A Valentine Fit For A 'King'...

(Legendary Civil Rights Leader, Martin Luther King Jr. and wife, Coretta Scott King)

...and Queen.

Happy Valentines Day!

Beyonce, Tina and 'Mary' @ The Grammys

(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 theme initially just looked like a crafty marketing idea, but blossomed into a sensationally memorable event.

Holy Shirley Chisholm! A Change is A' Coming!

"I am, was, and always will be a catalyst for change" -- Shirley Chisholm

Few 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 Americans are not only ready for change but acting on it, and fighting back with a weapon so rarely used: the ballot.

Something is in the wind on these shores and we're all for pulling off our jackets and basking in it. The fervor and creativity of Obama supporters around the country just does our heart good. Check it out:

Coming Soon: Keke Palmer makes a 'Comeback'

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 our eye as an abusive female pimp in the Meagan Good-produced indie, Miles From Home. And after stealing practically every scene she appeared in Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married, we've gone from casual observers to serious fans of Tasha's work.


Ice Cube's Cube Vision continues to surprise with its diverse producing choices: From the Barbershop franchise to the Are We There Yet films and an upcoming remake of Welcome Back, Kotter, Cube refuses to pidgeonholed himself. Not bad from a Boy N The Hood! O'shea Jackson is living proof that Hip Hop can (and will) mature gracefully.

Comeback is currently shooting in Shrevesport, Lousiana and is tentatively scheduled to be released later this year.

The Birth of Rosa Parks

(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 of greatness we are all capable of.

The Cocoa Lounge celebrates the life and work of Rosa Parks today. Happy Birthday!

America's Next Top Mogul: Tyra Banks

Tyra Banks announces a new show for the CW

When 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 primetime television with her properties The Tyra Banks Show and America's Next Top Model.

Now Tyra is set to add another show to her Bankable Productions line-up: A currently untiltled project from the producers of Top Model and Project Runway. The project is being described as The Devil Wears Prada meets The Assistant and is scheduled to premiere on the CW Network this summer.

Ruby Dee snags SAG

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.

Saturday Soul: The Funky Lyn Collins

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 influence of early rap music.

Here's Lyn Collins, aka "The Female Preacher," performing Never Gonna Give You Up on Souuuul Train. Check for the Godfather himself behind her, leading the band in one sharp 70s suit.

Collins passed in 2005 and Brown in 2007 but their music never dies.

The Listening: New Music From Badu

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."

Oboy, Obama!

"Change is coming to America." -- Barack Obama

Watch Obama's historic--and moving--acceptance speech:

related reading: Obama wins Iowa as candidate for change (CNN)

They've Got Next: Four of the Hottest New Voices of '08

From The Cocoa Lounge



ESTELLE

//sounds like: Lauryn Hill, Floetry

For 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 John Legend's newly formed Homeschool Records. Her newest project finds Estelle working with producer-heavyweights Will.I.Am, Swizz Beats, Mark Ronson (the dynamo behind Amy Winehouse)and Wyclef Jean. Her first single, "Just a Touch: Wait A Minute," is an upbeat thumper that stays in rotation on our playlist.

See Estelle performing "Just A Touch." (Live)



MUFFY

//sounds like: Kelis, Roxanne Shante, J*Davey

We know very little about the lively entity who assumes the handle "Muffy" but her souped-up, hyper-colorful flair is sure to catch fire soon. Besides resembling Monica's long-lost twin sister, Muffy, like fellow new artists, the Cool Kids, is reinventing the 80s and putting the fun back into R&B/Hip Hop music. With an already strong web-presence, Muffy may be on track to becoming an internet-marketing Itgirl, much like 2007's Girls of Summer sensation, Janelle Monae.

Visit Muffy on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/muffymommy



JOI STARR

//sounds like: Jazmine Sullivan, Shareefa

If you've placed your peepers on any Kanye West performance as of late, you've more than likely already been exposed to Joi Starr, Kanye's stylish background singer. It's a tough job finding limelight amongst Kanye West's loveable stage antics, but Joi Starr always manages to hold her on. Besides singing backup for Kanye, Joi has lent her syrupy vocals to projects for Ghostface Killah and recorded several solo tracks of her own, including the catchy "What I Want." If Joi Starr manages to pocket a few solid West productions for her debut, there's no limit to how bright this Starr can shine.

See Joi Starr in action: Kanye West, "I Wonder" (Live).



Nikki Jean

//sounds like: Amel Larrieux meets Feist.

We practically crashed our iTunes replaying Nikki Jean's "Sunshine," last year. Her light, airy approach to singing, is part Rock, part Hip Hop with a whole lotta Niki in between. Jean, who's been gaining a strong following of indie music lovers as the lead singer of post-genre band Nouveau Riche, has upped her visibility this year with collaborations on Lupe Fiasco's critically acclaimed, The Cool. Besides being a band front woman, and highly anticipated solo artist, Nikki Jean has been an avid daily video blogger. See her video journals here.

Give Nikki Jean a listen on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/thenikkijeanproject

The Cocoa Lounge's Best of 2007

From The Cocoa Lounge

Happy 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 '07

The Black Model Museum [#003]: The Beauty Dynasty

Don't Worry, Be Nappy!

Disney Animation Crowns First Black Princess

Cocoa Lounge NOW: The Hollywood BBF

Cocoa Lounge NOW: Bezemymailan

Separated at Birth?

Coccoa Lounge Legends [#003]: Kara Walker

America the (Not-So) Beautiful: Model, Gerren Taylor Speaks On The Ugly Side of Fashion

The Cocoa Lounge Remembers: Calvin Lockhart