NEW YORK (AP) — Jessye Norman, the renowned international opera star whose passionate soprano voice won her four Grammy Awards, the National Medal of Arts and the Kennedy Center Honor, has died, according to family spokesperson Gwendolyn Quinn. She was 74. A statement released to The Associated Press on Monday said Norman died at 7:54 […]
COMPTON, Calif. (AP) — Danny “KP” Kilpatrick has inked tattoos for Diddy, Nas, Taraji P. Henson and numerous other stars, but his latest venture aims to create a safe space in his hometown of Compton. Kilpatrick stars in “Black Ink Crew: Compton,” the newest VH1 series that chronicles prominent tattoo artists. He hopes his shop […]
NEW YORK (AP) — Ta-Nehisi Coates’ first novel, “The Water Dancer,” has been a long and eventful journey. Begun a decade ago, his chronicle of a slave with an extraordinary memory who joins the Underground Railroad is the result of countless drafts, a shift from multiple narrators to a single voice, some needed advice from […]
NEW YORK (AP) — The searing TV series on the plight of the Central Park Five created a memorable Emmy moment Sunday when the five exonerated men stood and were honored at the awards show. The four-part Netflix series explores the true story of five black and Latino teenagers from Harlem who were coerced into […]
NEW YORK (AP) — And the category, a jubilant Billy Porter said as he made Emmys history, “is love, y’all, love.” Porter, known for making fashion statements on red carpets, became the first openly gay man to win an Emmy for best actor in a drama series for his role of Pray Tell on FX’s […]
NEW YORK (AP) — Like many kids, Rihanna dreamed of someday growing up to be rich, but helping others was at the forefront of her vision. “It’s always been important to me before any success,” she told The Associated Press Thursday at her annual Diamond Ball charity gala. “As a kid, just seeing those commercials […]
NEW YORK (AP) — Colson Whitehead’s novel “The Nickel Boys” and Kwame Alexander’s picture story “The Undefeated” are among the finalists for the Kirkus Prize, a $50,000 honor given for the year’s outstanding fiction, nonfiction and young readers’ books. Saeed Jones’ memoir “How We Fight for Our Lives” also was a nominee announced Tuesday by […]
“The Second Founding: How the Civil War and Reconstruction Remade the Constitution” (W.W. Norton and Co.), by Eric Foner It took the United States two tries to get the Constitution right. The first time was at the 1787 Constitutional Convention. The second time was during Reconstruction, the 12-year period after the Civil War when the […]
HOUSTON (AP) — Joe Biden parried attack after attack from liberal rivals Thursday night on everything from health care to immigration in a debate that showcased profound ideological divides between the Democratic Party’s moderate and progressive wings. The prime-time debate also elevated several struggling candidates, giving them a chance to introduce themselves to millions of Americans who […]
NEW YORK (AP) — The debate over who reigns supreme as the greatest rapper of the moment is never-ending and never settled. From LL Cool J vs Kool Moe Dee, Tupac vs. Biggie, Jay-Z vs. Nas, it’s a time-honored discussion that’s likely to be heard in any barbershop or boardroom where rap fans converge. These […]