Tag: Mary J

Time Inc.’s (NYSE:TIME) ESSENCE today announced that Academy Award-winning actress Halle Berry will open the Empowerment Experience Stage at the 2017 ESSENCE Festival in New Orleans, presented by Coca-Cola, on Friday, June 30, 2017 at 11:30am, which will kick off the Festival’s weekend slate of daytime programming at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. 

This will be the first time that Berry, who recently wrapped production of her latest film Kidnap, will appear at the ESSENCE Festival. Berry joins speakers Ava DuVernay, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Iyanla Vanzant and Rev. Al Sharpton, as well as performers Diana Ross, John Legend, Mary J. Blige, Chaka Khan, Chance the Rapper, Solange and many more at the annual event, which is recognized as the nation’s largest gathering of African-American women.

“Halle Berry’s impact as an artist is extraordinary and her story, both personally and professionally, is an inspiration to women across the globe,” said ESSENCE Editor-in-Chief Vanessa De Luca. “We are delighted that Halle has agreed to share her journey and invite our passionate community of fans to join us for an exciting opening to the Festival’s daytime Empowerment Experience.”

The annual ESSENCE Festival in New Orleans, presented by Coca-Cola, is one of the nation’s largest live events. Each year, the Festival draws, on average, 500,000 attendees from across the globe to its multi-day entertainment, empowerment and cultural event, which generates an economic impact of more than $200 million to the local economy. Now in its 23rd year, the ESSENCE Festival has featured some of the biggest names in entertainment and the nation’s most influential speakers, authors and leaders, including Beyoncé, Alicia Keys, Prince, Janet Jackson, Kendrick Lamar, Kanye West, Usher, Mary J. Blige, Stevie Wonder, Chaka Kahn, Aretha Franklin, Jennifer Hudson, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Rev. Al Sharpton, Deepak Chopra, Steve Harvey, Ava DuVernay, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Magic Johnson, Iyanla Vanzant and many more.

Join the ESSENCE Festival community: Follow us on Twitter @essencefest #EssenceFest and become a fan of 2017 ESSENCE Festival® on Facebook. The 2017 ESSENCE Festival® is executive produced by ESSENCE Festivals LLC, a division of ESSENCE Communications Inc., and produced by Solomon Group. GeChar is the executive producer of the 2017 ESSENCE Empowerment Experience.

Exclusive sponsors of the 2017 ESSENCE Festival® include presenting sponsor Coca-Cola and major sponsors AT&T, Ford, McDonald’s, State Farm and Walmart. Superlounge sponsors include Coca-Cola, Ford and Walmart. The All-Star Gospel Tribute is sponsored by Walmart.

The Queen of Hip Hop Soul, Mary J. Blige had an intimate one on one conversation with Angie Martinez. The two talked about Mary's new joint with Kanye, "Glow Up." Mary talks about Kanye's state of mind and how interesting it was to go to his house. Check out the short interview below.

THE BEST MAN HOLIDAY – ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK

SET FOR OCTOBER 29^TH RELEASE ON RCA RECORDS

THE SOUNDTRACK TO YOUR HOLIDAY FEATURES NEW MUSIC AND HOLIDAY CLASSICS BY

R. KELLY, JORDIN SPARKS, CHARLIE WILSON, FANTASIA, ANTHONY HAMILTON, MARSHA AMBROSIUS, JOHN LEGEND AND MORE

UNIVERSAL PICTURES’ THE BEST MAN HOLIDAY IN THEATRES NATIONWIDE ON NOVEMBER 15^th

New York, NY – On October 29^th, RCA Records will kick off the festive sounds of the holiday season with the release of the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack from the film The Best Man Holiday, it was announced today.  The 13-song disc will feature newly written material, as well as holiday classics, performed by platinum-selling and award-winning artists including R. Kelly, Jordin Sparks, Mario, Fantasia, Monica, Marsha Ambrosius & Anthony Hamilton, John Legend, Emeli Sandé, and more.

The soundtrack will be available for pre-order on October 15^th at iTunes, Amazon.com and select online retailers.

Malcolm D. Lee, the film’s writer and director, serves as the executive album producer, with songs produced by an elite team of multi-award-winning producers including Harmony, The Underdogs, R. Kelly, David Foster, John Legend, Jermaine Dupri, Ne-Yo, Steve Daly, Greg Pagani and Charlie Wilson.

The music featured on The Best Man Holiday - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack will resonate with fans for years to come, much like the 1999 release of The Best Man - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, which featured memorable songs including Cameo’s “Candy”; The Roots’ “What You Want,” featuring Jaguar; Beyoncé and  Marc Nelson’s “After All Is Said and Done.” 

“I am a firm believer that music is essential to the entirety of a film going experience. The Best Man Holiday soundtrack is no exception,” says Malcolm D. Lee.  “The songs listed here not only make up the fabric of the movie, but many served as inspiration to the creation of the screenplay. With a combination of new R&B tunes and Christmas classics by contemporary artists, this is the soundtrack I heard accompanying this movie.  I hope you enjoy it this holiday season and every year.”

About the film: After nearly 15 years apart, Morris Chestnut, Taye Diggs, Regina Hall, Terrence Howard, Sanaa Lathan, Nia Long, Harold Perrineau, Monica Calhoun and Melissa De Sousa reprise their career-launching roles in The Best Man Holiday, the long-awaited next chapter to the film that ushered in a new era of comedy.  When the college friends finally reunite over the Christmas holidays, they will discover just how easy it is for long-forgotten rivalries and romances to be ignited.  Malcolm D. Lee returns to write and direct this sequel to his directorial debut.  Sean Daniel (The Mummy franchise) produces alongside Lee for The Sean Daniel Company.

07           Shelter                                                       John Legend                      

08           Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas             Monica                                 

09           Winter Wonderland                                      Emeli Sandé

10           Can You Stand The Rain                               New Edition

11           I Want To Come Home for Christmas              Ne-Yo                   

12           O Holy Night                                               Jayda Brown & Jasmine Watkins               

13           As                                                             Marsha Ambrosius & Anthony Hamilton

Official film website: www.best-man.com

Become a fan on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thebestmanmovie

Follow the film on Twitter: www.twitter.com/thebestmanmovie