Music
J Dilla Documentary To Premiere This Month
A documentary on the life and legacy of profilic and dynamic producer J Dilla will be coming to Hulu and FX this month.
Acclaimed producer J Dilla’s story will be told in a documentary on Hulu and FX this month.
J Dilla Documentary is coming to television
The Legacy of J Dilla will debut April 7 at 10 p.m. ET on FX, and will be available to stream on Hulu the same day.
Presented by The New York Times, the film is described as “an intimate portrait” of the dynamic producer, whose legacy grew exponentially since his passing in 2006.
Featuring Dilla’s family, the documentary not only chronicles his rise to Hip Hop fame as a producer, but explores the struggle for control over his legacy in the wake of his untimely death.
Produced and directed by Christopher Frierson and Esther Dere, The Legacy of J Dilla “will be part biography, part musicology, and part musical meditation,” according to a press release, and is being produced in cooperation with Dilla’s estate.
“Explaining musical genius is my mission. To be able to tell the world about the musician that had the most influence on me is a dream come true,” Questlove said in a statement. “Not just on me, but on an entire generation of musicians that everyone knows and loves.”
“J Dilla was our teacher. And what he taught us was how to feel rhythm in a way we had never felt before. I’m so honored to be a part of bringing his story to the world through this documentary.”
Prolific producer who left way too soon
Born James Yancey, the Detroit native rose to fame in the mid-late ’90s as a member of the rap collective Slum Village and a producer for A Tribe Called Quest, Busta Rhymes, De La Soul, The Pharcyde and more.
Aside from producing music for others, J Dilla worked on his own initiatives releasing several solo albums (Welcome 2 Detroit, Donuts) and collaborative projects (Champion Sound with Madlib).
The beloved producer passed away on February 10, 2006 — three days after his 32nd birthday — due to complications from lupus and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (a rare blood disease).
Culture
U.S. Virgin Islands Announces the Performance Line-up for St. Thomas Carnival Village Featuring Shaggy, Sizzla, Patrice Roberts, and Machel Montano
The Village will be headlined by Caribbean superstars Shaggy, Patrice Roberts, Sizzla Kalonji, Kes, and Machel Montano, who will kick off the six-night free Village concerts on Monday, April 29.
The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism and Division of Festivals has announced the performance line-up for the 72nd Annual St. Thomas Carnival Village.
72nd Annual St. Thomas Carnival Village
The Village will be headlined by Caribbean superstars Shaggy, Patrice Roberts, Sizzla Kalonji, Kes, and Machel Montano, who will kick off the six-night free Village concerts on Monday, April 29.
“The anticipation around this year’s St. Thomas Carnival is at an all-time high, and the Village night performers reflect the continued influence and growth of our territory’s three carnivals,” exclaims USVI Department of Tourism Commissioner Joseph Boschulte.
Center Stage
Adam O, Rudy Live, Temisha, Karnage, Blind Earz, VIO International, and Spectrum Band are among the performers who will take center stage to represent the U.S. Virgin Islands.
“Every year, our goal is to pay homage to the vast Virgin Islands and Caribbean culture that is at the cornerstone of these annual celebrations for natives and visitors alike,” added USVI Division of Festivals Director Ian Turnbull.
Haitian kompa band VAYB and Dominican salsa orchestra Chiquito Team Band will provide a cross-cultural immersion of sound, highlighting the diverse musical interests of Virgin Islands residents.
First-time performers
Rounding out the village are a few first-time performers in the territory, including TeeJay, Jada Kingdom, and Kollision Band, and returning favorites Edwin Yearwood and Krosfyah, and Grandmasters.
Kids Night Out Village Night
This year, the Division of Festivals will host its first Kids Night Out Village Night, with activities including the Toddlers Derby, Best Dressed Doll, and performances by TMK and OTB.
More information on 72nd Annual St. Thomas Carnival Village
For up-to-date information about the 72nd Annual St. Thomas Carnival, visit https://www.instagram.com/usvifestivals/.
Music
Marlena Shaw, legendary jazz singer, dies at 81
Marlena Shaw, the singer behind “California Soul” and “Woman of the Ghetto”, has died.
Marlena Shaw, the singer behind “California Soul” and “Woman of the Ghetto”, has died.
Marlena Shaw has passed away
Shaw’s daughter announced her passing on Facebook.
“It’s with a very heavy heart for myself and my family I announce that our beloved mother, your beloved icon and artist Marlena Shaw has passed away,” Marla Bradshaw, her daughter, said. “She went listening to some of her favorite songs.”
Bradshaw did not specify the cause of death but said her mother’s passing was “peaceful”.
She was 81.
Music career
Marlena Shaw was a legendary musician who influenced music in the jazz, soul, disco and R&B genres.
She rose to notoriety the 1960s after she was noticed by the Chess Records label. She sang her most recognizable single “California Soul” with the label before switching to a more jazz-focused label.
Shaw’s music transcended across many generations and has been featured and sampled in popular media, TV commercials and other songs.
Her lyrics often communicated the strength of the Black American community and Black women at a time when there was racial divide in the country and its politics.
In her career, Shaw put out 17 albums.
Music
Chad Watson – “Though I Lie” (Music Video)
Rapper Chad Watson has released official music video for his single “Though I Lie”.
Rapper Chad Watson has released the official music video for his single “Though I Lie”.
Directed by Chad himself, the Los Angeles native strolls through various scenery in the area, while telling listeners though he may lie, he’s only human.
Watson was featured on Unheard Voices in 2022 and is continuing to make waves with his music.
Check out Though I Lie below:
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