tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-197443832012-01-30T15:55:58.424-08:00A 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.comBlogger1891100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-38028446075812370242009-02-08T08:48:00.000-08:002009-02-08T09:20:37.852-08:00

(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 in

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-7959978187914775052009-01-25T11:21:00.000-08:002009-05-11T11:51:56.729-07:00

Art 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.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-60481280017362480432008-12-20T11:57:00.000-08:002008-12-21T10:10:13.513-08:00

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 Your

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-78584093547039381112008-12-05T13:14:00.000-08:002008-12-05T13:33:13.214-08:00

Move 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.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-35782752125732296392008-12-03T10:36:00.000-08:002008-12-05T14:34:17.058-08:00

The 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.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-41893577235064398782008-11-10T17:56:00.000-08:002008-11-10T18:17:49.267-08:00

If 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.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-51866431142882422082008-11-05T17:47:00.000-08:002008-11-05T17:52:59.488-08:00

There 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.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-48518066175502202672008-11-02T21:04:00.000-08:002008-11-02T21:35:21.029-08:00

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.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-54384614165033699052008-10-30T13:04:00.000-07:002008-10-30T13:15:27.002-07:00

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.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-79640033040844158602008-09-08T17:24:00.000-07:002008-09-08T18:26:37.441-07:00

(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.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-41115900126261246162008-09-06T16:30:00.000-07:002008-12-20T12:14:39.617-08:00

This 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.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-12709937065684815062008-09-02T11:55:00.000-07:002008-09-02T12:14:51.493-07:00

We 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.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-12001142577110622632008-08-29T17:52:00.000-07:002008-08-30T03:12:59.019-07:00

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.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-34047690554014966542008-08-02T11:16:00.000-07:002008-08-04T09:12:56.194-07:00

(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.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-85792712948979324012008-07-21T12:30:00.000-07:002008-07-21T12:34:18.532-07:00

A 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.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-36026286696092324292008-07-16T15:58:00.000-07:002008-07-16T16:09:31.535-07:00

(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.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-10868989561099150822008-07-14T12:44:00.000-07:002008-07-14T15:08:02.327-07:00

Sanaa 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.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-68675110588892303452008-07-03T14:12:00.000-07:002008-07-07T01:07:31.092-07:00

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.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-58991756302761658262008-06-28T19:35:00.000-07:002008-06-28T20:35:24.884-07:00

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.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-9650934207310246192008-06-18T10:08:00.000-07:002008-06-18T20:12:17.002-07:00

Not 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.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-17022622690050973762008-06-03T11:32:00.000-07:002008-06-03T11:55:54.167-07:00

Random Haut-ness from the photographic perspective...Model, Liya Kebede, as Egypt's Queen Nefertiti.

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-63975835217612373672008-05-29T11:27:00.000-07:002008-05-29T11:50:28.900-07:00

(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 Angeles

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-76345408380529244662008-05-13T08:29:00.000-07:002008-12-21T10:03:21.063-08:00

Forty 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.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-80523101055001769472008-05-07T13:15:00.000-07:002008-05-07T13:51:50.903-07:00

(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 wanted

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-13387140241339039972008-04-30T18:14:00.000-07:002008-05-07T13:28:01.362-07:00

The 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.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-71854591676413254912008-04-26T17:31:00.000-07:002008-04-26T17:44:39.862-07:00

Art Tart: Art you can sink your teeth in....South of the Mason-Dixon Line, lies a strange land of gods and monsters. Born from centuries of slavery, civil war, innocent bloodshed, hate and strife lurks a world parallel to our own... --From Bayou synopsis Black girls aren't known for reading comic books, let alone being the heroines of them, but Jeremy Love's Bayou, may just help to

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-47044211076456566672008-04-21T00:33:00.000-07:002008-04-21T01:33:44.764-07:00

Biopics are all the rage these days. With everyone from Beyonce' (Etta James) to Jesse L. Martin (Marvin Gaye) to Rita Marley (Bob Marley) in some stage of production on a film about the life of a celebrated star, Hollywood's fascination with the biopic isn't showing any sings of distress.So, in our own personal salute to the trend, here are a few films we'd love to see get the greenlight.

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-72530421470700236602008-04-16T15:23:00.000-07:002008-04-16T15:45:34.557-07:00

We keep 'Another One' on repeat so 'Watch Out' for Tawiah. Is the UK the home of the next soul movement or what??? Check for Tawiah's recently released material on iTunes and we promise it'll keep your head noddin'.

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-82819672909807406792008-03-27T11:16:00.001-07:002009-02-08T09:15:49.939-08:00

(photo credit: Keith Bernstein)The BBC debut of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency took the #1 slot in viewership in the UK, with 6.3 million viewers, nearly twice the audience of its closest rival. The story centers around the adventures of Precious Ramotswe, the proprietor of a female owned detective agency. Precious investigates cases and helps people solve problems while juggling a blossoming

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-87475345945616906042008-03-21T11:09:00.000-07:002008-03-21T11:16:06.164-07:00

London's up-and-coming directing talent, Nima Nourizadeh, who's helmed videos for Hot Chip, Lily Allen, Mark Ronson and Chromeo, lends his quirky music video style to Santogold's L.E.S Artistes. The videos' avant garde feel may create more questions than it answers but you can't knock an artiste for trying. Love it or hate it, Santogold pushes boundaries...hard.

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-702675927188900592008-03-18T16:02:00.000-07:002008-03-18T16:19:15.085-07:00

Art Tart: Art you can sink your teeth in....A storyboard artist by trade, Elizabeth Colomba's work is frequently only seen by the director of Hollywood films (Waist Deep, Next Friday, The Wood, Everything Is Illuminated and Romeo + Juliet to name a few). But her work off-the-clock is equally worthy of feature-film treatment. The women in the above paintings all hint at a period piece waiting to

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-28852446675681936852008-03-08T11:48:00.000-08:002008-06-28T20:36:23.054-07:00

PP Arnold paid her soul dues as one of the original members of The Ikettes, those energetic women who were the must-see staples of nearly every Ike and Tina Turner performance.With some pull from Mick Jagger, Arnold ventured out on her own and moved to Europe where she recorded the first released version of Cat Stevens' "The First Cut is The Deepest, " her biggest hit of 1967.It's always a

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-48271029767670251732008-03-06T11:42:00.000-08:002008-03-06T11:49:13.538-08:00

(clockwise: Shingai Shoniwa of the Noisettes, Miss Jack Davey, Maya Azucena and YahZarah )South By Southwest (SXSW), one of the largest music festivals in the U.S., is scheduled to kick off this week in Austin, Texas, and though primarily known for it's huge array of rock bands, the festival has a very cool sprinkle of Alternative/Soul chicas on its roster this year:The UK's Noisettes. Los

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-82758085666410365432008-03-04T21:15:00.000-08:002008-03-04T21:37:17.480-08:00

The Weinstein Co. will produce and distribute a big-screen version of [Rita Marley's] 2004 autobiography "No Woman No Cry: My Life With Bob Marley," a chronicle of the musician's childhood and their tumultuous 15-year marriage through his death from cancer in 1981.The untitled project from producer Rudy Langlais ("The Hurricane") is tentatively set to begin filming early next year with a

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-38891041226100019902008-02-27T18:26:00.000-08:002008-03-09T17:22:07.122-07:00

Two of the freshest new faces in modeling belong to: Honorine Uwera of Rwanda and Kinee Diouf of Senegal.Their collective resumes include work for Moschino, Louis Vuitton, Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Jacobs and Jean Paul Gaultier and coveted positions in magazines from Trace to Elle. Watch for Kinee walking for Project Runway finalist Jillian Lewis during the final episode of Season 4.In the global

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-35433156950732648662008-02-25T11:17:00.000-08:002008-02-25T12:00:19.984-08:00

Set your TVs! A Raisin in The Sun premieres tonight on ABC.A landmark in black theater history, the classic tale gets a fresh new look with stars Phylicia Rashad, Sean P. Diddy Combs, Sanaa Lathan, Audra McDonald and costumes by Gersha Phillips.Having seen and loved the 1961 version, it'll be hard not to compare the two but we're thankful ABC decided to develop this literary classic after the

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-2352559966612088002008-02-19T10:47:00.000-08:002008-02-19T11:17:53.270-08:00

We're bringing '88 back! Just when you thought Black History Month ended with the Civil Rights Era...How many female emcees can you recognize? Cheat sheet below.Twenty years ago, pioneering female emcees sat down for this historic photo shoot captured by legendary music photographer, Janette Beckman. Beckman recently released a book of her hip-hop photography The Breaks: Stylin’ and Profilin’

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-73027545373928068302008-02-14T11:41:00.000-08:002008-02-14T11:57:04.554-08:00

(Legendary Civil Rights Leader, Martin Luther King Jr. and wife, Coretta Scott King)...and Queen. Happy Valentines Day!

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-62225410418883892912008-02-11T08:36:00.000-08:002008-02-11T10:27:46.763-08:00

(Beyonce & Tina Turner perform 'Proud Mary' ostage at the 50th Annual GRAMMY Awards.)We think Beyonce and Tina Turner did a phenomenal job of making Mary proud.Did you miss the show-stopper? Beyonce's tribute to the jazz, blues and soul singers who came before her was also a nice tip of the hat to decades of female singers, who, too often go unheralded.The Grammy's fusion-of-the-past-and-present

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-25367663322507307752008-02-11T01:00:00.000-08:002008-02-14T15:35:06.017-08:00

"I am, was, and always will be a catalyst for change" -- Shirley ChisholmFew would have predicted that 36 years after New York congresswoman, Shirley Chisholm's, historic bid for presidency in 1972, Barack Obama would emerge a prime contender for Chief Executive of the U.S. with his own hopeful message of change. Obama's compelling sweep of four states this weekend is just another sign that

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-14351433013424137482008-02-07T11:10:00.000-08:002008-02-07T12:12:00.970-08:00

Fresh Facer, Akeelah and The Bee star, Keke Palmer, is currently filming Comeback, a true story about a teen female quarterback (Jasmine Plummer) who leads her team to the National Pop Warner Football Tournament. Ice Cube's Cube Vision is producing and Cube will co-star as Palmer's uncle and coach, a former high school football star.Also onboard as Keke's mother is Tasha Smith, who first caught

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-25120350093077677012008-02-04T10:46:00.000-08:002008-06-28T20:36:05.050-07:00

(1955 booking photo of Rosa Parks in Montgomery, Alabama)On this day in 1913, Rosa Parks, aka "The Mother of The Civil Rights Movement," was born. Her single effort of resistance in 1955, spawned the movement that would change the United States of America forever and we are eternally grateful.If one little woman from the segregated Tuskegee, Alabama south could change a nation, imagine what kind

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-66306877715926339232008-01-30T08:26:00.000-08:002008-03-09T17:22:07.123-07:00

Tyra Banks announces a new show for the CWWhen Tyra Banks became a youth correspondent on the Oprah Winfrey Show nearly 10 years ago, whispers began that she was being molded as the next Oprah Winfrey. Some snickered, wondering how the Victoria's Secret model would ever reach such lofty heights. Fast forward to now and at 33, Tyra Banks is one of the hottest commodities in both daytime and

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-17136582592002674612008-01-28T08:38:00.000-08:002008-01-28T08:47:51.405-08:00

Cate Blanchett, eat your heart out!Ruby Dee, still astonishing at 83, snagged the Best Supporting Actress Screen Actors Guild Award for her amazing portrayal of "Mama Lucas" in American Gangster. The SAG Awards are often an early indicator of Academy Awards success. We've got our fingers crossed.

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-79294293051717522532008-01-26T14:20:00.000-08:002008-01-26T15:16:10.212-08:00

It's getting funky in here! If you're an old-school hip-hop head, you will definitely recognize Lyn Collins' voice; the infectious sampled backing of Rob Base's 1987 hit, It Takes Two.A Soul/Funk legend, Collins gained fame as a part of James Brown's Soul Revue of the early 70s. Along with vocalists Marva Whitney and Vicki Anderson, she became one of the Godmothers of Soul and an integral

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-62776088918043744042008-01-22T00:09:00.000-08:002008-01-21T23:22:02.273-08:00

After over a decade in the industry, Erykah Badu manages to stay as cutting-edge as the day she entered it. Badu's latest, the Madlib-produced, Healer, may be just the thing for what's ailing the feeble music scene right now.Download "The Healer."

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-36119326823004798552008-01-04T16:14:00.000-08:002008-01-04T16:36:14.443-08:00

"Change is coming to America." -- Barack ObamaWatch Obama's historic--and moving--acceptance speech:related reading: Obama wins Iowa as candidate for change (CNN)

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-70865644712961580632008-01-03T10:57:00.000-08:002008-01-03T11:55:02.603-08:00

From The Cocoa LoungeESTELLE //sounds like: Lauryn Hill, FloetryFor the past 5 years, British singer/emcee, Estelle, has slowly been establishing herself as a formidable presence on the UK music scene, but has remained relatively unknown by mainstream American audiences... that is until now. Recent developments may just transcend the sassy talent to a revered household name--namely signing with

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-82515166395128106702008-01-01T11:46:00.001-08:002008-01-01T17:20:44.542-08:00

From The Cocoa LoungeHappy 2008!In the spirit of New Yearness, we'd like to celebrate the occasion by looking back over the passing year at just a few of our fave Cocoa Lounge posts. From Legends, to Look-alikes, and Imus to Idols, the year 2007 was full of muy memorable moments: They've Got Next: Four of the Hottest New Voices of '07The Black Model Museum [#003]: The Beauty DynastyDon't Worry,

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-7420439384874897032007-12-22T09:35:00.000-08:002007-12-22T09:41:35.458-08:00

Now this bit of production news is just the bees knees: How excited are we that Love & Basketball director, Gina Prince-Bythewood, is attached to not only direct but has adapted Sue Monk Kidd's best-selling novel, "The Secret Life of Bees" for the big screen? Queen Latifah, Jennifer Hudson and Sophie Okonedo will star and Dakota Fanning and Alicia Keys are in final negotiations. "Bees," a drama

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-78377116598932097782007-12-15T19:28:00.000-08:002007-12-15T20:44:49.762-08:00

The Hollywood Reporter recently announced its 16th Annual, Power 100 Women in Entertainment List: When the Hollywood Reporter pulished its first Women in Entertainment special issue on Dec. 8, 1992, only one woman headed the motion picture division of a studio--Sherry Lansing...Fifteen years after our first report, it's almost commonplace to see women seated at the head of the table in film and

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-34681600623034659002007-12-05T08:59:00.000-08:002007-12-05T09:08:56.142-08:00

She has "muse" in her name, so it comes as no surprise that Muhsinah's tapped into a rich source of inspiration for her debut CD, Day.Break.We've been having the "Where are all the female producers?" discussion for years around these parts. Outside of Missy Elliott, you could (literally) count the number of female Hip Hop/Soul arrangers/composers/producers on one hand--practically one finger,

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-9433584872216746832007-11-28T19:31:00.000-08:002008-03-09T17:22:07.125-07:00

Hold on to your chemise, Heidi Klum! Iman joins the growing list of über-models turned television stars as host of Project Runway Canada, the latest installment of the popular Project Runway franchise.Iman puts her own stamp on the Canadian version with a no-nonsense approach to judging contestants' designs. But as any model knows, measuring up is a tough job, especially when another (Klum) has

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-6507272031827884242007-11-20T10:56:00.000-08:002007-12-22T09:42:02.757-08:00

Two upcoming period pieces have us all eyes and ears: one's an indie biopic, the other is an early award-season contender filled with entertainment heavyweights. Fantastic Four: Four Guys We love alum, Anthony Mackie, is known for generating heat around these parts, but Bolden!, his latest project, is full of its own sparks. Audiences have been patiently waiting for Mackie to get his Denzel on;

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-87286661677999123492007-10-09T14:24:00.000-07:002007-10-10T08:53:12.454-07:00

There isn't much that hasn't been said about Diana Ross in her over 40-year career, but it can be said with certainty that she has not yet been honored by the prestigious Kennedy Center. This December, along with legends from varying backgrounds: Actor/Comedian, Steve Martin; Filmmaker, Martin Scorsese; pianist Leon Fleisher and composer, Brian Wilson; Diana Ross will be awarded what has been

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-18274625532634294982007-10-06T13:13:00.000-07:002008-04-27T09:57:56.674-07:00

From The Cocoa LoungeHoly Cabbage Patch Kids! We're in a fun, 80's mood, which means today's Saturday Soul may just come with its own can of Aqua Net.Hence, the video for 80s duo, L'Trimm's, one and only claim to fame: "Cars That Go Boom." The group, comprised of emcees Lady Tigra and Bunny, were a wicked combination of JJ Fad and Cyndi Lauper who quickly jumped onto the Top 40 Charts and landed

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-24928204821787000112007-09-28T08:37:00.000-07:002007-10-08T16:08:01.951-07:00

From The Cocoa LoungeWe spotlighted Black Girls Rock Inc. last year when we caught wind of the fantastic grass-roots work this organization dished out in the Big Apple. Black Girls Rock Inc. has continued to grow and recently joined forces with VH1 Hip Hop Honors and a slew of entertainers for its star-studded 2nd Annual Black Girls Rock! Awards, co-hosted by actresses Gabrielle Union and Regina

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-12569347206338797342007-09-19T10:30:00.000-07:002008-01-26T14:55:25.990-08:00

Since her inception in the late 1960s, Star Trek's Lt. Uhura has remained a pop-culture icon. The beehive-rocking, smart, Chief Communications Officer of the USS Enterprise, introduced international television audiences to a kind of black woman it had never seen before: a sista literally light-years ahead. Becoming one of the first African American characters to join a culturally diverse

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-32191341637383413742007-09-13T07:44:00.000-07:002007-09-13T07:58:53.967-07:00

The designer's name is Chanel Kennebrew, so it's no surprise that this trendsetter is brewing up her own memorable brand of fashion. Eclectic, pop-art influenced and fun, Junkprints, an online shop on Etsy, reminds of us of the kind of little boutique you might discover in a big city and never stop frequenting. Check out the online collection, which includes fashion and Chanel's own artwork.

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-3915272272261489652007-09-05T11:38:00.000-07:002007-09-06T08:23:45.310-07:00

From The Cocoa LoungeDue to tight schedules, we've been leaning heavily on YouTube for content recently. Rest assured, we'll be back soon!Today's YT special is for all those (like us) wondering Where All The Female Emcees Have Gone. Look no further....we've found one! This particular emcee, M.I.A., was a little hard to track down as she has roots in Sri Lanka, London, and reportedly, Compton, CA.

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-26479286769349654112007-09-02T09:59:00.000-07:002007-09-02T16:29:20.954-07:00

She digs deep. She plays from the heart. And today she earned herself a spot in the U.S. Open Quarterfinals.Here's Serena Williams doing what she does best to the beat of Kanye West's Stronger:*Update: The same reason why we heart big sis Venus, too! Congrats to both these ladies on their return to the top tier of womens tennis.

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-40833807972910738932007-09-01T11:51:00.000-07:002008-06-28T20:38:32.427-07:00

On September 10th, Gladys Knight will be honored with this years' Ella Award. The ceremony, named for its first recipient, Ella Fitzgerald, celebrates singers who lend their time and support to charitable causes. Past recipients include Lena Horne, Frank Sinatra, Celine Dion and Elton John.Enjoy this 1974 performance of "You're the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me" from Gladys Knight and the

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-24780105079086286812007-08-29T20:42:00.000-07:002007-08-29T22:35:53.969-07:00

(Alicia Keys and Scarlett Johansson in The Nanny Diaries.)The following article, "Hollywood loves BBFs 4-Ever" was published today in the Los Angeles Times. Relevant and brutally honest, this exposé sheds light on an old industry practice which can be perceived as either extremely progressive (in terms of race relations in America) or severely limiting (as black actresses are relegated to

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-87885249481384169582007-08-27T07:16:00.000-07:002007-08-27T07:57:11.770-07:00

Cocoa Lounge Fresh Face, Teyana Taylor, wasted no time landing the coveted spot of Trace Magazine. Her skateboard-biker-chic m.o. is perfect for the style and culture mag, most famous for its annual Black Girls Rule issue. Without so much as a guest-hook spot populating the airwaves, this Pharrell Williams protege is quickly becoming underground musics' It-Girl. Keep an eye out for this eclectic

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-15841860558971434352007-08-20T15:25:00.000-07:002007-08-20T16:27:45.681-07:00

"Her silhouettes throw themselves against the wall and don't blink." --Time Magazine.Named one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in The World, Kara Walker's artwork is so bold, it doles artistic slaps to the face.Her fairy-tale-meets-nightmare world of silhouettes are often centered around antebellum slavery themes, and racial/sexual relations. Walker is unflinching in telling it

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-89039972847643320262007-08-18T18:21:00.001-07:002007-08-18T18:55:36.179-07:00

With influences that range from Donny Hathaway and Jimmy Cliff to Pink Floyd, Ayo's musical background is just as diverse as she is. Like fellow Afro-German, Fresh-Face Joy Denalane, Ayo takes genres and infuses them with a dose of her own sensibilities and culture. While her sound is not completely definable, we'd file it in our music collection under Folk: Soul. Her latest video, Down on My

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-1285836878718506322007-08-10T08:23:00.000-07:002007-12-22T09:42:55.286-08:00

From The Cocoa Lounge(Clockwise: Kerry Washington, Gabrielle Union, Paula Patton, Kimberly Elise, Zoe Saldana, Naomie Harris, Thandie Newton (center)). Cocoa Loungers are always wondering what's next from their favorite actresses. Here's a look at films that have been announced or already in production with Black Hollywood's A-List Scene-Stealers:Kerry Washington joins Mos Def and Alfre Woodard

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-82096560061416817542007-08-05T11:06:00.000-07:002007-08-05T11:15:51.149-07:00

From The Cocoa LoungeThe French fashion label, Lacoste, recently celebrated their collaboration with designer Michael Young and the launch of Plastic Polo.One of our favorite new music duos, J*Davey took the stage as part of the festivities, with an off-the-cuff performance of "Hi Sun" that makes us want to pop the wheels and go electric! Weeeeeee!

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-11302664438459115272007-08-04T09:28:00.000-07:002007-08-05T11:11:10.830-07:00

From The Cocoa LoungeIn recent months, stories of Lauryn Hill's bizarre antics and performances have saturated internet blogs like high cholesterol. L Boogie's remained virtually silent until this telling, impromptu interview with a European hip hop personality.Aside from revealing that Lauryn Hill is obviously experimenting with something (philosophies, personal expression... stimulants?), her

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-9886925905334054132007-08-02T08:27:00.000-07:002007-08-02T10:00:13.206-07:00

From The Cocoa LoungeZulu Rose has found the perfect balance of African Culture and eye-catching graphics to redefine global urbanwear. These are the shirts chests were made to rock! With their culturally-aware mission statement (...It is our vision to fuse the strength and intensity of a Zulu warrior with the buttery smoothness and vibrancy of an African rose...) and a talented pair of

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-62204183130731204282007-08-01T14:51:00.000-07:002007-08-05T13:17:59.356-07:00

A change was in the air a year ago, when we penned this one: Marsha Ambrosius To Flow Solo. And now it’s official: Marsha Ambrosius (the Songstress) and Natalie Stewart (the Floacist) are Floetry no more. But Marsha has not yet flown the Floetry coup… Enter Stewart’s replacement: up and coming, rapper/vocalist, Amanda Diva.We’re more concerned with Marsha’s highly anticipated debut album than how

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-11208018703362616612007-07-31T08:06:00.000-07:002007-07-31T08:54:37.196-07:00

The year was 1947 when Sarah Vaughan was bestowed the "Best New Star Award" by Esquire magazine. Exactly 60 years later, Sassy or the Divine One, as she was known by fans, has yet to stop shining. We're likely to hear Sarah's remarkable voice in coffeehouses or as soothing background music in television commercials but rarely do we get to see just what made Sarah divine and kept audiences

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-58632902266968932232007-07-26T07:47:00.000-07:002008-03-09T17:22:49.707-07:00

From The Cocoa Lounge(Jordan Richardson, pictured right, is one model to watch.)Cocoa Lounge Fresh Face: Model, Jordan Richardson is the face of Colures Magazine's current issue. Jordan makes our list of Models on the Move and we're sure this cover is the beginning of many.

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-40556251152358721552007-07-21T11:00:00.000-07:002007-07-21T11:41:23.261-07:00

It's gonna be a tough choice at the polls for the 2008 Democratic Primaries. Most of us want change. A lot of us want diversity. But with both a woman and black man fitting the bill, it looks like the fight for The Oval Office will be to the finish... and it won't be pretty.Enter this cute and witty little YouTube video that addresses just about every Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton gripe ever

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-35007979686553922652007-07-18T22:52:00.000-07:002008-03-09T17:22:49.709-07:00

Liya Kebede was recently named one of Forbes Top Earning Models joining a list of modeling elite which includes Gisele Bundchen, Kate Moss and Heidi Klum.From Forbes:[Earnings:]$2.5 millionAs the first black model in Estée Lauder's history, the 29-year-old Ethiopian beauty is hailed as a ground-breaker. She also models for H&M, the Gap, Anne Taylor and Givenchy.From the philanthropic work she

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-20355172892988858542007-07-14T13:39:00.001-07:002008-04-27T09:57:33.961-07:00

Shoulder pads. Asymmetrical hair cuts. The infamous drum solo. What ever happened to those days? And what ever happened to Klymaxx? Relive the magic of 80s R&B with this fabulous all-girl band.Besides rising to the level of legendary clubbanging status, The Men All Pause contains one of the greatest lines ever recorded onto wax: "Somebody slap me! Cause I know I'm lookin' good..." Wait for it.

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-57441107255811752062007-07-12T10:34:00.000-07:002007-07-12T11:38:27.237-07:00

From The Cocoa Lounge| Arresting & Innovative. Bezemymailan, fashion's ecclectic design duo, have their eyes on the global market, and our eyes glued to their unique creations. | Combining their creative talent to form the ‘Bezemymailan’ clothing line, Mailan and Bezem are two young designers, who between them represent four different cultures. The Bezemymailan brand is inspired from a rich mix

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-4326000579752377352007-07-08T23:22:00.001-07:002007-07-08T23:47:43.727-07:00

Planet Venus is back in orbit! Whoever said 'three's a charm' obviously never snagged a fourth Wimbledon title...

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-51022339667350736622007-07-06T13:43:00.000-07:002007-07-06T22:36:09.290-07:00

From The Cocoa LoungeDanish Reggae chanteuse, Wendy Wonder.One of the newest voices of Reggae Music is one that can't be found in the Caribbean, Latin America, the US or the UK., though Wendy Wonder (currently a rising star) on the Danish Reggae scene, has a combination of talent and style that could land her on the international stage.The singer / songwriter's sound--a fusion between traditional

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-23142017829547382462007-07-04T09:54:00.000-07:002007-07-12T11:27:12.312-07:00

In Celebration of Independence day, here's Whitney Houston (recently voted one of the 20 People Who Changed Black Music) reinventing the American National Anthem in 1991.Enjoy your day off this 4th of July! (That is, if you're in the states...)

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-69193342030479272202007-07-03T12:01:00.000-07:002007-12-22T09:43:26.007-08:00

From The Cocoa LoungeThis summer, Black Star Power is in full effect. Some of our favorite thespians are on location this month shooting films that will have to be seen to be believed:Angela Bassett to 'Meet The Browns'Legendary Actress, Angela Bassett has teamed up with Tyler Perry for Browns.There's no doubt about it: Angela Bassett is black America's most beloved and highly respected actress.

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-12924236504722404232007-07-01T13:22:00.000-07:002007-07-01T20:16:39.366-07:00

The Cocoa Lounge celebrates Lena Horne's 90th Birthday weekend with a clip from 1943's Stormy Weather. Though Lena Horne appeared in over a dozen films over her legendary career, Stormy Weather remains one of her few starring roles.We wish Ms. Horne a very happy 90th!

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-35176639406487002822007-06-15T06:17:00.000-07:002007-06-15T06:52:22.816-07:00

As few as two years ago, you couldn't miss Gerren Taylor. Dubbed "Baby Naomi" because of her striking resemblance to the catwalking legend, at only 12 years old, it seemed Gerren had taken a permanent seat on top of the modeling world. Appearances on Oprah, fashion show bookings and media coverage came quickly and then suddenly, almost just as quickly, Gerren disappeared. Those who had come to

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-14347500902700482852007-06-01T08:37:00.001-07:002007-06-01T09:10:59.230-07:00

From The Cocoa Lounge Trailblazing music video director, Nzingha Stewart, has been tapped to direct Jill Scott's latest video for the soon-to-be-released, very hot single, Hate on Me. (.mp3) Performers from Common to Dashboard Confessional have benefited from Nzingha's artistry over the years.Here's one of our favorite Nzingha-directed videos as of yet: Her crisp, black and white vision of

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-10518735456030894742007-05-30T10:06:00.000-07:002008-06-28T20:37:03.852-07:00

From The Cocoa LoungeThree generations of fashion industry giants.In one historic snapshot, circa 2001, Vanity Fair Photographer Annie Leibovitz captured over 30 years of black beauty from all around the globe. To us, it was one of the most relevant images published in the magazine in years.(Models pictured. Front Row (l to r) : Gail O'neal, Karen Alexander, Shakara Ledard, Clara Benjamin Naomi

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-6802015752139294302007-05-26T20:36:00.000-07:002007-05-26T21:30:29.997-07:00

From The Cocoa Lounge(Amel Larrieux releases Lovely Standards.)In certain circles, the name Amel Larrieux is either followed or preceded by three words: "I love her." Her voice is pure air. She's Neo-Soul music's resident chameleon; which has been her greatest legacy as well as a slight detriment. Refusing to fit into one particular box may have cost her mainstream success over the years, but is

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-15162358028182291082007-05-23T07:04:00.000-07:002007-05-23T08:02:24.243-07:00

From The Cocoa LoungeRegine Nehy and Serena Reeder both made splashes earlier this year in the Sundance-premiered Weapons, a tale about drugs and violence in small-town youth. The film, starring Nick Cannon and Little Miss Sunshine's Paul Dano, swept starletts Nehy and Reeder into the limelight and on the fast-track to Hollywood success. Grey's Anatomy fans may remember Philly native, Reghine

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-47811971144450987482007-05-19T14:04:00.000-07:002008-06-28T20:39:04.694-07:00

From The Cocoa LoungePerforming Is My Living in Vain in the Bay Area circa 1982, here are the amazing Clark Sisters in their youth. 25 years later, their voices are still Pure Gold. WARNING: This is Gospel Music. Clicking on this link will take you directly to church! Hallelujah!

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-67290468737337911552007-05-17T07:33:00.000-07:002007-05-19T19:59:56.432-07:00

(Mara Brock Akil)At a time when television shows are lucky to last a season, Mara Brock Akil has struck gold not once but twice. Both her CW network series, Girlfriends and its spinoff, The Game, were given the greenlight for another year, with Girlfriends approaching a history-making 8th season. (Golden Brooks, Tracee Ellis Ross and Persia White, of Girlfriends)(Tia Mowry, star of The Game)With

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-32967837432302551582007-05-14T14:04:00.000-07:002008-01-26T14:56:18.350-08:00

Though scandal has plagued the Jackson clan over the last few years, it's clips like this (from their 1970s variety show) that explain what made this family amazing.Who but the Jackson dynasty, which included a young Michael and pint-sized Janet, could get down with the legendary Nicholas Brothers and make tap dancing look like childs play? Is it just us, our is Michael Jackson, hands-down, one

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-20771116154948160772007-05-09T05:48:00.000-07:002008-06-28T20:37:38.994-07:00

From The Cocoa LoungeThe next R&B supergroup? Nope. It's just singers Rhianna and Ciara backstage at MTV's TRL.There are many older women in the industry who could learn a lesson from these two young ladies: Just because you're competitors, doesn't mean you can't be civil.

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-6398772841987994862007-05-05T13:53:00.000-07:002008-03-09T17:23:36.015-07:00

(Model, Chanel Iman, on the Cover fold of Vogue)American Vogue's recent "The Worlds Next Top Models" cover got us thinking about a problem that has been plaguing the publishing industry since someone got the grand idea of extending a magazine's cover: The Fold."The Fold" has always suggested that the person(s) who occupied that space were either (a) not quite famous enough to carry a cover (b)

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-75525316581130818692007-04-21T22:21:00.000-07:002007-04-21T23:06:53.518-07:00

From The Cocoa LoungeIf the arts were a sport, Stephanie McKay would be something like a heptathlete. The Bronx native studied dance at the prestigious Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater; contributed her vocals to artists ranging from The Brooklyn Funk Essentials, Talib Kweli and Mos Def to Tricky; and as if that weren't enough, she's even played lead guitar in Kelis' band. Please enjoy Stephanie

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-46263003073341869882007-04-14T09:12:00.000-07:002007-04-23T20:59:31.037-07:00

From The Cocoa LoungeWe were going to try to let the storm of the whole Don Imus controversy blow by without getting our hair mussed, but...Now that we've officially washed this situation out of our hair, let's get on to celebrating it!:Fabulous Fros: 1. Singer, Janelle Monae 2. Model, Jordan Richardson 3. Singer, Erykah Badu 4. Singer, Lizz Wright 5. Singer, Georgia Anne Muldrow 6. Rapper, Ms.

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-10090446646278216972007-04-13T12:16:00.000-07:002008-03-09T17:23:36.017-07:00

From The Cocoa LoungeAfrican models have been successful on the American and European fashion scene for years. From Somalia's Iman to Ethiopia's Liya Kebede, Ugandan-born Kiara Kabukuru, Alek Wek of the Sudan, and Nigeria's own, Oluchi, African models have helped to define and re-define black beauty for the last several decades.So seeing a spin-off of Tyra Banks' popular America's Next Top Model

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-23610876562857695142007-04-09T06:43:00.000-07:002008-01-26T14:57:19.550-08:00

From The Cocoa LoungeWe were devastated to learn of the passing of Calvin Lockhart, and it is with great sorrow that we remember this legendary actor, one of our all-time favorites...Before Denzel Washington, and slightly after the reign of Harry Belafonte, there was Calvin Lockhart. During his nearly 30 year film career, his acting talent was upstaged only by his tremendous good looks. Though

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-6554948629488401142007-04-08T20:01:00.000-07:002007-04-09T06:02:16.994-07:00

The Cocoa LoungeEmerging Female Hip Hop Group, J'AR.In our never-ending quest to find new female voices in hip-hop music, we stumbled upon the LA based trio, J'AR. What we saw was promising: Three stylish chicks + a couple of cool write-ups....? Was this the second coming of JJ Fad or--better yet--Salt N Pepa? A quick myspace visit and a couple demo tracks later proved us wrong...and left us

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-24426255787664159922007-03-29T17:35:00.000-07:002007-03-29T19:05:55.985-07:00

From The Cocoa LoungeJoelle Fontaine's designs are bold, breathtaking and built to be noticed.Joelle Jean-Fontaine is the founder of Kreyol, a boutique label that is quickly weaving it's way into the heart of the fashion industry.The craftmanship of clothing is in Fontaine's Haitian blood. The daughter of a seamstress, she started designing at just 13 years old. Fashion began as a hobby and

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-74010829450355382932007-03-24T21:36:00.000-07:002007-03-27T12:37:33.146-07:00

From The Cocoa LoungeUK Super Producers Marc Mac and Dego of 4hero.4hero is like Zero 7 with an urban kick. Ursula Rucker is Philadelphia's reigning "Queen of Spoken-word." Together, they're pure magic. Check out this interesting Saturday Soul video addition, a fusion of Drum n' Bass, poetry and dazzling graphics. 100% soul. 100% original. Enjoy!

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19744383.post-47092237981112514072007-03-21T08:20:00.000-07:002007-03-21T09:19:44.559-07:00

From The Cocoa LoungePaula Patton plans to find out why "pimpin' ain't easy."After the critical success of 2005's Hustle and Flow, Hollywood is getting underway on another pimp tale, but what separates this story from the pack, is its lead character: a woman. Paula Patton, of Idlewild and Deja Vu fame, has signed on as the lady for the job and her husband Robin Thicke, is reportedly in talks to

The Cocoa Loungehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17985944847135135978noreply@blogger.com9