Entertainment

Just in time for the holidays, the beloved American musician singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman,  has released her greatest hits album.

On Sunday October 18, 2015, Eddie Murphy was honored with,  and he accepted, the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington.

Surrounded by his children, Eddie Murphy  was  given tributes by famous African-American and other comedians comedians including his long time friend Arsenio Hall, Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle,  Kathy Griffin,  George Lopez,and hailed as an "American icon."

Somi, Rwandan-Ugandan-American Jazz singer: The Lagos Music Salon

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In its 75-year history, the prestigious American Ballet Theatre (ABT) has never promoted a Black to the rank of Principal Dancer, its highest rank. The petite, 32-years old Misty Copeland, until recently a soloist ballerina, has reached the rank. She was promoted to the Principal Dancer rank of ABT on June 29, 2015. For most observers, it was overdue, as she has become the ultimate symbol of dance theatre in America and across the World.
Misty Copeland was promoted along other ballerina and dancers. She had sought the title for some time, mostly, according to her, 

The legendary guitarist and Blues singer Riley B. King,  known as B.B. King, has died  in Las Vegas on Thursday May 14, 2015 at age 89. Known for his soulful velvety voice and his unique style of blues, he is credited for making Blues one of the mainstream music genres around the World.

The King of the blues, as he was affectueusly known,  was born in Mississippi from where he got the inspiration of what he called "Delta blues roots". His music has influenced a lot of music stars and music genres, including rock, R&B,  pop, and of course blues. Rock, R&B, pop,  and blues

He is well known for the hit classic songs "Stand By Me"  and "Save the Last Dance for Me", that he sang with soulful voice. That voice  that generations  of listeners have learned to love with devotion has become silent. The voice is of the  soul singer Ben E. King who died  Thursday, ni New Jersey ay the age of 76.

Ben E. King, whose full name is  Benjamin Earl Nelson, was born in North Carolina, USA. His parents moved to  Harlem, New York when  King was a

"Stand by Me" is a song originally performed by Ben E. King and written by King, Jerry Leiber, and Mike Stoller, inspired by the spiritual "Lord Stand by Me," plus two lines rooted in Psalms 46:2--3.

There have been over 400 recorded versions of the song. Benjamin Earl Nelson (born September 28, 1938), better known as Ben E. King, is an American soul singer. He is perhaps best known as the singer and co-composer of "Stand by Me," a U.S. Top 10 hit in both 1961 and later in 1986 (when it was used as the theme to the film of the same name)  and as one of the principal lead singers of the R&B vocal group The Drifters.

Stand by Me by Ben King

“There is no such a thing as “good death”. Be it by genocide or war. Slaughtered in revenge killings. Perished in a accident or died from illness. The dead loved ones, wherever they are, are praying for us. There is no worst thing than death. Even though Genocide made me an orphan. But it cannot make me lose empathy for others. They also suffered from crimes, not qualified as genocide. Those brothers and sisters are, too, humans. I pray for them.  Those brothers and sisters are, too, humans. I remember them.” These are some of the lyrics that have landed the Rwandan renowned gospel and soul musician Kizito Mihigo into jail in 2014. He was condemned to 10 years today on February 27, 2015. The sentence was reduced from 15 years, because he admitted the guilt and had asked for forgiveness.

Did you watch the new TV Show called "Empire"? If not, do. Please do! The runaway success of the  show about a family-run hip-hop music company has surprised the experts since it has started to air, four weeks ago.

“When I live down in the ghetto, every day I have to jump fence, police try and hold me, ya dig? Not for a week – for years! Years, till we have to get free now. It’s either you a bad, bad man and they shoot you down, or you make a move and show people improvement. It doesn’t have to be material, but in freedom of thinking," Bob Marley, the Rastafarian, iconic musician and freedom fighter told New York Professor Vivien Golman in 1979. Vivien Goldman, a former Public Relations for Bob Marley,  teaches a course called "Marley and Post-Colonial Music".

The director of the classic movie "Gandhi", Richard Attenborough has died in London at the age of 90.  Better known for directing  Gandhi, for which he won 2 Oscars,  he has also appeared in several feature films, as a leading or supporting actor. His better know movies include Brighton Rock, The Great Escape and Jurassic Park.