city Motown: Last News

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorOn Thursday, just 15 months after it was formed, the Black Music Action Coalition will host its inaugural Music in Action Awards gala in Los Angeles, honoring musicians, executives, businesses, entrepreneurs, and activists who have made significant contributions to social justice, change, and/or equity over the preceding year.BMAC, which was formed after the transformative yet all-too-familiar events leading up to the Black Lives Matter protests last spring, will present awards to YouTube Music and Shawn Gee of Live Nation Urban (BMAC Social Impact Award); Motown chairman Ethiopia Habtemariam and YouTube’s Tuma Basa (the Clarence Avant Trailblazer Award); Aurora James, Dina LaPolt and Ben Crump (BMAC Agent of

Angelique Jackson When Debbie Allen received a call from Television Academy chairman and CEO Frank Scherma saying she’d been selected to receive the 2021 Governors Award, the entertainer was totally shocked.“It took my breath away a bit,” Allen tells Variety.Over the course of her illustrious four-decade career as an actor, dancer, choreographer, director and producer, Allen has earned a boatload of awards, including five Emmys — two for “Fame” and another for “Motown 30: What’s Goin’ On!” and two more won Sunday for “Christmas on the Square.” But Allen considers the Governors Award to be particularly meaningful — signaling that her body of work has resonated with the world community of television.

Carl Bean was a minister, AIDS activist, and singer known for his 1977 dance club hit, “I Was Born This Way.”Bean, a gay man, was singing in gospel groups and appearing in Broadway shows when Motown Records asked him to record a cover of “I Was Born This Way,” first recorded in 1975 by Valentino.

Motown Records and rapper/songwriter YoungBoy Never Broke Again have announced a global joint venture with his Never Broken Again, LLC record label. YoungBoy and Kyle “Montana” Clairborne will continue to lead the label.In making this announcement, Ethiopia Habtemariam, Chairman and CEO of Motown Records said, “I’m excited to work with Never Broke Again, a homegrown brand that has created an incredibly authentic and credible movement that represents the next generation in Louisiana’s legacy of ground-breaking hip-hop labels.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large When the world shut down in spring 2020, production ground to a halt and comedy clubs closed their doors, Cedric the Entertainer was still working. CBS needed programming to fill its schedule and turned to the comedian to host “The Greatest #AtHome Videos,” a series of specials spotlighting social media videos of people amusing themselves in lockdown.The “#AtHome Videos” specials later turned into a regular series, giving Cedric, who also stars on CBS’ sitcom “The Neighborhood,” double duty at the Eye.

Eugene Ashe’s romance drama Sylvie’s Love is a love letter to jazz, Motown music, and 1950s and 1960s Doris Day-like cinema. It is also Emmy-nominated for Outstanding Television Movie after it made its world premiere at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival.

The Jaded Hearts Club have returned with a new single, ‘Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)’ – scroll down the page to watch the video for it now.It’s the first new material that the band – comprised of Miles Kane, Jet’s Nic Cester, Graham Coxon, Muse’s Matt Bellamy and The Zutons’ Sean Payne – have released since their 2020 debut album ‘You’ve Always Been Here’.The song was originally recorded by Frank Wilson in 1965 and was set to be released on Tamla Motown, until label boss Berry Gordy changed his mind.

Jennifer Hudson steps out for the special Respect screening and reception during the 2021 Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival on Thursday evening (July 29) in Edgartown, Mass.

Joni Mitchell is among the artists set to be honoured as part of the 2021 Kennedy Center Honors.Mitchell will receive a lifetime achievement award at the live awards ceremony on December 5 at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.Others set to be honoured at the ceremony include Bette Midler, Motown founder Berry Gordy, Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels and more.“This year’s Honorees represent the unifying power of the Arts and surely remind us of that which binds us together as human beings,” said Kennedy Center President Deborah F.

The Kennedy Center Honors will return in December with a class that includes Motown Records creator Berry Gordy, "Saturday Night Live" mastermind Lorne Michaels and actress-singer Bette Midler. Organizers expect to operate at full capacity after last year’s ceremony was delayed for months and later conducted under COVID-19 restrictions.

For the first time ever, two Canadians will be recognized at the annual Kennedy Center Honors celebrating their lifetime achievements in the arts.

Chris Willman Music WriterSinger-songwriter Joni Mitchell, singer-actor Bette Midler, Motown chief Berry Gordy, “Saturday Night Live” creator Lorne Michaels and opera singer Justino Díaz will be feted when the 44th Kennedy Center Honors take place in Washington, D.C. on Dec.

Vince Staples has shared the visual for his latest single, ‘Are You With That?’, in which he’s pursued in the middle of a suburban street.Take a look at the video, directed by Jack Begert, below:‘Are You With That?’ serves as the opening track on Staples’ self-titled fourth album, which was released last Friday (July 9) via Blacksmith/Motown.

The Ramona Park rapper's first album for Motown comes three years after the release of his EP FM!. Like that project, Vince Staples is produced by Kenny Beats.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorMotown Records announced that Brian Nolan has been appointed executive vice president of the label and executive VP of marketing, effective immediately. According to the announcement, in this new role, Nolan joins the label’s executive leadership team and will help guide the company as well as oversee Motown’s marketing teams and initiatives.

Ellise Shafer administratorIn celebration of the 50th anniversary of Marvin Gaye’s seminal album “What’s Going On,” a street in Detroit has been named “Marvin Gaye Drive.”The street naming was revealed during an event on Saturday hosted by Motown Museum and Detroit City Councilman Roy McCalister, kicking off the Detroit Avenue of Fashion’s Juneteenth festivities. The celebration was attended by Gaye’s brother, Antwaun Gay, along with other members of his family.

Haley Bosselman editorWarner Bros. has acquired Marvin Gaye biopic “What’s Going On,” Variety has confirmed.“What’s Going On” has been in the works for a number of years.

EXCLUSIVE: Warner Bros has landed What’s Going On, a biopic of iconic soul singer Marvin Gaye that Allen Hughes will direct, and produce with Dr. Dre, Jimmy Iovine and Andrew Lazar. The studio acquired a script by poet/playwright Marcus Gardley and the singer’s estate and Motown are part of the deal so there will be rights to use all of Gaye’s signature songs. This will finally bring to the screen the singer’s story, after many previous attempts by different filmmakers stalled or fell short of the rights needed.

Music icon Diana Ross will release her first album in almost two decades.

Dave Chappelle catchphrase is exactly the kind of emphatic statement that the late “Super Freak” funkster made in one encounter revealed by his former manager Kerry Gordy in the new documentary “Bitchin: The Sound and Fury of Rick James,” which premiered Tuesday night at the TriBeCa Film Festival and will be available to stream on TriBeCa at Home beginning at 6 p.m. Wednesday.Gordy — eldest son of legendary Motown Records founder Berry Gordy — vividly describes how James, frustrated by disappointing sales for his 1982 album “Throwin’ Down” and its accompanying tour, marched into the office of then Motown President Jay Lasker to deliver his next LP.

Tracee Ellis Ross as the daughter of Motown legend Diana Ross. However, Tracee has made a name for herself with her hard work and dedication to her craft.A post shared by Tracee Ellis Ross (@traceeellisross)Despite her mother’s enormous fame, Tracee Ellis Ross has carved her own path in the entertainment industry.