lincoln Center and began singing her and Jay-Z’s 2009 smash. She soon got up and went down the steps of the stage and into the orchestra seat section and out the side of the auditorium — “Had to do something crazy. It’s my hometown,” she explained to the crowd — moments later apparently joining the rapper on some of the venue’s marble steps to wild applause. “Brooklyn, New York City in the Tonys tonight!” Jay-Z signed-off at the end.

The audience and media was inside the auditorium and no photos have surfaced of the two performers live. A version of the two finishing the song was beamed to the TV audience and a video screen inside the venue. Keys wore the same outfit she was wearing onstage. Jay-Z was never spotted entering the packed auditorium.

While some parts of the Tony telecast are pre-taped — technical awards handed out before the show, some advertising packages and often segments from the top nominated plays — the strong feeling is that the musical performances are what audiences will see when they come to Broadway, with no trickery.

New York Magazine first reported that the segment had been pre-taped.

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Movie Review: ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ finds a new hero and will blow your mind https://floridadailypost.com/movie-review-kingdom-of-the-planet-of-the-apes-finds-a-new-hero-and-will-blow-your-mind/ https://floridadailypost.com/movie-review-kingdom-of-the-planet-of-the-apes-finds-a-new-hero-and-will-blow-your-mind/#respond Mon, 13 May 2024 03:30:30 +0000 https://floridadailypost.com/?p=62877 Fans of the “Planet of the Apes” franchise may still be mourning the 2017 death of Caesar, the first smart chimp and the charismatic ape leader. Not to worry: He haunts the next episode, the thrilling, visually stunning “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.” We actually start with Caesar’s funeral, his body decorated with flowers and […]

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Fans of the “Planet of the Apes” franchise may still be mourning the 2017 death of Caesar, the first smart chimp and the charismatic ape leader. Not to worry: He haunts the next episode, the thrilling, visually stunning “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.”

We actually start with Caesar’s funeral, his body decorated with flowers and then set alight like a Viking, before fast-forwarding “many generations later.” All apes talk now and most humans don’t, reduced to caveman loin cloths and running wide-eyed and scared, evolution in reverse.

Our new hero is the young ape Noa (Owen Teague ) who is like all young adult chimps — seeking his father’s approval (even chimp dads just don’t understand) and testing his bravery. He is part of a clan that raises pet eagles, smokes fish and lives peacefully.

That all changes when his village is attacked not by humans but by fellow apes — masked soldiers from a nasty kingdom led by the crown-wearing Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand, playing it to the hilt). He has taken Caesar’s name but twisted his words to become a tyrannical strongman — sorry, strongape.

Unlike the last movie which dealt with man’s inhumanity to animals — concentration camps included — ape-on-ape violence is in the cards for this one, including capturing an entire clan as prisoners. Proximus Caesar’s goons use makeshift cattle prods on fellow apes and force them to work while declaring “For Caesar!”

Screenwriter Josh Friedman has cleverly created a movie that examines how ancient stories can be hijacked and manipulated, like how Caesar’s non-violent message gets twisted by bad actors. There’s also a lot of “Avatar” primitive naivete, and that makes sense since the reboot was shaped by several of that blue alien movie’s makers.

The movie poses some uncomfortable questions about collaborationists. William H. Macy plays a human who has become a sort of teacher-prisoner to Proximus Caesar — reading Kurt Vonnegut to him — and won’t fight back. “It is already their world,” he rationalizes.

Along for the heroic ride is a human young woman (Freya Allan, a budding star) who is hiding an agenda but offers Noa help along the way. Peter Macon plays a kindly, book-loving orangutan who adds a jolt of gleeful electricity to the movie and is missed when he goes.

The effects are just jaw-dropping, from the ability to see individual hairs on the back of a monkey to the way leaves fall and the crack of tree limbs echoing in the forest. The sight of apes on horseback, which seemed glitchy just seven years ago, are now seamless. There are also inside jokes, like the use of the name Nova again this time.

Director Wes Ball nicely handles all the thrilling sequences — though the two-and-a-half hour runtime is somewhat taxing — and some really cool ones, like the sight of apes on horseback on a beach, a nod to the original 1968 movie. And like when the apes look through some old illustrated kids’ books and see themselves depicted in zoo cages. That makes for some awkward human-ape interaction. “What is next for apes? Should we go back to silence?” our hero asks.

The movie races to a complex face-off between good and bad apes and good and bad humans outside a hulking silo that holds promise to each group. Can apes and humans live in peace, as Caesar hoped? “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” doesn’t answer that but it does open up plenty more to ponder. Starting with the potentially crippling proposition of a key death, this franchise has somehow found new vibrancy.

“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” a 20th Century Studios release that is exclusively in theaters May 10, is rated PG-13 for “intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action.” Running time: 145 minutes. Three and a half stars out of four.

 

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Life after Florida Georgia Line: Brian Kelley ready to reintroduce himself with new solo album https://floridadailypost.com/life-after-florida-georgia-line-brian-kelley-ready-to-reintroduce-himself-with-new-solo-album/ https://floridadailypost.com/life-after-florida-georgia-line-brian-kelley-ready-to-reintroduce-himself-with-new-solo-album/#respond Thu, 09 May 2024 15:12:32 +0000 https://floridadailypost.com/?p=62822 Allow Brian Kelley to reintroduce himself. Best known as one-half of the country super-duo Florida Georgia Line, Kelley will release a solo album, “Tennessee Truth,” on Friday. It is a collection of 12 anthemic country songs ripe for a road trip and tailgate in equal measure. For “Tennessee Truth,” produced by Dan Huff, Kelley says he aimed to […]

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Allow Brian Kelley to reintroduce himself.

Best known as one-half of the country super-duo Florida Georgia Line, Kelley will release a solo album, “Tennessee Truth,” on Friday. It is a collection of 12 anthemic country songs ripe for a road trip and tailgate in equal measure.

For “Tennessee Truth,” produced by Dan Huff, Kelley says he aimed to “dive into the music I grew up on — obviously the music I love and themes of just country living, rural living, hard work, good times, outdoors, love,” he told The Associated Press from his home in Nashville.

Good songwriting, Kelley says, is a lot like fishing — you need patience. “I wrote probably over 100 songs for this record.”

Eight of the 12 songs on the album were written by Kelley, and he worked with whomever he could on others, trying to get outside his comfort zone. “Every song gets you to the next song,” he says.

“I think it’s a fun record,” he says, adding that the creative process was dependent on these tracks translating live.

Geography still plays a prominent role in the music Kelley makes. Throughout “Tennessee Truth” are beaches in Florida, farms in Nashville, his wife’s family farm in Georgia. Hunting, sitting on the porch drinking sweet tea and eating peanuts, conversations with loved ones — that’s the kind of life he hopes comes across on the album. “Just being free,” he says.

Fans looking for more coastal country from Kelley — like what was found on his pandemic album, “Sunshine State of Mind,” released in 2020 — will want to skip over to “10 O’clock on the Dot.”

“It was a passion project,” he says of “Sunshine State.” “It was supposed to just be its own little thing.”

Kelley says he also made that record with the thought that he would record solo and with Florida Georgia Line. “I made it with a sonic respect to what we were, what we had done and what we had built. So, I didn’t want to tread on anything even close to that, out of respect, you know?”

He says he considers “Tennessee Truth” his true solo debut.

In 2022, Florida Georgia Line embarked on an indefinite hiatus. At that point, the duo of Kelley and Tyler Hubbard had been together more than a decade, and whether you were a fan of their bro country sound or not, their music ( “Cruise,” “Meant to Be,” “Round Here”) set the tone for a generation of country fans. The following year, Hubbard released a self-titled debut solo record.

“I’m thankful that (Brian) had the courage to step into this new space and to make that decision that ultimately kind of pushed me to make the same decision and lead me to where I’m at now,” Hubbard told AP at the time. “I had quite a few people tell me that it couldn’t be done and that I should definitely continue with FGL, and it sort of lit a spark in me, a fire.”

The closing song on “Tennessee Truth” is the feisty “Kiss My Boots,” which features Kelley delivering vinegary lyrics like: “Want the world to know that you did me wrong / I don’t know how you act sweet, after how you did me / Here’s a middle finger to you through a song.” Some fans theorize it is a direct message to Hubbard.

“I’ve read some of that, too,” Kelley says, adding that he understands people might make associations in order to find meaning in the song.

“But at the end of the day,” he says, the song means a lot of different things for his collaborators, “And it really means a lot of different things for me.

“I really put that song out because I wanted people to know that I’m a real human, and I’m not just some face on social media or some somebody that’s had some success,” he adds. “You know, I’ve been through hard times in my life.”

But could there be a reunion on the horizon?

“The old saying is, ‘Tell God your plans and he’ll laugh,’” he says. “So, I have no idea. I really don’t know what the future holds. I know that I’m really focused on what I’m doing now, and I’m really proud of … the work that I put in.”

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Drake and Kendrick Lamar’s feud — the biggest beef in recent rap history — explained https://floridadailypost.com/drake-and-kendrick-lamars-feud-the-biggest-beef-in-recent-rap-history-explained/ https://floridadailypost.com/drake-and-kendrick-lamars-feud-the-biggest-beef-in-recent-rap-history-explained/#respond Wed, 08 May 2024 04:21:53 +0000 https://floridadailypost.com/?p=62806 In one of the biggest beefs in recent hip-hop history, Drake and Kendrick Lamar are feuding — to the point that police were asked about their feud after a security guard was shot outside Drake’s Toronto mansion on Tuesday. But it wasn’t always this way. Over a decade ago, the pair collaborated on a few […]

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In one of the biggest beefs in recent hip-hop history, Drake and Kendrick Lamar are feuding — to the point that police were asked about their feud after a security guard was shot outside Drake’s Toronto mansion on Tuesday. But it wasn’t always this way.

Over a decade ago, the pair collaborated on a few songs: On Drake’s 2011 track “Buried Alive Interlude,” on Lamar’s 2012 release “Poetic Justice,” and on A$AP Rocky’s “(Expletive) ’ Problems” that same year.

That didn’t last very long. In 2013, Pulitzer Prize winner Lamar was featured on Big Sean’s “Control,” in which he called out a slew of contemporary rappers including Drake, J. Cole, Meek Mill, Pusha T, A$AP Rocky, Big K.R.I.T., Wale, Pusha T and even Big Sean among them.

“I got love for you all, but I’m trying to murder you,” he rapped. “Trying to make sure your core fans never heard of you.”

Drake responded in a Billboard cover story, saying “I know good and well that Kendrick’s not murdering me, at all, in any platform.” Shortly afterward, at the 2013 BET Hip-Hop Awards, Lamar took another jab at Drake.

Over the next few years, the rappers launched disses at each other with less frequency. Drake had other beefs with other performers, like Meek Mill in 2015, and most infamously Pusha T in 2018, where the latter rapper dropped “The Story of Adidon,” revealing Drake is a father.

In October 2023, J. Cole perhaps accidentally reignited the beef on “First Person Shooter” with Drake. He rapped “Love when they argue the hardest MC / Is it K-Dot? Is it Aubrey? Or me?” referencing Lamar and Drake’s birth name, Aubrey Graham. “We the big three like we started a league / but right now, I feel like Muhammad Ali.”

Which brings us to the current moment. Here’s a timeline of the developments in recent weeks — it should be noted that diss tracks between rappers often include exaggerated truths and unsubstantiated rumors for dramatic effect, and that police have not said the feud led to Tuesday’s shooting.

March 22: Lamar disses Drake on Future and Metro Boomin’s “Like That”
“The big three,” Lamar raps, referencing J. Cole’s boast. “It’s just big me.”

He references Drake’s 2023 album “For All the Dogs,” and also compares himself to Prince and Drake to Michael Jackson: “Prince outlived Mike Jack.”

J. Cole soon releases a response, “7 Minute Drill,” but quickly apologizes for it onstage at his Dreamville Festival in Raleigh, N.C.

April 13: Drake’s “Push Ups” leaks
Drake’s response is leaked and later premiered by DJ Akademiks. “You ain’t in no Big Three, SZA got you wiped down, Travis got you wiped down, Savage got you wiped down,” he raps about Lamar.

It also assumed Drake takes aim at Future, Metro Boomin, Rick Ross and The Weeknd — Ross releases a response track shortly afterward.

April 24: Drake responds with a second, AI-assisted diss track, “Taylor Made Freestyle”
Drake’s second diss track used artificial intelligence technology to include verses from Tupac and Snoop Dogg, two of Lamar’s influences. In his own verse, Drake accuses Lamar of delaying his response track because of the imminent release of Taylor Swift ‘s “The Tortured Poets Department.” (Lamar collaborated with Swift on “Bad Blood.”)

Tupac’s estate threatened to sue Drake in response, so he removed the song from his social channels.

Snoop Dogg responded to the news in a video on Instagram. “They did what? When? How? Are you sure?” he said. “I’m going back to bed. Good night.”

April 30: Lamar hits back with a nearly six-and-a-half-minute track, “Euphoria”
This is where it gets more complicated. Lamar’s “Euphoria” hits like an opus, unleashing a slew of allegations against Drake. He comes after Drake’s skills as a rapper, use of AI, appearance, racial identity, and parenting.

“I got a son to raise, but I can see you know nothin’ ’bout that,” Lamar raps.

The title is a reference to the HBO series “Euphoria,” of which Drake is an executive producer.

Lamar teases that he’ll go “back-to-back” with his tracks.

May 3: Lamar drops a follow-up, “6:16 in LA”
In Lamar’s next diss, titled after a time and location like Drake is wont to do, Lamar targets the company Drizzy keeps. “Have you ever thought that OVO was working for me? / Fake bully, I hate bullies,” he raps, referencing Drake’s record label. “You must be a terrible person / Everyone inside your team is whispering that you deserve it.”

According to Billboard, the song was produced by Sounwave and Jack Antonoff — the latter notably Swift’s longtime producer. It also samples Al Green’s “What a Wonderful Thing Love Is,” on which one of Drake’s relatives played guitar.

May 3: Drake launches “Family Matters”
Drake hits back with a music video and a nearly eight-minute response, in which he alleges abuse and infidelity in Lamar’s relationship with his fiancee.

May 4: Lamar responds with “Meet the Grahams”
Almost immediately afterward, Lamar releases “Meet the Grahams,” which begins with the rapper addressing Drake’s son: “I’m sorry that man is your father.” Lamar also addresses Drake’s parents, and “a baby girl,” alleging that Drake has a secret daughter.

He also labels Drake a “predator,” without elaborating.

May 4: Less than 24 hours later, Lamar drops “Not Like Us”
Hours later, Lamar doubles down, releasing “Not Like Us,” produced by DJ Mustard.

“Say, Drake, I hear you like ’em young / You better not ever go to cell block one,” Lamar raps.

May 5: Drake softens his blows on “The Heart Part 6”
Referencing Lamar’s “The Heart” series, Drake drops “The Heart Part 6” in response. In the song, which samples Aretha Franklin’s “Prove It,” Drake challenges Lamar’s allegations, doubles down on his own against him, and says that he does not have a secret daughter.

He sounds notably lethargic on the song — potentially taking a final bow with verses like, “You know, at least your fans are gettin’ some raps out of you / I’m happy I could motivate you.”

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