tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-197443832024-03-17T02:14:29.589-07:00The Cocoa Lounge (((Cocoalounge.com)))A tribute to <a href="http://cocoalounge.com">Beautiful Black Women</a> in Arts & Entertainment.
Cocoalounge.com first hit the web in 2000 becoming one of the first sites to provide news and information about black women of note. We are changing to a blog format to continue servicing our audience on a more frequent basis.The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.comBlogger189125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-38028446075812370242009-02-08T08:48:00.000-08:002009-02-08T09:20:37.852-08:00Coming Soon: Push, Based on the Novel By Sapphire(Clockwise from top: Actresses, Gabourey "Gabby" Sidbe, Sherri Shepherd, Paula Patton and Mo'Nique)The drama behind Push: Based on The Novel by Sapphire is almost as intense as the story that scored the film a record three 2009 Sundance Awards (a feat matched only by 2006's Mexican-American drama, Quinceanera this decade). Film giants, Lionsgate and The Weinstein Company are currently engaged inThe Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com165tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-7959978187914775052009-01-25T11:21:00.000-08:002009-05-11T11:51:56.729-07:00Art Tart: Ananda NahuArt Tart: Art you can sink your teeth in.We can't get enough of Brazilian artist, Ananda Nahu's work. A dynamic female voice in the explosive street art scene of Brazil, Nahu's stencil pieces are so rich in color, culture and beauty they bring invaluable wealth to the neighborhoods they were inspired by. This past week has brought us so many pretty pictures, our retinas are hitting backflips...The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com121tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-60481280017362480432008-12-20T11:57:00.000-08:002008-12-21T10:10:13.513-08:00Saturday Soul: Gloria Jones, "Heartbeat"Gloria Jones never reached the solo success of contemporaries Gladys Knight, Aretha Franklin and Tina Turner but she ripped through songs like "Heartbeat" with a throaty vigor, that was one part gospel and another part pure unadulterated soul. Her two landmark musical achievements were the NBA equivalent of an "alley-oop:" She co-wrote Gladys Knight and The Pips' Grammy-nominated, "If I Were YourThe Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com95tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-78584093547039381112008-12-05T13:14:00.000-08:002008-12-05T13:33:13.214-08:00Cocoa Lounge NOW: The Power HourMove over She-Ra, by the power of grayskull, Oprah Winfrey is the mightiest woman in the wonderful world of entertainment, as so deemed by the Hollywood Reporter's Women in Entertainment: Power 100 list. Winfrey was chosen "based on her dizzying array of Oprah-branded media and her immense cultural influence." Not to mention her mind-boggling power to help elect a U.S. President...In other power The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com133tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-35782752125732296392008-12-03T10:36:00.000-08:002008-12-05T14:34:17.058-08:00Coming Soon: A Good Day To Be Black & SexyThe title alone simmers. We saw an early sneak preview of this Sundance indie burner months ago and subsequently began to question if we'd ever seen black this sexy onscreen before. The film, a series of vignettes, explores modern-day African American relationships with a gentle homage to the 1970s. Director, Dennis Dortch, doesn't stray far from the Blaxpoitation-loving roots he so eloquently The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-41893577235064398782008-11-10T17:56:00.000-08:002008-11-10T18:17:49.267-08:00The Cocoa Lounge Remembers: Miriam MakebaIf one woman could embody the hope and pride of an entire continent, South African, Miriam Makeba was that woman, and she handled the role with grace, class and a remarkable style all her own. Today we remember the unparalleled "Mama Africa;" singer, activist and legend. She will be greatly missed. The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-51866431142882422082008-11-05T17:47:00.000-08:002008-11-05T17:52:59.488-08:00The Birth of the Obama EraThere are hundreds of words in the English language that we could use to describe our emotions on this day, the 5th of November, 2008. Unfortunately, we are at a loss for every last one of them...Our eyes have gladly witnessed the birth of the Obama administration.May God bless it and keep it...for a second term... [image design: Gausa. additional photo design: Cocoa Lounge]The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-48518066175502202672008-11-02T21:04:00.000-08:002008-11-02T21:35:21.029-08:00Saturday Soul: Asa, "Fire on the Mountain"If someone combined the super musical talents of Bob Marley and India.Arie, the resulting sound would be a lot like Nigerian Soul-Pop star, Asa. Here's the burgeoning sensation performing "Fire on the Mountain" on BBC2's Later... with Jools Holland. Enjoy this filling Saturday Soul (on Sunday!)... All the Soul, half the saturated fat.The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-54384614165033699052008-10-30T13:04:00.000-07:002008-10-30T13:15:27.002-07:00NOW: THAT's What's "POP"pin...Lady Tigra of the 80's hip hop duo L'Trimm, certainly has the right idea about showing presidential support, by remixing Obama's iconic "Hope" poster. And how DOPE is it that in less than 5 days, with one balllot, we have the power to CHANGE the direction of America and our perception across the globe? Now that's what's "Pop"pin! And you know what else POP's...?Three aptly titled fall magazine The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-79640033040844158602008-09-08T17:24:00.000-07:002008-09-08T18:26:37.441-07:00Coming Soon: 'Miracles' and 'Secrets'(l to r: Director, Spike Lee, and hotties: Derek Luke, Michael Ealy and Laz Alonso)The cast of Spike Lee's Miracle at St. Anna looks more appealing than a freshly opened box of See's Chocolates... and we've got a serious sweet tooth! The film, which chronicles the African American experience during World War II, is already garnering tons of critical praise and early buzz...And speaking of 'buzz'.The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-41115900126261246162008-09-06T16:30:00.000-07:002008-12-20T12:14:39.617-08:00Saturday Soul: Mother's FinestThis Saturday Soul Session is so funky it should come with its own anti-perspirant.In this vintage performance by little-known but legendary rock band Mother's Finest , frontwoman Joyce Kennedy is the definition of the term, "vocal power-house." Her sound is a fiery hybrid of Tina Turner, Chaka Khan, and Gladys Knight. But make no mistake about it, Kennedy's voice is remarkably original, and The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-12709937065684815062008-09-02T11:55:00.000-07:002008-09-02T12:14:51.493-07:00For Colored Girls Who Have Considered... BroadwayWe were on our heels. One of the most defining pieces of literature written for the 1970's American stage was to experience a revival on Broadway, thanks largely in part to a woman who redefined Broadway in the 1980's. For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow is Enuf, Ntozake Shange's 1975 masterpiece of post-civil rights era black womanhood in America, at the hands of The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com43tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-12001142577110622632008-08-29T17:52:00.000-07:002008-08-30T03:12:59.019-07:00More Than 38 Million Make History Watching 'History In The Making'Barack Obama accepted the Democratic nomination for president last night before 80,000 people at Invesco Field in Denver, and an estimated 38 million t.v. viewers, setting a new record for convention viewership, according to Nielsen. Final figures are expected to top 40 million people.Talk about rising to the occasion. Rising and shining.The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-34047690554014966542008-08-02T11:16:00.000-07:002008-08-04T09:12:56.194-07:00Limited Edition Sweetness: U.S. Postage and 'All-Black' Vogue(Josephine Baker's Princess Tam Tam gets immortalized in postage)Classic Black movie fans can now stick their own bold, new signature stamp on things with the recently released 'Vintage Black Cinema' Movie Poster postage from the U.S. Postal Service. The series of 5 stamps include: 1921's The Sport of The Gods; Duke Ellington's 1929 film debut, Black and Tan; the short Caldonia; the Josephine The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-85792712948979324012008-07-21T12:30:00.000-07:002008-07-21T12:34:18.532-07:00Fresh Face [#018]: Bridgette AmofahA feather in the hat to the alternative scene, London-based, Bridgette Amofah, is picking up where the Dido's of the music world left off. Cutting her teeth as lead vocalist for the UK's Oi Va Voi (replacing KT Tunstall), Bridgette is quickly racking up praise for her unique sound; a continental blend of pop, french and indie influences.This is music for jet-setters. more Amofah: http://The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-36026286696092324292008-07-16T15:58:00.000-07:002008-07-16T16:09:31.535-07:00Project Runway's 5th Strut(A design from Christian Siriano, winner of Project Runway: Season 4)We thought Season 3 of Project Runway had seasoning, but Season 5 is already simmering with its own pot of flavor. With the most contestants of color we've ever seen in a single episode, Bravo's last season of Runway (season 6 is saying Aufedersein and moving to Lifetime) is one of its most diverse yet. Designers, Jerell Scott, The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-10868989561099150822008-07-14T12:44:00.000-07:002008-07-14T15:08:02.327-07:00Sanaa Lathan and Nia Long Get AnimatedSanaa Lathan and Nia Long are packing up and heading to 'Cleveland.'The actresses will join Fox's Family Guy spin-off as the women in the title character, Cleveland Brown's, life. Sanaa will play Cleveland's love interest and Nia, her rebellious teenage daughter (no word yet on what will become of Cleveland's original wife, Loretta...)We hope that the show can translate Family Guy's niche humor The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com60tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-68675110588892303452008-07-03T14:12:00.000-07:002008-07-07T01:07:31.092-07:00Williambledon! We didn't know if 2008 could produce a more thrill-inducing match-up than this years' NBA Final... and then Venus and Serena both raised their Wimbledon rackets and started firing...For the seventh time in history, the Women's Wimbledon title will bear a Williams Sisters' name and, for the seventh time, Venus Ebony Starr and Serena Jameka Williams will display, before an all England Club of The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-58991756302761658262008-06-28T19:35:00.000-07:002008-06-28T20:35:24.884-07:00Saturday Soul: Barbara Lynn, "You'll Miss a Good Thing"File under: Girls with guitars. Seeing a sista rock out in formal attire had to be just as surprising to early 60's audiences as it is to us today, but for Barbara Lynn it was just another day at work. Here she is performing her 1962 hit, "You'll Miss a Good Thing," which was later popularly covered by Soul icons Aretha Franklin and Gladys Knight, and Tejano/Country legend, Freddy Fender. If you The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-9650934207310246192008-06-18T10:08:00.000-07:002008-06-18T20:12:17.002-07:00Coming Soon: Bury Me StandingNot only are we ecstatic that two of our favorite thespians (Kerry Washington and Mos Def) are reportedly in production on the flick, Bury Me Standing, we're equally thrilled that this indie vehicle is being driven by up-and-coming writer/director, Caran Hartsfield and super-producer in the making, Effie T. Brown.The early synopsis of Bury Me Standing is a dramedy of a family coping with the The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-17022622690050973762008-06-03T11:32:00.000-07:002008-06-03T11:55:54.167-07:00Haut Shots: Nefertiti KebedeRandom Haut-ness from the photographic perspective...Model, Liya Kebede, as Egypt's Queen Nefertiti.The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-63975835217612373672008-05-29T11:27:00.000-07:002008-05-29T11:50:28.900-07:00Cocoa Lounge NOW: Medicine for Melancholy(Tracey Heggins and Wyatt Cenac in Medicine for Melancholy.)Just as we were wondering if the grand old cinematic gates had closed on good black romance (it's been a whopping 11 years since Love Jones made its big screen debut) Barry Jenkins goes and drops Medicine For Melancholy on us and those gates are starting to creak again.Medicine, an independent feature screening at this years' Los AngelesThe Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-76345408380529244662008-05-13T08:29:00.000-07:002008-12-21T10:03:21.063-08:00The Black Model Museum: The First American CovergirlForty years ago, marked the first time a black woman ever appeared on the cover of a national American women's magazine. The pioneering face on the cover of the August 1968 issue belonged to Katiti Kironde, then a college student at Memorial University of Newfoundland. Though not a model, Katiti's cover was a financial success and would open the floodgates for many model firsts in the years to The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-80523101055001769472008-05-07T13:15:00.000-07:002008-05-07T13:51:50.903-07:00P. Diddy Campaigns for Janelle Monae in Los Angeles(Photo by: J. Althaus)Los Angeles, CA -- There was a seismic shift in the energy of the Hollywood Sunset Strip last night around 7 pm. Just as anticipation was building around the nail-biting democratic race several thousand miles away, the energy outside the Key Club was also peaking Tuesday night. But the issue at hand was neither Obama, Clinton, or McCain. The people had spoken and they wantedThe Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-13387140241339039972008-04-30T18:14:00.000-07:002008-05-07T13:28:01.362-07:00Cocoa Lounge NOW: Black LilyThe city of brotherly love gives the sisters some...Boasting an impressive lineup of some of our fave new artists (including Lizz Wright, Muhsinah, & Ayo) as well as some stellar films, the 2nd annual Black Lily Film & Arts Festival springs into bloom this Thursday, May 1st in Philly. Hot on the heels of Coachella, Black Lily is inarguably the hottest--most affordable--ticket of the week.[view The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com14