Ebony Obsidian Has The Range: EXCLUSIVE

It’s always challenging to step into someone else’s shoes. However, Wu-Tang: An American Saga actress Ebony Obsidian has mastered the act of not only becoming someone else–but stepping back in time entirely. Though Obsidian has been working in Hollywood for the past several years–she first garnered significant attention in Barry Jenkins’ breathtaking 2018 film, If Beale Street Could Talk. Bringing James Baldwin’s words to life–Obsidian slide seamlessly into a heartbreaking love-story set in the 1970s.

With Wu-Tang: An American Saga, Obsidian is transporting us back into time once again. Now, she’s bringing the real-life story of hip-hop pioneers the Wu-Tang Clan to the forefront of television. Set in Staten Island in the ’90s–Hulu’s Wu-Tang: An American Saga is a stellar miniseries based on Bobby “The RZA” Diggs’ novels The Wu-Tang Manual and The Tao of Wu. It is an unlikely story that brought together RZA, GZA, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God and Masta Killa to form a group that would become one of America’s most unlikely success stories.

Ahead of the series premiere on Sept. 4–STYLECASTER sat down to chat with Obsidian who plays Divine’s (Wu-Tang Productions CEO and RZA’s brother) girlfriend Nia. We talked stepping into Wu Tang’s world, finding the right roles and her upcoming Tyler Perry project, Sistas.

Continue reading at STYLECASTER.

Image: Instagram.

Justine Skye Isn’t Afraid To Take Risks When It Comes To Her Career & Her Legacy: EXCLUSIVE

You can’t put this Brooklyn native in a box. Justine Skye has been carving out a path for herself in the entertainment industry for almost a decade– and she has no plans on slowing down anytime soon. Known for her sensational vocals–Skye is now ready to sparkle on screen. The “MAYBE” songstress will make her television debut on BET’s Tales. The anthology series transforms the lyrics of some of hip-hop’s most beloved tracks into full-blown visual narratives.

Skye will be stepping into the world of Cardi B’s “Bodack Yellow.” She stars opposite Romeo Miller as Violet, a 23-year-old dancer who dreams of becoming a hip-hop superstar. However, Violet’s journey to success won’t be an easy one. In addition to taking care of herself, she’s also tasked with raising her teenage sister.

Ahead of the episode’s debut–STYLECASTER sat down to chat with Skye about becoming Violet, why her dreams are endless and how she’s taken charge of her legacy.

“‘Bodack Yellow’ was just a tremendous moment in music for our generation,” Skye explained. “That song was super huge, and Cardi B’s story is just different. She shattered that stereotype of what everyone thought she could or couldn’t be.  I think that it’s dope that they chose a dark-skinned woman to play this role. At first, when I got the call, I thought, ‘There’s no way that I’m going to get this role. I look nothing like Cardi B.’ Then, I realized that it’s not necessarily about looking like whomever the episode focuses on. It’s about who can bring the episode to life the best.”

Continue reading at STYLECASTER.

Image: Instagram.

Deon Cole talks BET's new game show, 'Face Value' and how 'black-ish' changed his life (EXCLUSIVE)

It's really early in Los Angeles; I can hear it in comedian Deon Cole's voice as we chat on the phone, but he's still excited to speak. His new game show series, Face Value is set to premiere on BET in just a few days. On top of that, he's shooting ABC's black-ish, touring, filming the Steve Carrell-produced series, Angie Tribeca and gearing up for Grown-ish -- the black-ishspin-off that will debut on Freeform in 2018. That doesn't even cover his current Netflix projects, his stand-up special The Standups and Def Jam 25 are currently streaming. When I asked how he's juggling it all, Cole laughed. "Well I sleep in between interviews," he said jokingly. "I just have a lot to say and a lot to do. I appreciate the condition I'm in." His latest venture, Face Value which is executive produced by his black-ish co-star Wanda Sykes is a late-night game show that will challenge people’s prejudices. Based solely on appearances, contestants will access strangers and make snap judgments about them. When Sykes first approached him with the idea, Cole was immediately intrigued. "I've never seen a show like this," he explained. "Getting paid to be judgemental. It's also to show people are wrong as well as right. A lot of people were like 'I'm not going to be that way anymore.'"

Face Value has helped the Conan writer to challenge his own ideas about other people. Though he's hosting the series, he also finds himself questioning things along with the contestants -- and sometimes he's even shocked. "I think I'm a better judge of character than I am a comic because you have to deal with people," he said. "You have to know people. That's the only way that you can really write jokes well basically makes me brush up on my skills as far as just looking at people and trying to figure them out. I think that's what it did to me. It's not rocket science; it's a fun show."

Continue reading at Shadow and Act.

Actor Richard Brooks Talks ‘Being Mary Jane’ and Diversity on the Big and Small Screens

Richard Brooks stars in “Being Mary Jane.” Photo Credit: BET Networks/ Daniel McFadden.

What does it mean to hit rock bottom? Is there any way to recover; to gradually rebuild all that you have destroyed on your downward spiral? Typically the freefall is what draws television audiences in, keeping them attached to the screen hour after hour or week after week. And yet on Being Mary Jane, a powerful drama on BET created by husband and wife duo Salim Akil and Mara Brock-Akil, the recovery is just as riveting.

Continue Reading at GALO Magazine

Review: BET Makes Its Dramatic Entry with the Fresh & Entertaining 'Being Mary Jane'

Hey peeps :)

I don't know if you remember, but in one of my previous posts School Was My Hustle: On Grad School & The Job Hunt (Part 1) I mentioned that I got the go ahead to write for a really dope website. Well that site is Shadow and Act: On the Cinema of the African Diaspora. I'm EXTREMELY excited about this opportunity. Though I'm working hard to always improve my writing, Black Cinema has been a passion of my forever. I hope to one day make a career out of it. But until then, I am thrilled to support and write about it.

My first piece BET Makes Its Dramatic Entry with the Fresh & Entertaining 'Being Mary Jane' was published today and I just wanted to share it with you all.

xoxoxo Chocolate Girl In the City xoxoxox