TheLoop21.com

Michael Jackson Videos

by annie
 Michael Jackson Earth Song

 Michael Jackson We are the World

Coming soon: 'I Can Do Bad All By Myself'

by raechal
You can see Tyler Perry's new movie, starring Taraji P. Henson, Adam Rodriguez and Mary J. Blige, Sept. 11.

A black version of life

by eharris
The multi-talented actress-artist, Rashaan Cruze, is involved with a fantastic group of actors who have put together one of the funniest web series I have seen in a long time, called The Black Version. The series re-enacts scenes from movies like the Harry Potter series, When Harry Met Sally, or Grease as if the main characters had been Black— it is hilarious.

Can jazz survive another generation?

by eharris
There's nothing like getting a history lesson from someone whose lived the experience. And when it comes to music history, and Black music, which is practically the root of all popular American music (since even Elvis admittedly borrowed so much from Black music) there are few people with more knowledge of that history than Charles Glenn, known as "The Bass King," to many in the business.

Glenn, a legendary jazz bass guitarist, has performed with a veritable "who's who" of music history icons. Debarge, Sammy Davis Jr., Teena Marie, Billy Preston, and Little Richard, who Glenn still tours with when not performing with his own jazz band, The Bad Azz Band, are just a few he has shared the stage with. So when Glenn talks about music it is well worth listening to.

Plaxico Burress isn't worthy of adulation

by eharris
With NFL training camps opening again and a new football season looming, Plaxico Burress, the wide receiver for the New York Giants is back in the news again after shooting himself with an illegal handgun in a nightclub. Some are wondering if he'll ever get back on a football field. This incident comes on the heels of Michael Vick’s reinstatement by the league and questions about the future of his career. I think the answer to both questions, is a loud yes. Both Burress and Vick are too talented to pass up plus they've paid their debt to society.

But the bigger question is what impact do these high profile black athletes have on young black males in particular who wear their jerseys and hang their posters on their walls? While they deserve a chance to make living—are they quality role models, deserving of our worship?

ABC's 'Dating in the Dark' a hazy look at color blindness

by eharris
I have to admit, I am a fan of reality television. Not all reality TV, of course, but there are some shows that do a pretty decent job of entertaining, while giving viewers insight into other people and personalities they might not otherwise encounter. Some reality TV shows are more like social experiments than simple entertainment. ABC’s latest offering, Dating In The Dark, falls into this category. The show requires people to go on dates in total darkness, thus exhibiting true color blindness and attraction regardless of physical characteristics.

The absence of black directors in Hollywood

by eharris
Being a Hollywood star or producer is a coveted role, and can, at the highest level, be quite powerful, but no role is more important in terms of influence than that of director. And on that front, black Americans are in trouble.

Few people know the names of Hollywood directors unless they're superstars like Steven Spielberg, Woody Allen and Michael Bay. When it comes to black directors, aside from Tyler Perry and Spike Lee, there are even fewer who are easily recognizable to moviegoers, and who, more importantly, really have the power and influence to get projects made.

Sensationalism has a new home in the media

by eharris
The mainstream media has been trying to find a way to stay relevant in a world where the Internet and blogs have become more of the go-to place for news and opinion. One of the ways they're fighting back is by adopting sensationalism tactics and appealing as much to rumor and fringe news as the Internet does—even though the mainstream media thinks it's the home of amateurs and unfounded rumor.

Hip-hop is killing R&B

by eharris
I had an interesting conversation the other day with Dominique “Piermid” Wilson, a music producer, about how hip-hop music is ruining the success of R&B music. At first, I didn’t agree with the idea, but the more I listened and thought about it, the more it made sense. The heyday of R&B — the '70s and '80s — was pushed aside largely by the rise of hip-hop. Does this mean the categories are mutually exclusive, that one cannot thrive unless the other takes a dive? I would hope not, but the reality tells us otherwise.

Can a guinea pig be African American?

by eharris
Hollywood loves to target the young crowd with cute and cuddly animals that talk. When that fails, they draw them in with big, loud, special effects and over the top characterizations. Very often the method for hooking the kids, whichever way you go, is to make these human-like animals and characters funny. And very often to Hollywood execs, funny equates to caricatures of hip, silly, or street black people.

Examples abound.