Tyler Perry is currently negotiating with Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson to star in “Tyler Perry’s The Family That Preys”, a drama Perry wrote and will direct and star in for Lionsgate.?
Already on board are Sanaa Lathan, Kathy Bates, Alfre Woodard and Rockmond Dunbar. The project will begin shooting March 2nd at Tyler Perry Studios here in Atlanta.
The script focuses on two families from different sides of the tracks that become intimately involved in love and business.?
The Family That Preys is Perry’s sixth for Lionsgate.? He scored his last hit with Why Did I Get Married? and will follow The Family That Preys by directing Madea Goes to Jail,” based on his stage play. Lionsgate opens Perry’s Meet the Browns, starring Angela Bassett, David and Tamela Mann and Lamman Rucker on March 21. (Source)
In related news, Jennifer Hudson’s next film, her first since winning the Oscar for her performance in Dreamgirls, will be released this summer. Miss Hudson has the devine pleasure of joining the reunited Sex in the City crew in Sex and the City: The Movie! Oh how I wish it were me!!?
Sanaa Lathan has been busy as well working on the film version of the Broadway play, A Raisin in the Sun, opposite Sean “Diddy” Combs and Phylicia Rashad.? The film will be shown at Sundance this year before it airs on ABC Television February 25th. Both projects are “must-sees” for me! Check out the trailer to A Raisin in the Sun(hosted by Diddy of course!) below:
Usher’s father, Usher Raymond III, passed away at an Atlanta hospital on January 18th.? I originally spotted this over at UsherForever.com?and decided to do some digging myself.? It appears that the news is true and that the funeral will be held at the Taylor Funeral Home chapel in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
There have been no reports on the cause of death as of this time.? It is well known that Usher’s father left when he was young and his mother raised him alone. Reportedly, Usher didn’t really have a relationship with his father but I’m sure that the news is still hard for him to take.??I send out my sincere condolences to he and his family. (Source)
As we commemorate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., ?let’s not forget?his dream of racial equality and acceptance.? It’s easy to assume that racism doesn’t exist or has no effect in your life, but we cannot afford to?overlook the fact that it does.?
Senator Barak Obama spoke yesterday at Ebenezer Baptist Church.? He touched on several valuable points that are worth repeating over and over again.? So if you’ve already read his speech….read it again!
It?s not easy to stand in somebody else?s shoes.? It?s not easy to see past our differences.? We?ve all encountered this in our own lives.? But what makes it even more difficult is that we have a politics in this country that seeks to drive us apart ? that puts up walls between us.?
We are told that those who differ from us on a few things are different from us on all things; that our problems are the fault of those who don?t think like us or look like us or come from where we do.? The welfare queen is taking our tax money.? The immigrant is taking our jobs.? The believer condemns the non-believer as immoral, and the non-believer chides the believer as intolerant.?
For most of this country?s history, we in the African-American community have been at the receiving end of man?s inhumanity to man.? And all of us understand intimately the insidious role that race still sometimes plays ? on the job, in the schools, in our health care system, and in our criminal justice system.?
And yet, if we are honest with ourselves, we must admit that none of our hands are entirely clean.? If we?re honest with ourselves, we?ll acknowledge that our own community has not always been true to King?s vision of a beloved community.?
We have scorned our gay brothers and sisters instead of embracing them.?The scourge of anti-Semitism has, at times, revealed itself in our community.? For too long, some of us have seen immigrants as competitors for jobs instead of companions in the fight for opportunity.?
Every day, our politics fuels and exploits this kind of division across all races and regions; across gender and party.? It is played out on television.? It is sensationalized by the media.? And last week, it even crept into the campaign for President, with charges and counter-charges that served to obscure the issues instead of illuminating the critical choices we face as a nation.?
So let us say that on this day of all days, each of us carries with us the task of changing our hearts and minds.? The division, the stereotypes, the scape-goating, the ease with which we blame our plight on others ? all of this distracts us from the common challenges we face ? war and poverty; injustice and inequality.? We can no longer afford to build ourselves up by tearing someone else down.? We can no longer afford to traffic in lies or fear or hate.? It is the poison that we must purge from our politics; the wall that we must tear down before the hour grows too late.??(Source)
Please take the time to listen to or read the entire speech. Also take time to think about what part you can play in our contining struggle for equality, civil and human rights.
Christopher “Ludacris” Bridges has partnered with San Francisco restaurateur Chris Yeo to open several restaurants in Metro Atlanta.? The first, which will be called “Straits”, is set to open in April of this year in Midtown.? Straits will be located at 793 Juniper St. (at Fifth Street) in the building that was formerly the restaurant Spice.
The menu looks good so I’ll definitely be adding this spot to my list!? The hours will be 5 p.m. to midnight (Monday through Wednesday)? 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. (Thursday through Saturdays) and 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Sundays.? There?are no lunch hours specified but they will open for brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sundays.
Click here to read more about Straits restaurants.? This is a great concept and should do very well in midtown despite the obvious.? I’m almost positive that the name will be an inside joke in the neighborhood.?(Source)
I received a press release today regarding Pezo In Da Cribb from Atlanta?s Hot 107.9….I?think you have to say the whole thing kinda like “a pimp named slickback“…? Anyway, Pezo In Da Cribb and Yung Joc got together over the holidays and decided to “Make it Rain in Da Hood” by?giving away money to the homeless and underprivileged.?
Make?It Rain In Da Hood is not only about?passing out dollar bills to those in need, but it’s also about your money making a difference in a person’s life, which in turn brings personal satisfaction. Pezo In Da Cribb will continue his campaign each week with future plans to give away various items such as food, shoes, toiletries and clothing.
What struck me more than the compassion and creativity of Peza in Da Cribb was how dayum?cute he is in that dang picture.? I was mesmerized for a few seconds until I had a flashback about this dream nightmare I had that Taye Diggs?was vacuuming my floor naked with a broomvac…(I?ate late that night!)
Who’s Talking?