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Meet Charm La’Donna, the choreographer behind Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” music video – Andscape

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In the world of dance, where rhythm and artistry meet, Charm La’Donna stands out. A seasoned choreographer and artist, La’Donna has collaborated with musicians like rappers Dr. Dre and Lil Baby, in addition to singers Dua Lipa, Selena Gomez, Meghan Trainor, The Weeknd and more. Behind her success is a story of determination and a desire to create an area where others can shine. La’Donna’s passion for dance is clear in how she talks about her profession and the way her eyes light up when asked about her journey. But it wasn’t easy.

“Sometimes (my) male colleagues get paid more than me, even though I know I’m capable and have the same resume. There are times when I’m the only black person, let alone a woman, in the room — and I’m proud of that,” La’Donna said of her entertainment industry experience. “A lot of people ask if I’ve ever felt imposter syndrome. I say no, because I know I belong there. I put in the work, the hours, and I’m dedicated to my craft.”

For the Compton, California-based artist, collaborating with rapper Kendrick Lamar on his concert, “Not like us”the music video and representing my city felt like a closing circle.

“Something about being with Kendrick and being home just hits different. I’m just filled with joy all the time,” La’Donna said.

In a recent interview with Andscape’s Rhoden Fellows podcast, La’Donna spoke about her profession, inspirations, challenges she’s faced in the industry, and dreams for the future.

How did you get the opportunity to work with Kendrick Lamar?

I’ve been working with Kendrick for about 10 years now. My mentor, Fatima RobinsonI began working with him once I was helping her. As our relationship grew, we just began vibrating. And then I began choreographing for him.

Could you tell us a bit about your creative process in the context of choreography?

I hope it isn’t a cliché to say that: I do what I feel. I never create anything before I get into the room. I at all times create only in real-time points because that is where I get my inspiration from—what’s happening in real time. Sometimes getting into with a plan of what you’re thinking that should occur can block your creativity since you’re trying to determine one thing that in your mind should work that way and sometimes it doesn’t. I bear in mind what the artist feels and what the dancers feel. So I’d say it’s about the real-time space.

Who has been your biggest inspiration during your journey?

Well, I’ll say my mother. She was a lady, amongst many in my life, who pushed me and inspired me to be myself and to attack every dream. I cannot tell my story without mentioning Fatima Robinson and her influence on my life since I used to be 10 years old.

My grandmother passed away last 12 months. I remember not knowing what my purpose was or how I used to be going to do it. She at all times kept me grounded and jogged my memory, “You are exactly where you are supposed to be.” Those are my predominant inspirations.

As a black woman working in your industry, have you ever encountered any difficulties?

100%. I’ll say that I used to be fortunate and blessed to have a mentor, Fatima Robinson, who can also be one other black woman, who has opened plenty of doors for me, and while she has opened some doors, there are doors that I even have needed to open alone. I’m fighting for what I deserve.

I’ve done all the pieces I can to arrange myself to walk right into a room, and all I even have to do is walk in there like God sent me. There were situations and things that were said, but nothing will stop me, and I actually imagine that nothing will stop us. As one door closes, I open five more for the girl behind me.

What motivates you to beat difficulties?

It’s knowing my talents and loving every aspect of what I do. It’s getting a message from a lady saying, “Charm, you inspired me.” It’s watching videos of little girls taking a look at my work and dancing; they’ve someone who looks like them to emulate. I’m so blissful and grateful that I get to do what I really like and make a living. I put my heart into it and I do not take anything without any consideration. But there are days once I just don’t desire to stand up. I’ve lived my whole life in survival mode. Sometimes I even have to stop and tell myself that I’ve made it, stop surviving and begin living, because I’m still going.

For a protracted time, I didn’t know the best way to say no because I assumed if I said no, I used to be missing out. So now I’m in a spot where I’m really living and appreciating all the pieces I do—the things that keep me going.

What is your most satisfying memory thus far?

It’s hard to pinpoint one moment, but every project and artist I’ve worked with has been fulfilling in its own way. I’m just in awe of how we will explore art—whether it’s acting at the Super Bowl during the week or connecting with artists from different backgrounds.

I’m from Compton. And there is a connection between Kendrick and me, coming from where we’re from. But connecting with other artists from different places and having the ability to help bring their vision to life is admittedly necessary to me. I find little things in every project. You know. I used to be capable of choreograph the Super Bowl during COVID-19. We were capable of try this in every week. In every project, each time I feel like I can not do something, I can do it.

You’ve already achieved a lot in your profession. What’s your end goal?

I would like to have a nonprofit with dance. I would like to do more directing, more filmmaking, more bringing dance stories to life otherwise, and more writing. I’m an art kid. I really like all of that. I just see myself continually evolving. I still mentor. I herald young, aspiring choreographers or simply young girls to my team. Some of my girls have turn out to be assistant managers and so they do all of those things simply to be around, and that is what I would like to do on a distinct level.

Nilea (pronounced “Ny Lee”) Cosley, a senior majoring in mass media arts with a minor in journalism, hails from Philadelphia. Cosley is the editor-in-chief of the CAU Panther newspaper.


This article was originally published on : andscape.com
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Angelina Jolie’s disturbing performance in new interview sparks criticism Years after health problems caused her face to sag

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Angelina Jolie promotes her next film, “Maria”, in which she plays the role of the famous opera singer Maria Callas.

However, for some fans, the press was more about Jolie’s health and appearance than her work in film.

On November 21, Jolie sat down with Michael Strahan for an interview on “Good Morning America” ​​to discuss her fear of using her real voice to sing opera for the role and the enjoyment of motherhood. However, in the course of the chat, some fans claimed they noticed Jolie’s face looked different than usual.

In the newest interview, Angelina Jolie expresses concerns about her health. (Photo: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images)

One person was cited by Express US for this story he said“It looks rough.”

Another commentator on Page Six he wrote“Ok, I just read that her face looks different because she stated that she developed hypertension and Bell’s palsy, a condition that she said caused her face to droop to one side. I assumed she looked like she had a stroke, in order that explains it.

Debates about Jolie’s sickly appearance erupted when fans noticed visibly large veins on her arms during separate red carpet appearances. Even those that knew her health were still shocked and anxious by her photos.

Jolie first revealed that she had the disease in 2017. In an interview with Vanity Fair she said he said she discovered she had hypertension and Bell’s palsy in 2016, the identical yr she filed for divorce from Brad Pitt.

So when she was diagnosed with the disease, she said she wasn’t sure what could have caused it. “I can’t tell if it’s menopause or if it’s just the year,” said Jolie, then 42. “Sometimes women in families put themselves last until it manifests itself in their own health.”

However, she also said that she is trying to pay more attention to her health. “I actually feel more like a woman because I make wise choices, I put my family first and I am responsible for my life and health. I think that’s what makes a woman complete.”

Last yr, the “Maleficent” star opened up again about her condition, revealing that it was caused by the stress of ending her relationship with Pitt.

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, she said he said“My body reacts very strongly to stress. My blood sugar levels go up and down. Six months before the divorce, I suddenly developed Bell’s palsy.

According to National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke“Bell’s palsy is a neurological disorder that causes paralysis or weakness on one side of the face. It occurs when one in every of the nerves that control the facial muscles becomes damaged or stops working properly, which may cause the facial muscles to droop or sag.

This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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“The Honorable Shyne” is a hit. This is why I wanted to tell this story. — Andlandscape

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One of the primary reasons Andscape culture author Justin Tinsley and I were tapped to co-executive produce was our backgrounds as music journalists. The documentary chronicling Moses “Shyne” Barrow’s rise to fame, imprisonment, and re-emergence as a political leader suits firmly into our wheelhouse, as his best rap years got here within the early 2000s – right at the center of our hip-hop fandom. I donated my time helping with the documentary, which was a top ten show in its debut week on Huluas a likelihood to help tell the story of hip-hop. I got here away from the project with an understanding of a man in conflict, at odds with himself and his past, and wanting to forge a path forward.

Shyne’s story illustrates the American dream: a poor black immigrant comes to America and from nowhere becomes one in all the largest rap stars. It is also a story about how the American criminal justice system and music industry chew up and spit out so many young Black people. To carelessly follow Shyne’s story is to consider him as just one other young black man who fell into a bad situation and never recovered. After all, his rap profession was effectively derailed when in 2001 he was sentenced to ten years in prison for the 1999 shooting at Club New York in Manhattan. But what inspired me about Shyne’s story was his refusal to let this devastation define him.

In 2021, I hung out in New Orleans with former No Limit rapper McKinley “Mac” Phipps, who had just been released from prison after spending 21 years in prison for a murder he denied committing. As I listened to Shyne’s story, I considered Mac. Both were avatars of a system that tested rap as much because it tested individual men. Mac’s story was about how hip-hop lyrics may be used to accuse someone within the face of overwhelming evidence of their innocence. Similarly, Shyne’s trial created a sensation about hip-hop’s relationship to violence in a city hungry for head on a plate.

Both Shyne and Mac emerged from prison as completely different people than once they entered. In Mac’s case, it was the period of time he spent at home, during which he transformed from a teenage rapper into a man after 20 years spent in confinement. For Shyne, his transformation got here from faith when he converted to Orthodox Judaism in prison. When I have a look at people like Shyne and Mac, I wonder how they’ll survive being locked in a cage, and their answers are inspiring.

While Shyne’s rap stories are what drew me to this project, it’s his journey as a man that makes me proud to help tell his story. And we actually get to see that journey after he raps the ultimate bars of his rap profession.

Shyne got here to the film wanting to discuss his lowest moments – the time after his release from prison in 2009, when he lashed out, frustrated at seeing a latest crop of rap stars emerge within the void left by his absence. He was rudderless. As rudderless as anyone may be who has lost a decade to a prison system that wanted to destroy him. And much more, since it was closed when the superstar’s fame was on the tip of his fingers.

The raspy-voiced rapper could have let these mishaps define him, but that is where Shyne’s story resonates with everyone, whether or not they’re a rap fan or not. Shyne’s second act, the one through which he finds purpose in community and family, where he uses his innate charisma and true genius to turn out to be a political leader and motivational speaker.

I cannot discuss Shyne’s reappearance without mentioning Sean “Diddy” Combs. Combs, the disgraced hip-hop mogul who signed Shyne to his label Bad Boy Records and helped launch his profession, is the elephant within the room throughout the documentary and in Shyne’s life. So lots of the artists who emerged under Diddy – from G Depp and Mase to The Notorious BIG – suffered terrible consequences. Shyne’s name was all the time on the list because he spent ten years in prison. And yet, Shyne’s approach to healing and moving forward is as inspiring as his ability to overcome what he sees because the sabotage of his life and profession.

These are lessons I didn’t expect to learn from the stories in regards to the hip-hop star from my childhood. These are inspiring moments that can be of interest to those that haven’t yet turn out to be inquisitive about the Brooklyn, or somewhat Belizean, rapper featured within the documentary. These are the points that make me proud to be a a part of telling Shyne’s story.

DavidDennis Jr. is a senior author at Andscape and the creator of the award-winning book “The Movement Made Us: A Father, a Son, and the Legacy of a Freedom Ride.” David is a graduate of Davidson College.

This article was originally published on : andscape.com
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Kendrick Lamar Releases Surprise Album ‘GNX’; group chats are going crazy

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Kendrick Lamar, Kendrick Lamar GNX, GNX, GNX album, K-Dot, K-Dot GNX, theGrio.com

There are few things more exciting than receiving an infinite barrage of text messages at the very same time in numerous group chats. This normally implies that something vital has happened in popular culture. Well, the exact same thing happened about noon on November 22, within the yr of our Lord two thousand and twenty-four. Kendrick Lamar Duckworth, higher often called Kendrick Lamar, released the album “GNX”, nod towards Buick Grand National Regal GNXa rare muscle automobile released in 1987 – which also happens to be the yr Kendrick was born.

“GNX” is coming to the tip of what has been a banner yr for Kendrick Lamar. From epic diss records geared toward Drake, to creating the largest song of his profession (and a Drake diss track) on “Not Like Us”, to the “Pop Out” concert streaming live to tell the tale Amazon Prime, Kendrick won this yr. He even received seven Grammy nominations, mostly for “Not Like Us.” And this victory will proceed in the brand new yr. In September, it was announced that Kendrick would stay Super Bowl 2025 headliner will happen in New Orleans. This announcement sparked some controversy and comments from several New Orleans legends similar to Juvenile and most notably Lil Wayne, who felt disrespected; Kendrick immediately refers to this topic within the opening song of the album (all stylized in lower case), “wacced out murals”.

The thing is, Kendrick didn’t sleep for many of 2024. And then, while the remaining of us were minding our own business, listening to other albums that had just dropped, like Ice Cube’s “Man Down,” I began receiving text after text… and I knew that would only mean that something vital happened.

At this point in my life (and possibly even yours), Kendrick Lamar releases are a drop-everything-and-listen event. I immediately went to the streaming service, launched “GNX” and pressed “Play”.

I need to admit that the primary time I heard the album I used to be a bit confused. Kendrick has probably never been more popular or famous; if there was ever a time to drag a Kanye West and release his own version of “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” – an album largely produced as Kanye’s best and most representative of Kanye’s greatness – now could be the time. “GNX” has a far more modern West Coast vibe and is certainly more for his die-hard fans than anyone who just began gaining attention due to his beef with Drake. Maybe that was the purpose; possibly not.

Kendrick Lamar, Kendrick Lamar GNX, GNX, GNX album, K-Dot, K-Dot GNX, theGrio.com
Photo: Dave Free

Either way, I can imagine that folks whose favorite lines are “OV-Ho” won’t be immediately thrilled. I wasn’t immediately blown away (though very amused by how sensitive Kendrick is to what people say about him on social media, well, everyone), but as is all the time the case with Kendrick albums, repeated listens are likely to correct any immediate monotony that I even have about his projects. For example, now that I’ve listened to it just a few times, I can not wait to listen to black college bands playing “tv off” style, which seems like a cousin of “Not Like Us.” The Shoot, Bayou Classic, which also takes place yearly in New Orleans on Thanksgiving Day, stands out as the first time we hear a band playing “TV off.”

Since the album didn’t come out long enough to be reviewed, group chats and social media were abuzz with immediate reactions. This is the a part of music releases I really like, where everyone seems to be listening to the identical thing, offering premature takes that will not even delay the following day. I’m not different; I’m sure I’ll say something about this album that can sound silly by Monday. Shoot, I can have already done it. But that is what happens when great artists release music. We spend time with others after which we refer to them, analyze them, criticize them, praise them, destroy them and let all our prejudices fly free. Love it.

It’s value noting that certainly one of Drake’s diss tracks that did not appear during last summer’s fracas was titled “The Heart Part 6,” and was an apparent try to usurp Kendrick’s pre-album practice of removing a non-album song titled “The Heart.” Well, Kendrick has a song on his recent album called, you guessed it, “The Heart, Pt. 6,” which I feel will probably be released soon Drake. Good job, Kenny.

Argue.


Panama Jackson theGrio.com

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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