Beyoncé ‘Renaissance’ film success
One thing is for sure. Beyoncé is not letting up off of anyone’s neck this year. She remains the standard and raises the bar in everything she executes. Her “Renaissance World Tour” takes center stage once more with the release of “RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ.” After a star-studded private premiere, fans and critics alike were treated to an intimate look at the record-breaking tour. Beyoncé, the force behind the film as its writer, director, and producer, topped the domestic box office with $21 million in its opening weekend. No one has made that amount of money off a film during this post-Thanksgiving time period since 2003, when Tom Cruise starred in “The Last Samurai.” Internationally, she totaled $27.4 million.
Currently, the film scored 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and received the coveted A+ CinemaScore from opening weekend audiences who were polled. It is truly amazing to witness this Houston native continue to build upon her legacy to this magnitude. I wonder what else she has up her sleeve for 2024. By then, I’m sure all of her fans would have recovered from spending on the concert and the movie tickets.
George Floyd’s killer stabbed in prison
George Floyd’s killer faced near-death attack in prison. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
Derek Chauvin, the former police officer convicted of murdering George Floyd, faced a brutal attack behind bars. Inmate John Turscak, armed with an improvised knife, stabbed Chauvin 22 times in the law library of the Federal Correctional Institution in Tucson, Arizona. The assailant revealed a chilling motive, expressing his desire to end Chauvin’s life. Federal prosecutors swiftly charged Turscak with attempted murder, assault with intent to commit murder, assault resulting in serious bodily injury, and assault with a dangerous weapon. Critics on social media didn’t seem fazed about the news. Some folks were surprised that Chauvin survived his injuries and deserved this attack as a consequence of his actions against Floyd, and others said that it would be better for Chauvin to survive and live with the painful scars for the rest of his life. These are unfortunate circumstances. I do hope he survives to live in the constant state of fear for his life in the same way Black folks have to, especially in the hands of corrupt law enforcement.
Lenny Kravitz says Black media give him no love
Lenny Kravitz expresses disappointment in not receiving his flowers from Black media. (Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for Netflix)
Music icon Lenny Kravitz is gearing up for the release of his 12th studio album, “Blue Electric Light.” However, in a recent interview with a white news outlet, Esquire throws Kravitz into a discourse about representation in Black media. Kravitz voiced his grievances and was surprised at never being invited to events hosted by BET or the Source Awards. He questioned the silence surrounding his achievements. This week, he set the record straight with theGrio about his statement, saying that his focus was on Black awards, not the Black media and the community. Kravitz has been candid about the racism he faced growing up in a mixed-race household. His late mother, Roxie Roker, was an actress most famous for her role in the 1970s sitcom “The Jeffersons”‘ while his father, Sy Kravitz, was a producer for NBC. He expected that his musical success would be embraced by the Black community. Publicists have ghosted me for celebrity interviews in my career. If Kravitz ever entertained the idea of interviewing with the Defender as he did for Esquire, the team would be all hands on deck for it. Black media still has to fight to receive the same respect as mainstream white-owned news outlets. From the red carpet to press junkets, Black journalists still face inequities when gaining access to Hollywood. I’m playing devil’s advocate here, but I understand why he would be disappointed. As for this topic, “It Ain’t Over ’til It’s Over.”
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