Monthly Archives: October 2010

Chicago Anthem- We Can Do It Now

Chicago heavyweights Jennifer Hudson, Common, Lupe Fiasco and producer No I.D. have teamed up to create the Chicago anthem We Can Do It Now.

We Can Do It Now was inspired by season three of the Fox Sports Network series Replay that follows Chicago high school basketball teams the Bloom Township Trojans and the Brother Rice Crusaders. For more information on the song and the series click here. To download the song, click here

MTV’s 2010 Hottest MCs in the Game

MTV recently released its 2010 Hottest MCs in the Game list (see below). The criteria was based on a combination of rhyme skill, flow, buzz, commercial success, business ventures, Web presence and cultural influence. For more information and discussions on this year’s selections, click here .

1. Eminem
2. Jay-Z
3. Kanye West
4. Drake
5. Rick Ross
6. Nicki Minaj
7. Lil Wayne
8. Waka Flocka
9. B.o.B
10. Ludacris

Halloween Weekend Chicago gets Prettty Ugggly!!!

  A cross between the Ugly Duckling and Cinderella, Pretty Ugggly is an examination today’s perceptions of traditional beauty. It’s a tale told through the eyes of an introvert social reject from Chicago’s south side that comes to realize just how cruel life and the people in it can be.

Pretty Ugggly will be presented at 7:30 pm Friday, October 29 and Saturday, October 30 at IIT’s Herman Hall located at 3421 S. Federal in Chicago. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.pretttyugggly.com

Drake at the Chicago Theatre

Rap phenom Drake flew into Chicago to perform two sold out shows on October 14 and 15 at the Chicago Theatre. Touring in support of his highly successful and long awaited debut CD Thank Me Later,the young star is accompanied on the tour by Young Money label mate Tyga.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo by Raymond Boyd

Halloween Movies

Calling all horror fans….check out UnRated Magazine’s Special 2010 Halloween Movie Section!

http://bit.ly/bWh8xJ

EBONY Magazine Celebrates 65th Birthday

A milestone was celebrated in the heart of Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood on October 17, 2010 as EBONY magazine ushered in its 65th year of the publication with R&B Queen Mary J. Blige.

Founded in 1945 by the late Publisher and Chairman John H. Johnson, the magazine is the largest black-owned publishing company in the world. Ebony has been a fixture in the African American community with historical covers featuring the world’s top entertainers including the late Michael Jackson, Halle Berry, Whitney Huston, Michael Jordan, Sean “Diddy” Combs and Will Smith.

After her concert at the Chicago Theatre, Blige met with EBONY‘s CEO Desiree Rogers, editor-in-chief Amy Du Bois Barnett and managing editor Terry Glover at the red carpet arrival at Le Passage nightclub.

The evening drew hundreds of industry leaders, professional athletes, celebrities and fans of the publication including Chicago Bears players Lance Briggs, Garrett Wolf, Chester Taylor and Chris Harris, singer Miguel (opening act on Mary J. Blige’s current tour), rapper GLC, DJ Broadway Streetz, Kevin Ross of Capitol Records and publicist Regina Daniels. The event was powered by NuFace Entertainment.

In photo: Ebony CEO Desiree Rogers, Mary J. Blige, Ebony managing editor Terry Glover, Kendu Isaacs

Photo by Jamila Webb & Leroy Burton

MJB Brings Her Melodies to Chicago’s Nordstrom

Droves of eager fans packed Chicago’s Michigan Avenue Nordstrom department store on October 18th for a glimpse of the queen of Hip-Hop Soul, Mary J. Blige.

Fresh from her sold out show the following evening at the Chicago Theatre, Blige came to the department store to greet fans and promote her signature eyewear line, Melodies by MJB. Blige graciously posed for photographers and gave press interviews then spoke with and took photos with fans.

 Melodies By MJB are sold at Nordstrom Department stores and are also available www.melodiesbymjb.com

 

 

Photo by Adam Bielawski

Michigan Avenue Magazine Celebrates with Jennifer Hudson

By Adam Bielawski

Chicago’s Michigan Avenue Magazine celebrated its second anniversary on October 5thwith it’s September cover model, Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson. Niche Media CEO, Jason Binn, Editor-in-Chief of Michigan Avenue Magazine, Susanna Negovan, and Midwest President and Publisher Dan Uslan, hosted the party at the House of Blues.

The red carpet arrivals included: Kenny Williams (Chicago White Sox Manager), Ed Swiderski (The Bachelorette Season 5), Nick Boynton (Chicago Blackhawks) accompanied by Jen Patterson, WGN Morning News Anchors Valerie Warner and Dina Bair and Gary Maddox (former Major League Baseball player).

The noticeable slimmer Hudson came to the stage full smiles performing a few hits including And I Am Telling You, and Whitney Houston’s I Will Always Love You.

As she concluded her performance, the gracious cover girl thanked Michigan Avenue Magazineand guests in attendance. Following the performance, CEO, Jason Binn thanked Hudson and his staff at the magazine and a huge cake was brought out for Hudson, who was given the honors of cutting the first piece.

Photo by Dan Locke

Looking for Love? Don’t Try “Speed Dating”

By Wendy Simmons

The new film, “Speed Dating” is an inane comedy centering on an inherently wealthy man and his two childhood friends.  These womanizers/roommates concoct an idea for speed dating in which they ultimately end up sleeping with most of the women. Speed dating is a social event where men and women get to know each other in a very brief fashion alone then move on to the next, however theirs was just an utterly confusing process that tried to be comical but really just fell flat.

The guy’s actions eventually catch up to them when women decide to take revenge for their hurt feelings.  These crazed women try kidnapping as well as cooking up a faux relationship only to break the cad’s heart.

The movie was supposed to be about men learning the error of their ways; giving into love even though that was never an option and learning to embrace people without fear of abandonment. Good intentions but this film was poorly executed.

The writing and direction for this film is confusing and leaves you loaded with questions. Surprisingly there are some big names associated with this movie…Wesley Johnathan stars, Chico Benymon co-stars, and Holly Robinson Peete, and Clint Howard, brother of director Ron Howard make an appearance. But even that couldn’t save this mind numbing, low budgeted, snore of a film.

Flip pass this one whenever it does make it to tv.

I give it ½ $.

Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson to Host 2nd Annual Soul Train Awards Show

Love, Peace and Soul will reign supreme on Sunday, November 28, 2010 when the second annual Soul Train Awards airs on the CENTRIC channel.

Academy Award-nominated actors Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson will return to co-host the music special, which will tape at the Cobb Energy Center in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia on Wednesday, November 10 and will premiere on both CENTRIC and BET in a special simulcast at 9:00 PM ET on November 28.

The Soul Train Awards special will honor the longstanding careers and musical influences of legendary artists Anita Baker and Ron Isley. The special will also celebrate soul music’s legacy and the hottest stars who have helped pave the way for today’s crop of performers. For more information, please visit www.centrictv.com.