Ambitions Television show coming to OWN

Oprah Winfrey and Will Packer's show Ambitions premieres on June 18, 2019 on OWN Network 

 There’s another hot show coming to the airwaves but this one is on the Queen of All Media, Ms Oprah Winfrey who has produced Queen Sugar, assisted with The Have and Have Nots, Black Love, Greenleaf, If Loving You is Wrong, Home Made Simple, Super Soul Sunday, Iyanla: Fix My Life.  Ambitions is a fictionalized show set in the wealthy and popular section of Atlanta, Georgia. Ambitions focused on a lawyer who is making her way within the business of law and has a rival as well played by both Essence Atkins ( Smart Guy, Love Song, Nikita Blues, XCU, How High, Deliver us from Eva, Love for Sale, N-Secure, Dysfunctional Friends, Girlfriends Getaway 1 &2, The Cosby Show, The Wayans Brothers, Moesha, Half & Half, House, Marlon) and Robin Givens (The Cosby Show,  Head of the Class, Rage in Harlem, Boomerang, The Family That Preys, The Game, Burn Notice, Riverdale, Once Upon A Time, The Fix, and Bold & the Beautiful).  These two ladies are both in law but it seems that they are both in competition with one another. Stephanie Carlisle is the wife of an Atlanta Mayor and Essence is a lawyer in the United States Attorney’s office. The two women cross paths in Atlanta and become rivals in business, personal lives, and social lives. The show looks devious mysterious I believe this may be the next golden era television show for OWN Network where we are going to see characters who are memorable, well known to the viewers of the television series.  I have no doubt this new sexy, scandalous summer series will get everyone’s attention while watching.  The cast also features Brian J White (Stomp the Yard, Good Deeds, I can do all bad by myself, The Family Stone, Chicago Season Only for One Night, Ray Donovan, Suits, Scandal, Mistresses, and Taken) he plays Evan Lancaster, Erica Page, Kendrick Cross, Christina Kirkman, Steven Williams, and Andrew Rush. Visit http://www.oprah.com for more information on the cast.

"First Cher, Donna, and now Tina Turner the rock & roll goddesses all on Broadway"

Perfect timing it is June which is Black Music Month....In honor of this month and celebrating. This is a woman I have admired since I was a little girl when I learned about her story and journey. I am so glad to be write about her on my blog and feature her. The icon/the legend, Tina Turner. 

A scene from Tina Turner the Musical this photo was shot at the London, England performance.

Tina Turner opens on  Saturday October 12, 2019

  

Her name is Tina Turner the quintessential perfect stage name. Her birth given name is Anna Mae

Tina Turner at the 2018 London premiere of her Broadway show

Bullock she was born on November 26, 1939 in Nutbush, Tennessee. She is of African American descent with Navajo Indian, Cherokee, and European bloodline. Tina has two older sisters, Evelyn Juanita and Ruby Aline. Her parents were working-class and they struggled while Anna Mae was growing up. However her path changed a bit especially when the household and relationship changed between her mother and father. Her grandparents, Alex and Roxanna Bullock who were both the deacon and deaconess of the Baptist church, raised Tina. Tina’s upbringing was a little rocky because she saw her parents fight literally before her eyes.

The shy little girl with a powerful voice and determined spirit would grow up to become an international icon, a Rock and Roll goddess, a pioneer for African American women and all women in general. Her story is legendary and she has changed the music industry completely and entertainment. She is amongst the ranks of Billie Holiday, Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, Sarah Vaughn, and many other legends that have changed the music industry with their powerful gifted distinctive voices.

Tina Turner to me is a heroine for so many women myself included her story “I, Tina” her autobiography which was written into an Oscar winning film and pop culture classic in 1993, “What’s Love Got to do with It” the title was based off of Tina’s 1984 Grammy award winning hit classic single with the same name. I love the movie and film, which starred Oscar winner and nominees, Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne. I fell in love with the movie because Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne brought Ike and Tina Turner to life with all of their passion, love, tumultuous, dramatic, and ever-changing relationship. They brought the fire between them because although they had a rocky relationship Ike and Tina had a powerful music business relationship that changed the R&B and Jazz music industries during their time together (1958-1978) for twenty years they changed and influenced rock and roll with their electric and dynamic performances.

            Tina Turner (Anna Mae Bullock) was discovered and arrived in St. Louis; Missouri she was originally was going to be a nurse. She finished out her senior year at Sumner High School in St. Louis, Missouri. (Little family fact-my maternal grandmother went to high school with Anna Mae before she became a rock and roll star).  Ike Turner and his band discovered her, The Kings of Rhythm playing one night where Tina’s older sister was working at a nightclub one night. Anna Mae walked in and began singing with Ike and his band. He wanted her in the band immediately. Now in Tina’s biopic many of us thought it was sort of a love at first sight situation between Ike and Tina. In actuality from doing some research Ike and Tina were more like brother and sister. Tina was actually dating someone within the King of Rhythms, Raymond Hill already whom she later had a child with as well her first born, Raymond Craig Turner. As many of us know Ike was a philanderer he loved women and the company of beautiful women. He was known to switch women from one year to the next. He was in a serious relationship with a woman named, Lorraine before he was involved with Anna Mae. He also had two little boys with her before Ike and Anna Mae became seriously involved. Later on while they were on tour and began performing Ike and Anna Mae became more serious. She became pregnant with Ike’s third child, Ronald “Ronnie” Turner and their careers also took off. He also gave Anna Mae a brand new stage name he based it off the 1930s comic book character, Sheena the queen of the jungle he flipped it and named her, Tina and with her legal married name was Turner. 4 years later in 1962 Ike and Tina married in Tijuana, Mexico in 1962. They next started the Ike and Tina Turner Revue after they were married and quickly their careers took off with cross-country tour. They had a hit that shot up to the Billboard Hot 100 charts with “Fool in Love” written by Ike Turner in July of 1960, and had two other hits, “It’s Going to work out fine”. Together as musicians they had numerous hits and during their seventeen-year relationship and career together they broke records. Tina also recorded one of my favorite songs with Phil Spector and his “wall of sound” in his recording studio in 1966 “River Deep Mountain High”. You hear Tina’s range her raspy and full range of her voice. There are so many songs when you hear her voice you think, “Who is this woman”. There’s no one who has been able to duplicate her vocal abilities, dance moves, and electricity on the stage. She’s not just a performer Tina is an experience when you see her perform watching her videos, hearing her songs, her music videos. She captivates thousands and thousands of people with her moves. Her performance of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Proud Mary” is one of those performances that are legendary when you hear the music and see her perform it there’s something that she brings to that song. She revamped it and elevated the song to whole spiritual level. There’s a ferocity that comes when she performs the song.

            In the late 1970s Tina and Ike’s relationship was taking many twists and turns. They separated and divorced in 1978 disbanded the Ike and Tina Turner Revue and Tina became a solo artist. She changed her image she didn’t want to sing or perform anymore-soulful blues songs, slow ballads, or melodic songs. Tina wanted to show her power, her edge, and that she can roar on stage. The Rolling Stones, the late David Bowie, and many other artists who included and used Rock & Roll edge in their songs influenced her. Her impact during this time was going to change Rock and Roll/Pop music all with one hit single which would become an anthem for women and the title of her biographical film in 1993. “What’s Love Got to do with It” became a hit in 1984 and she won a Grammy Award for it and many music video awards for the video. Tina was one of the first artists who had music videos featured on the Music Television Videos Networks better known to the millennial generation as “MTV Networks”. She had many hits going forward and was one of the first legends to cross over from music into acting. Tina had a roll in several movies the movie “Tommy” she played the “Acid Queen”, Mad Max she sang and was in the movie singing the theme “Thunderdome”, and also was featured on 1995 singing “Goldeneye”  on the Double 07 Goldeneye Soundtrack. She reached epic heights in her career and continues to be an influence to music generation and all people. She is one of the first artists to have longevity for six decades from the late 1950s into the 2010s and 21^st century.

Celebrating Black Music Month all of June !!

Times with Ike Tina and their four children: Ike Jr., Ronnie ,Craig,,and 

Anna Mae Bullock her graduation senior picture at Sumner High School 

Tina's wedding celebration July 2013 to her long time love Erwin Bach

Happy Days ahead for this lovely woman with her beau now husband, Erwin Bach

Her story continues to blossom and has the most beautiful, interesting, and challenging chapters keep developing in Tina’s story and life. She never wavers she’s like an eagle, phoenix, and a lioness she continues to reinvent and changes herself. In 2009 she celebrated her 50^th anniversary with a sold out tour and said farewell to her audience. The Rock and Roll goddess put down her microphone and Christian Louboutin stilettos. Many don’t realize she was one of the first women who can dance in five-six inch heels on stage towering within her 5 foot 4 inch chiseled frame. In July of 2013 Tina married her long-time love Erwin Bach they met in the 1980s and developed an incredibly close, loving relationship. They celebrated their wedding at her state and home, Chateau Alonquin in Switzerland in a star-studded wedding. Which included one of her biggest fans, and the “Queen of Media” Oprah Winfrey. Tina’s story continues to amaze, inspire, surprise, and give us all hope that your past doesn’t define you. You can surpass your past and become a heroine and a figure of triumph in time of challenge or darkness. Tina’s Broadway show starts this fall of 2019 in October. I have no doubt my St. Louis family members, my mom, my grandmother many of us will be there to show our support for  one of Rock & Roll’s true goddesses who has changed music and left a dynamic mark.
Visit http://www.tinaturnerofficial.com  

and http://www.broadway.com 

She's Gotta Have It Too on Netflix

The 2019 poster for the second season can be viewed on Netflix

I had the privilege and honor of working with the cast of Netflix’s “She’s gotta have it too” last summer in 2018. It was one of the most bizarre, beautiful, and amazing experiences. Every day was great the sun was shining brightly no clouds barely in the sky. Dragonflies flying, birds chirping, and singing. It was amazing to be on set. I am glad I took this opportunity because I was focused on a lot of corporate positions and jobs before. I love being able to be versatile and flexible with my jobs. So to get to step back into a more creative role was just amazing. I originally signed up with Central Casting in 2011. I was going to do some background acting/extra work initially but life took an extremely beautiful and dramatic turn. I winded up going into a production assistant role instead with Black Enterprise Magazine. As many of you who have followed my blog this was back in 2011 to around late 2013. So I put it on the backburner for a while. So I ended up resigning to the new office and I renewed my job with them. So many years 7 years passed by so it felt like the right time to resign up again. I reapplied and signed up again for Central Casting and the timing was perfect. It’s funny how things come together but exactly a year earlier I was at the Curl Fest in Brooklyn, NY. I was there with my mother actually and it just so happened the legendary filmmaker, director, and actor, Spike Lee was there promoting his Crooklyn line of t-shirts and hats. My mom and I walked over and we introduced ourselves. I promise you this was not a set up or a plan. This was all divine intervention and everything coming together. 

I signed up June 25, 2018 and about two weeks later I was on the set for my first filming of “Ray Donovan” on Showtime as an extra and I met one of my new closest friends actually who I found out was a screenwriter. 

 This was all divine intervention and everything coming together. Exactly one year later July 19 and July 20^th….I was on the set of “She’s Gotta Have it too” for their filming of season 2 the Netflix series. It was a very special time and I met some amazing people on the set of the show. We have all become lifelong friends and are connected forever by that moment.  The cast was so sweet you can sense the closeness, the bond between all of them is pretty incredible. Spike was great on set it was like watching Picasso painting all of his famous works in front of you. You are speechless you just want to watch, absorb, and take everything in too. I was just glad to have been chosen to be in some of the scenes. I was honored and flattered.

            So what is “She’s gotta have it too” about it’s based on the 1986 film classic the movie that focuses on a young twenty –something painter, Nola Darling and her busy love life she’s in love with three men: Greer, Mars, and Jamie and her on and off again girlfriend, Opal.  Nola is a struggling painter and artist living in the Fort Greene section of Brooklyn. Her life is busy dealing with her crazy girlfriends, her relationships, and making sense of everything happening around her community, her neighborhood, and society in general. The show couldn’t have come at a  more perfect time. Nola as a character is a feminist, a creative free spirit who will stick to her guns and doesn’t back down from any challenge thrown at her. She deals with the aches of financial struggles like all twenty-somethings finding their way in their life and new found career, relationship challenges, balancing a social life, keeping the ties between her and her parents strong, and then learning to find herself in a society that can be ready to go against you too for what you stand for or believe in as well. This character definitely has appeared in our lives for a great reason and she comes into mainstream television and cell phones with the Netflix app and streaming services with plenty of fun, crazy, and pot-stirring fun. There’s something about her that is so relatable for women especially women of color you see so many issues we all struggle with every day and it’s reflected in this character.

            The cast of “She’s Gotta Have it Too” stars DeWanda Wise (“Smoking/No Smoking”, “Knucklehead”, “The Weekend”,  “How to tll you’re a douchebag, and Someone Great) stars as Nola Darling, Lyriq Bent stars as Jamie Overstreet (“Acrimony”, “Rookie Blue”, “The Book of Negroes”, “Nappily Ever After”, “the Man in the High Castle”), Anthony Ramos Martinez is a theater, television actor, and singer, (“Hamilton”, “In the Heights”, and will star in the film adaptation of “In the Heights” coming in 2020, “A Star is Born”, “The Honest Thief”, “Godzilla: King of the Monsters “) Ramos also has released an album titled, The Freedom his EP) he has won a Grammy Award, Broadway Audience, and Screen Actors Guild Award, Cleo Anthony who plays Greer has starred in “Transparent” and “Extant”. The cast also stars Margot Bingham she is a jazz singer, songwriter, and has starred in HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, Chyna Lane (Life Support, Precious,  Cadillac Records, Life of Crime, The First Purge, and Push, and DeAdre Aziza is a Broadway actress starred in Passing Strange and Broadway play “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown”). The cast are all well seasoned they make it so believable making each character colorful, bright, realistic, relatable. Especially with the show being filmed in New York City in parts of Brooklyn and Manhattan. You can see the diversity, the melting pot of characters we have in all parts of New York City.  Make sure you check out this hip, cool, funny, and sexy show.

The original poster for 2017 series premiered back in 2017

The cast of She's Gotta Have It Too (2017)

One year later 2018...wrapping up the taping and final episodes of season 2 of She's Gotta Have It taken in July 19-20th  2018. 

I took this picture July 2017 with director/filmmaker/actor and now Oscar Winner Spike Lee at the Curl Fest I suggest you guys all go....I didnt know he would be there who knew  a year later  in 2018 I would be on set as an extra funny how divine intervention works in New York City lol =)

            Follow the show on http://www.netflix.com/shesgottahaveit  and follow the show and actors on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.