CBU Sept \ Oct 2016 Emagazine

Sept/Oct 2016 E-Magazine

Model

Deon Whitt And Photographer Kenny Graham & Crew

Stir It Up!

The 10th annual Hyde Park Jazz Fes�val will be on Saturday, September 24, and Sunday, September 25, 2016 with two full days of FREE non-stop jazz music in the historic center of Chicago's Jazz community - Hyde Park. The Hyde Park neighborhood is only 7 miles south of the Chicago Loop and minutes from down town via car, train, bus or bicycle.

Check out the performers from this year's fes�val: h�p://hydeparkjazzfes�val.org/schedule/

The 2016 Fes�val will include over 150 jazz musicians performing for 17 hours in 14 different venues all in the Hyde Park neighborhood.

*Join our mailing list: h�p://hydeparkjazzfes�val.org/get-involved/

*Volunteer: h�p://hydeparkjazzfes�val.org/volunteer/

Sat: Sun:

1:00 pm - 12:00 am 2:00 pm - 7:00 pm

'Queen Sugar' star KoďŹ Siriboe on his big year and phone calls from Oprah 'Queen Sugar' star

Siriboe on his big Year

and phone calls from Oprah

By Sandra Gonzalez, CNN.com

(L-R) Dawn-Lyen Gardner, Kofi Siriboe and Ru�na Wesley appear to promote “Queen Sugar” during the AOL BUILD Series at AOL HQ on September 1, 2016 in New York City. Donna Ward/Ge�y Images

(CNN)Over the next few months, there will be no shortage of new TV shows vying for viewers' a�en�on. Hopefully not lost in the chaos of dozens of series premieres? The great batch of fresh new talent poised to have breakout years.

CNN's Fresh Faces interview series aims to introduce some of those talented newcomers.

Name: Kofi Siriboe, 22 Hometown: Los Angeles, California Where you might know him from: "Awkward" (MTV), "Straight Ou�a Compton”

Now starring in: Ava Duvernay's family drama "Queen Sugar" (airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on OWN) He plays: Ralph Angel, a formerly incarcerated father trying make a new start for himself and his 6-year-old son Blue

Ac�ng hero: Philip Seymour Hoffman Favorite TV show: "Narcos” Last show he binge watched: "Ray Donovan?

I start all of these interviews by asking everyone what their first paying job in the industry was. So, spill.

I started as a kid, when I was about 5 years old. Me and my brothers -- there's three of us and I'm the middle child -- started doing print work and my first one was a Kumon commercial. [Laughs] It was ages ago. When I was about 17-18, I started taking [ac�ng] more seriously and that's when the TV work started picking up. I remember my first job that really shook the ar�st inside of me, I guess you would say, was "CSI." As soon as I did "CSI" I was like, 'This is fun.' I really wanted to do this on a level I knew I had to work for.

Are your brothers s�ll in ac�ng?

Yeah, we're all actually going to "The Steve Harvey Show" next week, which will be super exci�ng. But my li�le brother, Kwesi Boakye, has worked more than me; he has more credits than I do. My older brother, Kwame Boateng, is the same. They've been in the industry and are super vets.

Were your parents in the industry?

Actually, no. My parents came from Africa. They were both born in Ghana, West Africa, and they came out here. My mom went to college out here and my dad went to college in Ghana. And yeah, they weren't born in the industry or know the industry. None of that.

So let's talk about the audi�on process for "Queen Sugar." This was obviously a very compe��ve project. How did you score the role?

It was exci�ng because I was in a place where I was really excited about audi�ons. And I just new something great was on the other end of all the audi�ons I was going on. But I saw Ava tweet that she was looking for this character to be filled -- Ralph Angel. And you know when she tweets something you think, 'Wow she must really need somebody because Ava is a good name. I'm sure she's seen everybody -- except for me!' Clearly I hadn't gone in the room yet if she was looking for this character. So that was ironic because the next day I got an audi�on to play this character and I felt like it just fit perfectly.

Wait! So a�er you saw the tweet, did you call your agent?

I didn't even call anybody! I saw this tweet because I got tagged. There were a bunch of tags for all these other actors, and I had one or two tags. The next day I got an audi�on but I never even men�oned it to my team at all.

That's amazing. This has been a crazy year for you. I watched the screeners for "Queen Sugar" and then watched a film you're in, "Kicks," for another story. I remember being stunned by your transforma�on.

That character -- Flaco -- can be so mean! What appeals to you about playing that range?

I really love the different mediums of film and TV because Ralph Angel, I got to build. Flaco was created and I got to live with him for about two months and then let go of him, which was kind of hard. I love being able to bring vulnerability to characters that are normally looked at as very masculine. Like, Flaco has no remorse if you look at it on the surface level, but a�er watching the film, I would hope you would see the sensi�vity and the vulnerability that was also in somebody like that. So that's something I wanted to bring to Ralph Angel.

Kofi Siriboe in a scene from the new Own series "Queen Sugar."

At 22, what is it like playing Ralph Angel, a character that has lived a lot of life? He's essen�ally a single dad, been in trouble with the law. There's so much packed into this role.

It's kind of funny, I tell my friends to call me Uncle Kofi. [Laughs] I play up this whole dad aesthe�c thing, and I feel like it carried over into my art. But it's cool because I get to bring sensi�vity and a young perspec�ve to something that is looked at so one-sided. Being a dad can be young and cool and hard and complex and beau�ful and all those things. So to have a shot to start a conversa�on at 22 is, for me, personally, prac�ce for my own life. God knows I can't wait to be a father and actually have children one day. It's also really just to push that narra�ve forward and represent something for a kid who might not really see a father like that in their life.

Tell me about working with Ava and Oprah. What did you learn?

Working with Ava and Oprah was a dream come true.

I had no idea what to expect because my expecta�ons were so high for both of them. But they were so welcoming and open and shared themselves and the knowledge they've acquired through their journeys. I feel like literally the luckiest actor in the world.

Is there a memory or a moment during filming that stands out? Something that you're going to remember 20 years from now?

Oprah called me in the middle of the season. I think it was episode 6 or 7, and we spoke on the phone for 20-30 minutes and giving me praises about the work I'd been doing. She told me that even though she's not on set every single day, she'd been watching [footage]. She was just very, very warm and shared how she felt about it and how it affected her. That kind of love and praise coming from somebody I respect so highly, it mo�vated me to finish up the season strongly. I felt like an athlete in a weird way -- an emo�onal athlete. She and Ava and all the directors were my coach and around episode 7 or 8, it was the playoffs. Then we had the finals. I felt very supported. For her to be Oprah -- and Ava to be Ava -- and give those phone calls and send those text messages and late night emails, that meant the world to me because they don't have to do that. This is show business and they made it so much more than that. They made it a very personal experience.

That's such a classy move.

Yeah, it is. I took notes from that. I really did.

This interview has been edited for clarity and condensed.

Ava DuVernay, Kofi Siriboe (Photo credit: Jus�n Amoafo)

Kofi Siriboe appears to promote 'Queen Sugar' during the AOL BUILD Series at AOL HQ on September 1, 2016 in New York City.

MANLAW 5 STEPS TO GROWING THE PERFECT BEARD

:

Since the beginning of �me, a man’s beard has kept him warm, added character to a man’s face, and let’s be honest, it’s kind of sexy too. But if a beard is done in the wrong way, it can mess up not only your physical appearance, but also your health.

So we decided to ask some of our “Bearded & Black” men’s panel and see what are some �ps to keeping growing the perfect beard. You’d be surprised. Here are the top 5:

1. Brush, Brush and Brush Again – Many men think that you have to wait for your beard to grow in before you start grooming it–wrong! You need to train your beard and train your hair follicles to get ready for your beard. That can be done simply by brushing your face (yes, even before hair begins to grow), in the direc�on you want your beard to grow. For most men, it’s upwards on the cheeks. Just about 10 minutes a day should do and more when stubble begins to show.

2. Right Under Your Nose – It’s by far the most neglected area of the face when a man starts to grow his beard. Remember if someone is looking directly at you, their eyes will tend to shi� towards your mouth/ nose area when talking, so don’t forget to trim the area directly under your nose and your nose hairs. This will drama�cally increase the look of your en�re beard.

3. Scruffy Needs Work Too – I know what you’re thinking: what if I want to go for the scruffy look? You know the look where it looks like you’re beard has come in but you give it no effort and it s�ll looks nice? We have news for you: that look takes effort too! Make sure you clean and trim the area underneath your beard (neck and under chin) so that your seemingly unkept beard s�ll shine through and doesn’t get lost in stray hairs underneath.

4. Wait For It – It’s one of the hardest things to do. Especially when a man already has a beard and you keep wan�ng to get it trimmed up.

Some�mes the best and healthiest way to do so is to wait for the beard to grow back a li�le more THEN get it trimmed again. If you keep trimming it, it could be ge�ng smaller and thinner, not to men�on the wear and tear on your skin. So wai�ng a few extra days can help.

5. Know Your Shape – Last, but not least, know the shape of your face.

Does a more rounded beard look be�er on you? Perhaps your face calls for a more sharp, straight-lined beard. What about your cheek bones?

Does your face need a high beard or a low beard. A trained barber should be able to help you. Remember every beard does not look good on every face.

Now, you’ve got all that? Good! Go ‘head with your fine self!

Ain't nothing sweet about it.

Two cousins work through the Atlanta music scene in order to be�er their lives and the lives of their families.

Donald Glover serves as Execu�ve Producer, along with Paul Simms and Dianne McGunigle.

Atlanta is produced by FX Produc�ons.

4 Dumbbell Shoulder Press Benefits The dumbbell shoulder press benefits can help you immensely, depending on your building bigger, wider and more symmetrical deltoids sounds appealing, read on.

Dumbbell Shoulder Press Benefits. The dumbbell shoulder press offers some very impressive benefits, which I spell out for you below:

1. Build Big Delts. This exercise allows you to really emphasize the deltoids with moderate to heavy loads. While you may not be able to li� as much total weight as with the barbell overhead press, you can s�ll move some pre�y heavy-ass iron. And in case you didn’t know, you must con�nually increase stress on the muscles in order to build muscle, as per the principle of progressive overload. Since you can keep adding weight to the dumbbell shoulder press almost indefinitely, it’s a prime shoulder building exercise choice.

2.

Get Wider Shoulders. Since this exercise uses dumbbells, you can hold and maneuver the weights more freely than with a barbell. And so, the dumbbell press hits the lateral deltoids more intensely than barbell shoulder press movements. The end results include be�er developed outer deltoid head that give you more “capped” shoulders, and a more profound “V-taper” look (i.e. a high shoulder-towaist ra�o). Tip: Do lateral raises to really isolate the outer delts.

3.

Work the Stabilizer Muscles. Since dumbbells force you to move the weights individually with each hand, you must u�lize stabilizer muscles. This provides the benefit of improved control and balance of the shoulders and upper arms.

4.

Achieve Symmetry. Unlike with barbell overhead press movements, the dumbbell shoulder press makes it impossible to complete reps by using the stronger side of your body to compensate for your weaker side. Therefore, the dumbbell shoulder press can prevent or correct strength and muscle size imbalances between your right and le� upper arms.

The latest

Luke Cage

trailer brings more chaos to Harlem Marvel's Luke Cage premieres on Ne�lix next month, so get ready for a whole lot more footage from the series. In this new spot, Luke tries to keep the peace in Harlem while his nemesis Co�onmouth starts an allout war. But as Rosario Dawson's Claire Temple reminds Luke, "Some�mes, if you want jus�ce, you have to get it yourself."

Luke Cage, starring Mike Colter in the �tle role, follows Luke in the a�ermath of his arc on last year's Jessica Jones. The invulnerable hero has just returned to Harlem, where he must deal with his past while facing off against crime boss Cornell "Co�onmouth" Stokes (Mahershala Ali). Luke Cage premieres on September 30th.

By Kwame Opam for theverge.com

‘Queen Sugar’ Trailer: A Funeral Brings Family Home in Ava DuVernay’s Oprah Winfrey Network Series

By Michael Nordine for Indiewire.com

The "Selma" director's new drama premieres this fall.

We’re s�ll a ways away from Ava DuVernay’s adapta�on of “A Wrinkle in Time,” but the “Selma” director’s next project will be gracing the small screen later this year. “Queen Sugar,” a new series based on Natalie Baszile’s novel and set to air on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN), has just released its first teaser.

The new footage is as all such videos should be: nonexistent in terms of plot but rich in detail and visually arres�ng. “It’s �me to focus on family,” a woman says in voice-over at the beginning; from there it’s a barrage of imagery divorced from

narra�ve: a basketball court, a backyard party, a dilapidated house and several unhappy people.

“Queen Sugar” stars Ru�na Wesley and DawnLyen Gardner as two sisters: Wesley plays a journalist and ac�vist in New Orleans, Gardner a mother from Los Angeles who moves to Louisiana to move into the 800-acre sugarcane farm she inherited from her father.

Oprah co-created the series, con�nuing the collabora�on she and DuVernay began on “Selma”; she’ll also have a recurring role. “Queen Sugar” premieres this fall, though OWN has yet to set a date.

The day I hung out at Prince#s house talking fame disguises and Michael Jackson#s death

Dearly beloved We are gathered here today To get through this thing called life.

— Prince, “Let’s Go Crazy”

No one is ready for a visit to Paisley Park, at least not the way in which I eventually experienced it. The modern, all-white building rests in the suburbs of Minneapolis and resembles a so�ware tech firm more than a home. It offers no visible clue as to the elusive person who lived and worked there.

From the �me I first heard Prince’s debut album, “For You,” at the age of 18, I had no choice but to go along is on his journey to the edge of what musically possible. Many years later, in 2010, while director of photography for Ebony magazine, I finally got to meet the man who supplied a sizable part of my life’s soundtrack.

A�er months of requests, and with the aid of talk-show host Tavis Smiley — Prince’s close friend — we secured a cover shoot with his purple highness at Paisley Park. On word that the session was a go, thenEbony Editor-in-Chief Harrie�e Cole and I immediately secured renowned fashion photographer Mike Ruiz (whom Prince, fortunately, approved), discussed loose concept possibili�es and booked the date

By Dudley Brooks for WashingtonPost.com

Upon arriving, Cole, Ruiz and I were directed to enter through a side door and, a�er passing through a heavy black curtain, emerged into a soundstage large enough to fit more than a thousand people. It was Prince’s rehearsal area, which he also used for impromptu par�es and concerts, and the stage was preset with a full range of instruments, microphones and amplifiers.

We were asked to wait in a foyer area, where the actual Honda 750 motorcycle from the movie “Purple Rain” prominently rested. It was adjacent to a screaming purple recrea�on room the size of a large hotel lobby — fully decked out with matching velvet lounge furniture and shag carpet. It was beyond plush. The film “Finding Nemo” played silently on one large projec�on screen hanging from the high ceiling and the 1973 concert movie “Wa�stax” played loudly on another.

Two hours passed before Prince strode into the room to meet us, wearing fairly casual clothing, in his own unique style, of course: fi�ed black bu�on-up shirt and black slacks, accented by Lucite-soled sneakers inset with lights that blinked on his every step. His walk was more of a “pimp,” really — par�ally due to a recent hip surgery, but also because Prince just had incredible swag.

He was small, very small — but not fragile. He was accommoda�ng, but also a bit guarded. A�er zooming through small talk, he wanted to get down to business. He guided us over to a dining room area, containing a table and chairs cut in the shape of chess pieces. He took a seat and without blinking asked, “So what do you want to do?”

Ruiz quickly went into a crea�ve spiel, while Prince nodded slightly in approval — quickly processing each sugges�on and idea. We talked for 20 minutes before he suddenly said, “Okay, I got it. I’ll be back.” He shortly returned, pulling a rack of clothes that he selected specifically for this par�cular shoot and concept. He was totally coopera�ve. Not quite the guy that I had read about.

During a break in the shoot — which actually turned out to be the end of the session — we cha�ed about his faith as a devout Jehovah’s Witness and the challenges of being a door-to-door evangelist. It’s not every day that someone like Prince comes to your door with the aim of pu�ng you on a spiritual path, but he said that he used various disguises to deflect a�en�on. Eyeglasses, conserva�ve suits, a different way of combing his hair — he tried them all. People s�ll recognized him, but he said that they never called him out on it. They listened to his message and respected his opinion.

The death of Michael Jackson (at one point another devout Jehovah’s Witness) was s�ll fresh on everyone’s minds, and Prince admi�ed the two had talked about the challenges of mixing fame with a religious journey. He said that it was difficult for both of them, and he personally couldn’t have done it at a younger point in his life. He wished he could have talked to Michael more about it before he died.

Prince invited us to stay for dinner, along with Smiley, Larry Graham (the bassist for the band Sly and the Family Stone) and his wife, and Bria Valente, Prince’s girlfriend at the �me. He cracked jokes about youthful �mes spent with high school friend Morris Day, leader of the R&B band The Time. He talked about his concern for the future of musicianship, a�er government cuts in school band programs. He applauded his own musical influences, showing respect for Carlos Santana and his reverence for the bandleading prowess of Ike Turner. He warned about the Minneapolis police department and the easy risk of being �cketed for driving while black.

He was also anxious for us to hear a new song his background singers were recording in one of his four studios on a lower level of the building. It was a new piece of music he wanted to soon release and even the raw version of the song we heard was Prince genius. A�er a thorough listen, he and Graham grabbed their respec�ve axes and hopped on the soundstage for a short jam session. With Valente joining in on drums and the backup singers fresh out of the studio, the group thumped, funked and sca�ed their way through one of Graham’s older tunes, “I Believe in You.” As the thunderous bass line filled the cavernous room and as Prince’s guitar licks blended in perfectly, we in the �ny audience felt like believers, too — in Prince, that is. We always had been.

By Ralph Bristout for revolt.tv

In his first go as an independent ar�st, Frank Ocean added some big points to the scoreboard. A more fi�ng way to put it, while quo�ng a song he wrote, Ocean scored himself a whole lot of Nikes, as in checks.

On Sunday (August 28), Blonde, his sophomore set, landed atop the Billboard 200, giving the singer his first No. 1 with 270,000 units sold.

The release also logged the third-largest debut of 2016, joining the arrivals of Beyoncé’s Lemonade and Drake’s Views. Now, a�er scoring his first chart-topping LP and winning cri�cal acclaim, the album, which was pirated a reported 750,000 �mes, has earned Ocean a cool million.

As Forbes es�mates, Ocean earned $1 million in the week a�er the release of Blonde.

A�er the singer maneuvered out of his Def Jam and Universal Music Group contract by releasing the 45-minute visual album Endless, which fulfilled his contractual obliga�ons, Ocean dropped Blonde on his independent label Boys Don’t Cry. Where most ar�sts under a major label typically earns between $1.50 and $2 per album sold, Ocean, who released the album independently, stands to make $5 to $7.50 per album.

By leaving Def Jam, Ocean likely paid an es�mated $500,000 to make the album out of his pocket. While Apple covered the marke�ng costs and pockets Blonde’s list price ($9.99), the singer came out with an es�mated profit of $1 million. As Billboard points out, with publishing revenue wholly subtracted, Ocean would net a cool $1.77 million from Blonde.

Not a bad way to close out the summer.

Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ Becomes First Ever 30 Times Mul�-Pla�num Album Michael Jackson’s Thriller has become the first album ever to be cer�fied 30 �mes mul�-pla�num for U.S. sales, marking more than 30 million sales in the States.

The Recording Industry Associa�on of America (RIAA) made the announcement Wednesday (Dec. 15) with the Estate of Michael Jackson, Epic Records and Legacy Recordings, as the new milestone con�nues Jackson’s reign as the most selling ar�st of all �me with over 100 million sales for Thriller worldwide and 1 billion total sales to his credit.

Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’: Classic Track-By-Track Review

“RIAA has awarded Gold & Pla�num records on behalf of the music business for nearly 60 years, but this is the first �me an ar�st has crossed the 30X mul�Pla�num plateau,” RIAA chairman and CEO Cary Sherman said in a statement. “We are honored to celebrate the unique status of Thriller in Gold & Pla�num history. What an excep�onal achievement and testament to Thriller’s enduring spot in our hearts and musical history.” chart.

Jackson’s Thriller was released Nov. 30 1982 and spent nearly 2 1/2 years on the Billboard album chart with

37 weeks at No. 1, holding the modern day record. It was also the first album in history to spend its first 80 weeks in the album chart’s top 10, which has only been replicated once since.

The Quincy Jones and Jackson-produced LP was also the first ever cer�fied RIAA 20 �mes mul�-pla�num, doing so a�er 112 weeks on the album chart — less than two years in all. Seven tracks off the album became top 10 singles with three — “Beat It,” “Billie Jean” and “Thriller” — topping the singles chart.

Worldwide, Thriller topped charts in nearly every market, hi�ng No. 1 in the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Australia, Denmark, Belgium, South Africa, Spain, Ireland, New Zealand, Canada and apartheid South Africa. The album won a record-se�ng 8 Grammys with nomina�ons in 12 categories — another first.

“It is crystal clear that Michael Jackson is simply the greatest and biggest ar�st of all �me,” Epic Records chairman and CEO LA Reid said in a statement. “Not only are his charts hits and sales stats staggering, but his pure musicality was other-worldly. Thriller was groundbreaking and electrifying…it was perfec�on. I am extremely proud that Michael is the heart and soul of Epic Records and he will forever remain the oneand-only King of Pop.”

Blank Face Schoolboy Q

T.I. vs T.I.P. T.I.

New Music

The Defini�on Of… Fantasia

Hard II Love Usher

Kiss The Sky Jason Derulo

Blank Face Schoolboy Q

Major Key DJ Khaled

Be�er Hezekiah Walker

I Smile Every Time The Beat Drops!

I Needed Some Chill Time!

Fill This House Shirley Caesar

Black Pearls Will Downing

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‘Cooley High’ Remake For MGM, DeVon Franklin, Common & Tony Krantz’ Cooley High has been set for a remake at MGM with DeVon Franklin, Common and Tony Krantz partnering on the seminal 1975 coming-of-age drama. Seth Rosenfeld will write the script. Set in 1960s Chicago and focused on a group of high school pals with big dreams of ge�ng out of the South Side, Cooley High fell in with a series of terrific comingof-age films that included American Graffi�, The Lords Of Flatbush and The Wanderers.

Beyond that, the original became influen�al in African-American storytelling, in that it told a complex depic�on of life as a black American and didn’t fit the blaxploita�on mold of the �me. The Michael Schultz-directed film cost $750,000 to make and grossed more than $13 million. Lighthearted at �mes, Cooley High also addressed serious topics such as gang violence, masculinity, sexism and the value of educa�on in the black community.

That made it fer�le ground for Franklin, the former Sony exec who has focused on films with upli�ing content; Chicago na�ve Common, who with John Legend shared the Oscar for Best Song for Selma‘s “Glory”; and Krantz, whose father Steve Krantz produced the original film. They felt it a �mely project in light of the racial unrest that has followed several high-profile shoo�ngs throughout the country.

Franklin will produce through his Franklin Entertainment, Common under Freedom Road Produc�ons and Krantz through Flame Ventures. Drew Comins will execu�ve produce for Flame Ventures along with Derek Dudley for Freedom Road. Jonathan Glickman and Adam Rosenberg will oversee the project for MGM, which is coming off the success of Me Before You, which it produced. That pic, starring Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin based on Jojo Moyes’ bestseller, has grossed $172.9M worldwide since Warner Bros released it last month.

Muhammad Ali, “The Greatest” Boxer In History

The former world heavyweight boxing champion died at a hospital near Phoenix, Arizona, according to his family. He had trouble with breathing and was admi�ed to the hospital earlier in the week.

For over 30 years, Ali was ill with Parkinson’s disease. Doctors said it was likely caused by the punches Ali took during his career as a boxer.

Ali was born in Louisville, Kentucky on January 17, 1942. He was given the name Cassius Clay. He learned to box at 12 a�er someone stole his new bicycle. Six years later, Clay won the light heavyweight Olympic gold medal, in 1960.

Fists and words In 1964, Clay said that he would “float like a bu�erfly, s�ng like a bee” to fight world heavyweight champion Sonny Liston.

Before the fight, Clay told reporters that “I am the greatest.” He then shocked the world by bea�ng Sonny Liston to win the first of his three world heavyweight �tles.

The Washington Post sports columnist Mike Wise said "He was probably the first guy, the first athlete in America, to brag about something and back it up. Nobody boasted in those days.”

A�er the fight, Clay, who had joined the Na�on of Islam, said he rejected his “slave name” and changed his name to Muhammad Ali.

FILE - Heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali is escorted from the Armed Forces Examining and Entrance Sta�on in Houston by Lt. Col. J. Edwin McKee, a�er Ali refused Army induc�on, April 28, 1967. Ali died at age 74, June 3, 2016.

Ali started the fight with his words, "I have wrestled with an alligator. I have tussled with a whale, handcuffed lightning, thrown thunder in jail.”

Against the younger and bigger George Foreman, Ali acted like he was �red as Foreman kept throwing punches.

The Post's Wise said that “was one of the most amazing [boxing] strategies -- act like you're �red, let the big guy punch himself out -- and then all of a sudden galvanize yourself and find a way to knock him out in the eighth round. That was s�ll probably the most triumphant moment in boxing history."

FILE - Spray flies from the head of challenger Joe Frazier as heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali connects with a right in the ninth round of their �tle fight in Manila, Philippines, Oct. 1, 1974. Ali has died, his family said, June 3, 2016. He was 74.

In 1975, Ali fought against Frazier in their third and final match, in the Philippines. It was called "The Thrilla in Manila." Ali won a�er surviving 14 rounds.

The athlete re�red from boxing in 1981 with a 56-5 record, including 37 knockouts.

Ali held the world’s a�en�on again at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. The boxer who once "floated like a bu�erfly and stung like a bee" trembled to light the torch.

FILE - President George W. Bush presents the Presiden�al Medal of Freedom to boxer Muhammad Ali in the East Room of the White House, Nov. 9, 2005.

Ali had kept a low profile recently, and had not spoken in public for years. However, he spoke out when presiden�al candidate Donald Trump called for a ban of all Muslims from entering the United States.

He said in a statement, "We as Muslims have to stand up to those who use Islam to advance their own personal agenda."

Don King was a promoter of many of Ali’s fights. With the news of Ali’s death, King said to the Associated Press, “Ali will never die. Like Mar�n Luther King, his spirit will live on. He stood for the world.”

Muhammad Ali with Malcolm X Legendary boxer Muhammad Ali (formerly known as Cassius Clay) was introduced to the Na�on of Islam by black-rights ac�vist Malcolm X. In 1964, Malcolm X embraced mainstream sunni Islam a�er realizing the here�cal nature of the Na�on of Islam cult when he traveled to Makkah to perform the pilgrimage of Hajj. Muhammad Ali sided with the Na�on of Islam’s leader Elijah Muhammad whom he believed to be a messenger of God and fell out with his old friend Malcolm, a move he would later regret.

40 years on, he described the fallout as one of the mistakes he regrets most in his life:

“Turning my back on Malcolm was one of the mistakes that I regret most in my life. I wish I’d been able to tell Malcolm I was sorry, that he was right about so many things. But he was killed before I got the chance. He was a visionary ahead of us all….I might never have become a Muslim if it hadn’t been for Malcolm.

If I could go back and do it over again, I would never have turned my back on him.”

On February 21st, 1965, Malcom X was assassinated by gunmen believed to be from the Na�on of Islam as he was on the verge of exposing the corrup�on of the false prophet Elijah Muhammad. In 1975, Muhammad Ali le� the Na�on of Islam to join the mainstream Islamic faith.

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Makes 2 glasses

2 cups rolled oats 2 cups almond milk 2 frozen bananas, broken into chunks ¼ cup peanut bu�er 8 ice cubes 2 pi�ed dates* dash of cinnamon

Throw everything into the blender and run the damn thing un�l everything looks kinda smooth. Serve that shit immediately.

Sprinkle a dash of cinnamon on top if you’re a classy motherfucker.

*Op�onal but damn delicious, especially if you’re trying to make this more of a dessert.

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Deon Whitt

And Photographer Kenny Graham & Crew

Stir It Up!

CBU chats with Yve�e “Mz. Evie”

CBU: Tell us a li�le about this project, how did this come about?

Evie speaking: This project was definitely straight from the wok of a "Crea�ve S�r Fry". We were all encouraged to push well beyond our comfort levels to create a presenta�on that not only pleases the eye, but also sa�sfies the crea�ve and ar�s�c pale�e. It was extremely important to me that we all work from an empty crea�ve space. Everyone showed up ready to be pushed.

I knew the moment that I saw Dee Whi� that I had to dress him and use Makp Designs to do so! This clothing line is geared towards women's wear but Marcel Kosmider (designer) was up for the challenge and brought us outstanding pieces.

When I approached Dee Whi� about shoo�ng outside of the muscular/hard body image, he was all for it! Kenny Graham is the visionary mastermind that pulled this all off and April Turpin is the ar�ste that has the gi� of showcasing her talent while s�ll embodying all of our ideas for the overall shoot concept.

Chic Deon what was different about this shoot for you.

Deon speaking: I was definitely looking to do more editorial work. I wanted to push/ challenge myself in a genre that I was told I couldn't do because I was too muscular. I wanted to add more depth in my modeling and working with The Squad, which comprised of Kenny Graham (Photographer), Yve�e Torres (Stylist), Marcel Kosminder (Clothing Designer/MAKP Designs) and April Turpin (Makeup Ar�st) made it possible.

It was definitely fate that brought us together and I'm eternally grateful. Marcel Kosminder' s designs were Sensa�onal. His clothing fit me like a glove. It was as if he designed them perfectly for my body type. Together with Yve�e's amazing "styling eyes", April's extreme/editorial makeup and Kenny's "encouraging" direc�on I think we HIT IT OUT THE PARK. They all have such crea�ve minds and know what they want.

They love pushing the envelope (just like I do) and are not afraid to try new things. I'm glad they sought me out because "We Created Magic".

Chicago Brothers: Tell us a li�le about this project, how did this come about?

Evie speaking: This project was definitely straight from the wok of a "Crea�ve S�r Fry". We were all encouraged to push well beyond our comfort levels to create a presenta�on that not only pleases the eye, but also sa�sfies the crea�ve and ar�s�c pale�e. It was extremely important to me that we all work from an empty crea�ve space. Everyone showed up ready to be pushed. I knew the moment that I saw Dee Whi� that I had to dress him and use Makp Designs to do so! This clothing line is geared towards women's wear but Marcel Kosmider (designer) was up for the challenge and brought us outstanding pieces.

When I approached Dee Whi� about shoo�ng outside of the muscular/hard body image, he was all for it! Kenny Graham is the visionary mastermind that pulled this all off and April Turpin is the ar�ste that has the gi� of showcasing her talent while s�ll embodying all of our ideas for the overall shoot concept.

BEST NON-BENCH CHEST EXERCISES

By Ryan Rodal for muscleandfitness.com

Get off the bench and give these moves a try to bust out bigger pecs.

Just because it’s chest day doesn’t mean you're relegated to park your backside on a bench for your session. While the bench is a valuable tool for overall chest strength, it can place excess stress on the delts, which can be tough for those with injured shoulders. For pure pec muscle growth, there are several exercises that will get you off the bench and on your way to chest growth in PECtacular fashion.

Try mixing it up by performing these 8 exercises to hit the chest from all different angles.

Once you begin incorpora�ng these movements into your chest workout, you’ll be no�cing a thicker, fuller, more developed chest in no �me flat.

CABLE CROSSOVERS The beauty of cable crossovers is the different varia�ons you can use to hammer the chest muscles from a variety of angles. Place the cables in upright posi�on to focus on upper chest development or place them near the ground for lower chest development.

The difference between a crossover and a standard fly is the end of the movement. For the cable crossover, bring the arms towards each other forming an “X” shape at the end of each rep to s�mulate the inner pectoral por�on of the chest.

LANDMINE PRESS The landmine press is a simple yet innova�ve movement designed to mainly target the upper por�on of the chest muscles. To setup this exercise, place a standard Olympic barbell in the corner or on a landmine a�achment while adding the appropriate amount of weight to the opposite end of the bar. Grab the weighted end with one hand and from a standing posi�on, push the bar upwards. This will place extra emphasis on growing the upper por�on of the chest.

PUSHUP Perhaps the most basic bodyweight exercise around, the pushup is used as a standard marker for overall fitness among military and school children alike. Mix it up by performing the pushup off a medicine ball or elevate your legs by placing feet on steps to hit different por�ons of the chest. Start with your arms just slightly wider than shoulder width and go downwards un�l your triceps are parallel to the ground.

DIPS Dips are basic, yet highly effec�ve. Find the nearest dip sta�on and grip the equipment with both hands slightly further apart than the conven�onal triceps dip. Concentrate on �l�ng your body downwards as opposed to upright to fully engage the chest muscles. All por�ons of the pec will be ac�vated when performing this pec-targe�ed exercise.

FLOOR PRESS If your bench press has hit a plateau, the floor press is a sure fire way to completely break that barrier down. Simply lie with your back on the floor and get underneath the bar to perform the pressing movement in the same manner as a conven�onal bench press. The main difference here will be that the repe��on ends once the triceps hit the floor. The floor press will aide tremendously in improving the lockout por�on of the press if it’s a weak point.

BOSU PUSH UP Much like the standard pushup, the BOSU varia�on is a great finisher that burns out the pectoral muscles while simultaneously engaging various regions of the core. Place your hands on the sides of a BOSU ball and slowly lower your body towards the base in a 4 second count before bringing it back up again in a slow and controlled manner. This unique varia�on is a solid way to work the abdominals while improving stability and overall func�onality.

SVEND PUSH The Svend Press is a unique movement as it involves the use of a plate but no barbell. From a standing posi�on, hold a 45 pound plate (or two 25 pound plates for a greater range of mo�on) at chest level and begin pushing the weight outwards using two hands, while simultaneously squeezing the chest muscles. Slowly return the weight back to your chest and repeat movement. This form of the press will place extra focus on crea�ng defini�on in the inner por�on of the pec muscles.

PEC FLY MACHINE One of the oldest yet most effec�ve chest machines in gyms across the world is the pec fly machine. Use this as an accessory movement to really focus on hi�ng the pec muscles from all angles.

While performing this pec varia�on try not to go too heavy and, instead, focus on making that ever so important mind/muscle connec�on. Squeeze at the center of the movement to really ac�vate the inner por�on of the chest. For a different move, you can try using one arm at a �me for a unilateral pec fly varia�on.

Read A Book: Questlove’s ‘Something To Food About’ To Feature The World’s Best Chefs Art by Reed Barrow

Questlove has formally announced his third book, a passionate love le�er to food and the modern chefs who insist on pushing the culinary envelope. Something To Food About: Exploring Crea�vity with Innova�ve Chefs will be a 240 page journey into the inner lives of the most crea�ve figures in today’s food culture and emphasize their dedica�on and ar�stry.

Word of the new food book was teased by the drummer on his late last month, but now that the formal announcement has arrived, we have a much clearer picture of what to expect when it finally arrives on April 12th, 2016. Structurally, the book is a compendium of conversa�ons between Quest and chefs including Daniel Humm, Dominique Crenn, Ludo Lefebvre, Nathan Myhrvold, Donald Link and many more. Questlove made today’s big announcement through his Instagram account, and explained his mo�va�ons for the new endeavor:

This was a journey (a fun tasty one at that) into the lives of Culinary Crea�ves. When I took my journey to Japan to eat #Jiro’s sushi I was shocked that he referenced himself as an Ar�st. Not a chef. I was thrown for a loop but it made total sense to me. I was willing to shell out good money and travel at a moments no�ce more than 21 hours for 18 pieces of sushi. Soon a�er I never looked at food’s role in our lives the same.

“Can Food be Art? Can Art Be Food?” he went on to ask, stressing that the answer lies in the lens(es) you look through. And how about that cover? The image is the work of Reed Barrow, styled a�er Guiseppe Arcimboldo.

Questlove describes the ar�st as “was a 16th century Italian painter who made portraits of people in the mannerist style out of fruits, vegetables, fish, books and other novelty objects.”

Something To Food About (#STFA, for short) is already available for pre-order; set your own early copy aside over at Amazon.

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7 Black Business And Tech Professionals Who Are Changing The Game

Welcome to the future.

By Zebay Blay For Voices Culture Writer, The HuďŹƒngton Post

Honoring seven black men and women in the business and tech world who are innovating and changing the game.

We hope you admire their activism.

Porter Braswell and Ryan Williams Co-founders of Jopwell

Porter Baswell and Ryan Williams are two business professionals who made the incredibly bold move of leaving jobs on Wall Street to start a company that has the poten�al to change diversity in the corporate world. Their pla�orm, Jopwell, has partnered with some of the most successful companies in the country to help people of color find compe��ve jobs and internships in the corporate world.

The recruitment program, which launched in 2014, has helped thousands of minori�es find employment in a wide-range of industries. “By crea�ng new opportuni�es for black professional empowerment,” the founders of Jopwell explain, “We’re working to defeat some of the longeststanding impediments to advancement.”

3. Christopher Gray Founder of Scholly

You may recognize Christopher Gray — he famously prompted a passionate bidding war on an episode of “Shark Tank,” where he pitched his brilliant idea for an app, Scholly. The app is an easy-to-use, comprehensive tool that helps students find scholarships for college and grad school with the click of a bu�on. To date, the app has helped hundreds of thousands of students find over $15 million in scholarship money.

The impact his app has had not only in the business world but specifically within the black community is not lost on Gray. “Access to a college educa�on is important for everyone, but to the black community it means even more,” the entrepreneur says.

“The reason why a lot of low income black students can’t a�end or at �mes complete college is because of a lack of financial aid...That’s why I created Scholly. I wanted to help my people be able to get access to the educa�on they worked hard for and deserve.”

4. Asmau Ahmed CEO, Founder Of Plum Perfect Asmau Ahmed is a beauty genius.

The tech entrepreneur launched an amazing app for makeup lovers called Plum Perfect last year. The app allows users to find their perfect makeup color matches, and provides personalized and comprehensive makeup tutorials for users. In a beauty landscape that o�en ignores the nuances in shades and undertones in different skin colors, par�cularly those of women of color, Plum Perfect is a much-needed breath of fresh air. “In my current role,” Ahmed told HuffPost, “I get the opportunity to change what people think the CEO and engineer of a venture-backed tech company should look like.”

But beyond that, the businesswoman recognizes that black people are “at risk of suffering from a tech divide.”

She believes that because the tech industry does not reflect real-world diversity, “products typically aren’t inclusive of our needs.” Brilliantly, in addi�on to providing a useful and innova�ve service for all makeup lovers, her app is helping to adresss that. “Building a tech business that is relevant to every racial group, yet puts the spotlight on our needs as black people, helps to close the divide.”

5. Angela Benton CEO of NewMe Angela Benton’s company NewMe is built around paying it forward.

Founded in 2011, NewMe is an online pla�orm designed to help minori�es in the tech industry.

Through its “residen�al ‘boot-camp’ accelerators and equity por�olio,” the pla�orm has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs build successful companies.

“We take people who have ideas and plug them in to what they need to make it a real business,” Benton told theGrio in 2014. “So if you’ve ever had an idea and aren’t sure where to start, whether it’s how to raise money, how to get something launched, or don’t know where to begin, we essen�ally have a pla�orm of different products and services that we plug entrepreneurs in to.” The company has raised well over $21 million since its launch, and has helped hundreds of tech entrepreneurs. In a field that so o�en excludes black people, Benton is making an impact by not only helping those in the community, but also changing the conversa�on.

6. Dr. Hadiyah-Nicole Green Physicist Dr. Hadiyah-Nicole Green is one of less than 100 black female physicists in the en�re United States. But in a medical field where black women are so underrepresented, Green has managed not only to shine but to make a major impact in the world of cancer research. In January, the 34-year-old assistant professor at Tuskegee University was the recipient of a $1.1 million grant to help aid her in developing a gamechanging cancer treatment that uses laser technology to target the disease.

Green was inspired to find a cure for cancer a�er experiencing the effects of cancer first-hand, a�er the death of her aunt. Her work could result in saving countless lives. For Green, the inspira�on behind her research is also �ed to what it means to be a black woman. “Being black means that I can tap into a source of crea�ve genius,” Green told The Huffington Post. “[I can] stand upon the shoulders of those who came before me, and serve as an answer to the prayers of our ancestors.”

7. Charles D. King Founder & CEO of MACRO For Charles D. King, being black means being “a part of a tremendous legacy.” The founder and CEO of the media company MACRO has made it his mission to help facilitate the crea�on of film, television and digital content for AfricanAmerican, La�no and other consumers of color. Through MACRO, King is finding interes�ng and innova�ve ways to address the much-debated topic of diversity and inclusion within mainstream culture, par�cularly that of entertainment.

“My mission for MACRO is to shape culture by advancing the cause of racial and gender equity,” King told The Huffington Post. “Our belief is that if you change the way one person sees what is possible, you can change that one person’s life. Change the way a group of people sees what is possible; and you can change the world.”

Whitney

Academy Award-Winner Kevin Macdonald To Direct Official Whitney Houston Documentary, The Defini�ve Story Of The Global Superstar LONDON – Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Kevin Macdonald (MARLEY, TOUCHING THE VOID, ONE DAY IN SEPTEMBER) and Academy Award®winning producer Simon Chinn (MAN ON WIRE, SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN) and his Lightbox Media partner Jonathan Chinn (FANTASTIC LIES, AMERICAN HIGH) have partnered with mul�-Emmy award nominated producer Lisa Erspamer (RUNNING FROM CRAZY) on the official Whitney Houston documentary, a revealing theatrical feature documentary about the life and genius of global superstar Whitney Houston.

Al�tude Film Sales is introducing the project to buyers at Cannes with UK rights acquired by Al�tude Film Distribu�on. Will Clarke, Andy Mayson and Mike Runagall will execu�ve produce.

While this is the first documentary to be officially authorized by the estate since Whitney’s death, Kevin Macdonald and the producers have been given the estate’s blessing to tell the unvarnished and authen�c story of the singer’s life in a film that will examine both the highs and lows of her drama�c career.

Kevin Macdonald will also be interviewing Clive Davis, founder and president of Arista Records, currently chief crea�ve officer of Sony Music Entertainment and who is universally acknowledged for bringing Whitney Houston to prominence.

O�en referred to simply as ‘The Voice’, Whitney Houston was a singular talent, blessed with an extraordinary vocal range and incredible technical skill. As one of music’s biggest selling ar�sts ever, she broke more records than any other female singer in the history of pop music.

With over 200 million album sales worldwide, and remaining the only ar�st to chart seven consecu�ve US No. 1’s, Whitney Houston became the voice of a

genera�on. Coming from an esteemed lineage of singers, Whitney was des�ned to be plucked from her gospel-singing roots to rule the world stage.

She inspired a genera�on of singers from Mariah Carey and Lady Gaga to Beyoncé and her unforge�able performance of ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ moved the na�on.

But all these achievements have become overshadowed by a story of addic�on and selfdestruc�on. With unprecedented access to friends, family and collaborators – some of whom have never told their side of the story, Kevin Macdonald’s feature documentary will for the first �me tell the complete story of Whitney Houston’s life and work from the point of view of those who knew her best. The film will reveal a woman who was both blessed and cursed with perhaps the greatest natural ability of any pop star in history.

Filmmaker Kevin Macdonald says, “The story that is never told about Whitney is just how brilliant she was as an ar�st; by many measures she had the greatest voice of the last 50 years. She changed the way pop music was sung – bringing it back full circle to its blues and gospel roots. She was also completely unique in being a black pop star who transcended her race globally with her work sold in countries where black ar�sts don’t sell.

“We have access to never-before-seen footage of Whitney that charts her whole life from her beginnings singing in her Church’s gospel choir, to the day of her tragic death at the age of 48 and three decades of her music including exclusive demo recordings, rare performances and audio archive. Although we won’t shy away from the darker parts of Whitney’s life – her descent into addic�on – I want audiences to walk out of the cinema and feel posi�ve about Whitney and her music. I want to reveal a woman that even her most die-hard fans never knew; and a woman those new to her life and music will never forget.”

Milestone Chrise�e Michele

In Search of Be�er Days Incognito

Oh Shit! That’s My Jam!

Just You And Your Beats!

Everybody Looking Gucci Mane

Rhythm and Romance Kim Waters

'Shark Tank' investor

Daymond John

shares his top 7 tips for a successful product launch

1. Know what your customers will want.

2. Directly involve your target customer in the crea�on of your product.

3. Build a vocal community around your product ahead of launch.

4. Gather as much feedback on your product as you can. Then gather some more.

5. Cross-promote your product with power players.

6. Get your product on local retailers’ shelves first.

7. Don't forget to say "thank you."

Daymond John in�mately knows the power of broke. A�er three failed a�empts, the "Shark Tank" star launched his first business with just $40 and a hope and a prayer.

Of course, scoring an endorsement from LL Cool J didn’t hurt either. Not long a�er the rap legend began wearing John’s hand-sewn clothing line, FUBU ("For Us By Us") blew up in the mainstream.

The serial entrepreneur, who started young selling pencils he customized with people’s names in grade school, has since launched and invested in dozens of product-based businesses.

The Queens, N.Y., na�ve’s latest product is a book �tled "The Power of Broke: How Empty Pockets, a Tight Budget, and a Hunger for Success Can Become Your Greatest Compe��ve Advantage" (Crown Business, 2016). In it, he shares the secrets to making something from nothing and how to build a business "from broke," like he successfully did.

We called the mul�-millionaire fashion mogul to glean his �ps on how to promote your product like a shark. Here are his top seven:

1. Know what your customers will want.

Your first step when launching a new product is to think backwards, John says. Brainstorm on ways you can make the product something your target customers would want to buy in the first place.

"Like I did with FUBU, we created a product for people who understood us and who were just like us, people who love rap music and who love rap culture," he says. Envision your ideal buyers — what they generally like and dislike, what pains they have that need to be eased — then build your ini�al product concept in a way that will "speak to them and solve their problems."

2. Directly involve your target customer in the crea�on of your product.

"You don’t build it and they will come," John says. "You have your target customer be an integral part of your en�re launch, from concept and beyond." For example, when he came up with the ini�al idea for his latest book, he polled his followers on Twi�er and other social media pla�orms on what color they’d like the book cover to be and which topics they’d like to see broached in individual chapters.

"I gave them choices so they felt part of the launch process, rallying them around the product and driving up the likelihood that they’d actually want it," he says.

3. Build a vocal community around your product ahead of launch.

Brand ambassador community-building is key long before you unveil your product, John says. Like he says he did with The Power of Broke, if possible, send out early versions of your product to poten�al brand ambassadors.

Ideally, these are influencers on social media with large follower counts who can amplify news of your coming launch. The end game is to preemp�vely build brand loyalty through early advocates.

John successfully pulled this technique off long before social media came on the scene, right in the heart of his stomping grounds in Queens.

"Before FUBU got to the LL Cool Js of the world, before we became official and before social media got big, I made sure all the coolest kids in my neighborhood who everyone respected had my stuff on," he says.

"They took a bullhorn and talked it up in the rap community, which then influenced the influencers and maximized our reach — from neighborhood to city to world."

4. Gather as much feedback on your product as you can. Then gather some more.

To convince brand ambassadors to get behind your product and promote it as if it were their own, John suggests collec�ng their first impressions and making any necessary tweaks before you launch. "To get people who will truly love your product and spread the word, make them proud of it and make sure you don’t embarrass them by pu�ng something out there that isn’t 100%," he says.

You'll also want to ask the brand ambassadors you recruit what they do and don’t like about your product. What would they like to see improved and why? "Pay a�en�on to what they say because it’s cri�cal to your product’s success," John says.

5. Cross-promote your product with power players.

O.P.M. doesn’t just mean other people’s money, John says. "It can also be other people’s momentum, other people’s mind power, other people’s marke�ng and other people’s manpower."

You should strategically latch onto all these things when releasing a product via cross-promo�onal power players in the industry you sell within.

For example, John tapped marke�ng pro and Entrepreneur contribu�ng writer Jeffrey Hayzle� to cross-market his new book when it launched. "I say cross-market because this is where it really goes both ways," he says. "I promote Jeffrey and then he promotes me, on his Twi�er on his podcast — wherever is going to make the highest impact. I borrow his audience where they live and the same goes for him.

We’re in a mutually beneficial rela�onship. My book is being moved and he’s passing value on down to his readers and listeners.”

6. Get your product on local retailers’ shelves first.

Think locally, aim globally. The reality, John says, is that small mom-and-pop shops will promote your product far more than a larger, big-box retailer would.

"Neighborhood bou�ques and small, local retail shops are the fabric of communi�es," he says.

"Important conversa�ons happen there. The owners typically have trust with the neighbors who shop there and their endorsement of your product goes far.”

If your wares become successful from ini�al small-store sales and the buzz echoes loud enough, the big retailers will eventually come knocking. "They’ll see that they don’t have to risk too much because they’ll see and know that your product is working and they’ll want to back it as well," he says.

7. Don't forget to say "thank you."

The final step in promo�ng your new product is to do something your mom taught you to do: express your gra�tude by saying thank you genuinely and o�en. "Once people are part of your brand tribe, show them you’re thankful for their purchase, then show them you mean it," John says. One way John did this with his FUBU customers was to send them free products when they’d bought a certain amount of items.

More recently, with his newest book, John personally thanks people who buy the business how-to at his book-signings. "I look them in the eye, connect with them and say ‘Thank you.’ They then snap a picture and spread the moment on social media," he says. "They’re going to remember me over the person who just took their money and said an empty ‘thank you.’ At the end of the day, the reward is loyalty.”

BE Modern Man

is an integra�ve program that honors the essence, image and accomplishments of today’s man of color.

With features of today’s leaders, execu�ves, crea�ves, students, poli�cians, entrepreneurs, professionals and agents of change – these men share the common thread of crea�ng a new normal while se�ng the bar in tech, art, philanthropy, business and beyond. The BE Modern Man is making a posi�ve impact, his way, and has a story to tell.

Along with exclusive content and news touching on the triumphs, challenges and successes specific to men of color, we’re presen�ng: BE Modern Man 100 Features: showcasing 100 diverse men of color (African American, Afro La�no, African, West Indian, Indian, Indian-Asian, etc.) who have done or are doing excep�onal work within their communi�es, within their respec�ve industries and/or globally.

Our Perspec�ve: we’re broadening the spectrum in which men of color are represented and providing a pla�orm for their honest and posi�ve first-hand stories & essays.

BE Modern Man Spotlights: we’re shining the light on the BE Modern Man behind the companies, movements and industries that impact our lives and shape the world.

BE Modern Man Noms: user submi�ed stories about their everyday BE Modern Man The goal of this curated collec�ve is to globally shi� the standard narra�ve regarding men of color and project the posi�ve percep�on that is a common reality to those within the BE community and throughout the world.

BE Modern Man

inten�onally reinforces the no�on: IT’S OUR NORMAL TO BE EXTRAORDINARY. Meet the BE Modern Man. Read their extraordinary stories. Follow and join the conversa�on with �#‎BEModernMan�!

Lofty Living

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Mar vel’s ‘Black Panther’ may become the biggest and blackest blockbuster of all time

The big screen debut of comic book character Black Panther played by Chadwick Boseman in Marvel’s latest hit Captain America: Civil War, already has us excited for his solo film. However, our geekdom has reached an all-�me high a�er learning that Academy Award-winner Lupita Nyong’o may be a possible cast member and that now Michael B. Jordan will join the roster of actors in the comic book movie.

While it is unclear what character Jordan will be playing in the movie, this cas�ng marks a reunion for Jordan with Creed director Ryan Coogler.

Jordan will be joining Chadwick Boseman, who is playing the �tular character, and Nyong’o is reportedly in nego�a�ons to star alongside Boseman, possibly as a love interest.

first black mainstream comic book superhero when he was created in 1966. The comic book character pre-dates the Black Panther Party by months and the fact that the two share a name is coincidental.

The character’s alter-ego is an African king named T’Challa who rules the fic��ous na�on of Wakaanda, which is also supposed to be one of the world’s most technologically advanced in the Marvel Universe. He was even married to the XMen leader Storm at one point.

The film studio’s comic book publishing counterpart also seems to want to provide real authen�city to the character’s portrayal in its pages. African-American social commentator and cri�cally acclaimed author of Between the World and Me Ta-Nehisi Coates currently penning the

new Black Panther comic book run.

The character of Black Panther, a prince named

T’Challa from a fic�onal African na�on called Wakanda. The fic�onal prince will face challenges in While the main cast is panning out to be majority black, Lord of the Rings star Andy Serkis is also his home country in the upcoming movie as he rises rumored to have a big role as the lead villain. Given to the throne following his father’s death.

Marvel’s track record at the box office, it’s very

likely that Black Panther will become the biggest Black Panther will be Marvel’s first film featuring a black superhero as the �tle character. The film studio and blackest blockbuster movie of all-�me.

Unfortunately we’ll all have to wait un�l the movie seems to understand the historical significance of is released on Feb. 16, 2018 to find out. the character. The Black Panther was perhaps the

3 Grip Mistakes Undermining Your Bench Press, Deadlift and Lat Pulldowns From: www.stack.com

The stronger the grip, the stronger the man (or woman). Grip strength is one of the most overlooked aspects of training, yet it's far more more important than people realize.

Numerous studies have found that grip strength is a powerful indicator of one's overall health. And several top strength and condi�oning coaches use grip tests to analyze an athlete's recovery speed when coming back from an injury.

When you are li�ing, your grip can enhance—or ruin—your ability to perform an exercise.

Slight tweaks to the posi�oning of your hand, wrist angle or thumb can drama�cally affect your movement during an exercise, and the weight you can use during it.

In my own training, I've see a lot of exercise grip mistakes, but three seem the most common. The good news is that they are all pre�y easy to fix, and that correc�ng them will pay huge dividends. Don't let your own hands be the thing that holds you back. Fix these three issues today.

Grip Mistake #1: Limp Wrists on the Bench

Limp-wristed benching is by far the most common exercise grip mistake I see, and I see it when people perform Barbell or Dumbbell Bench Press. You've probably seen this issue—maybe you even own it. I know I did for years. The limp wrist is pictured on the le� side in the photo below:

Li�ers with this issue make the mistake of le�ng their palms face up rather than their knuckles. Why? Lack of wrist stability and grip strength are the primary reasons. But it could be that the person just never learned the right way. Or maybe they have, but they're having a tough �me breaking a bad habit.

To fix this, focus on keeping your wrists neutral and your knuckles poin�ng straight up toward the ceiling. I use the cue, "Punch it up," when coaching the Bench Press, and I mean exactly that. Each rep should move like a jab—quick, powerful and precise. You wouldn't want to land a punch with the inside of your wrist. You want your knuckles facing the target. The same is true with your Bench Press.

Punch the weight up, leading with your knuckles.

I've seen clients add as much as 15 pounds to their Bench Press max simply by fixing this simple grip mistake. If you're benching with limp wrists, try this out immediately.

Grip Mistake #2: Using Only a Mixed Grip on Deadli�s

A mixed grip on the Deadli�—one hand with an overhand grip, he other underhand—is common prac�ce, and though it's not necessarily harmful, it can be. Using a mixed grip every �me you deadli� can lead you to develop imbalances throughout your body. How? The side using the underhand grip tends to have a slight forward lean. That causes a subtle but very real twis�ng mo�on in your body. That twis�ng increases the shear forces on your spine, which is never a good thing—especially when you have a he�y load on the bar, as people o�en do when they deadli�.

Another imbalance that may occur is in the biceps. The underhand side uses way more bicep than the overhand side.

The mixed grip is not "wrong" or "bad" per se, but I believe that the hook grip—in which you encase your thumb between the bar and your first two to three fingers—is the best one to use when performing Deadli�s. For many, this will feel uncomfortable, and for some, it's just not possible. But give it a try. You'll likely find that you can li� more weight, and do so more securely, with the hook grip. The double-overhand grip is a good way to start working toward the hook grip.

If you decide to s�ck with the mixed grip, at least you should alternate the overhand/underhand sides with every set.

Grip Mistake #3: Closed Thumb on Lat Pulldowns

If you grip the bar with closed thumbs during Lat Pulldowns, you might be limi�ng the involvement of the muscle you're trying to work, your lats.

While this may seem contradictory, to be�er engage you back muscles during this exercise, you should remove your thumbs from the equa�on. Doing so places more of the work of moving the load onto your lats and surrounding back muscles, rather than your arms.

Many people struggle with the Lat Pulldown because their arms fa�gue before their back muscles do.

When this happens, you end a set with minimal s�mulus of the targeted muscle, since the closed grip engages the musculature of your lower arms. Instead, let your thumb be free. This allows you to disengage your forearms and biceps, pulling the weight down with your lats primarily. The first pull in the exercise should be ini�ated from your back.

Make these three tweaks to your training and you'll no�ce almost immediate benefits.

S

NEW YORK ean “Diddy” Combs is on the way. You know Combs: the suave guy in Ciroc vodka

ads, the hip-hop impresario once known as Puffy, Puff Daddy and P. Diddy — the rapper who rarely performs anymore, the mul�million dollar man. He’s in the car, and that car is grinding through traffic on the way to his office, which sits on the third floor of a Garment District high-rise. He has arrived at the building. He is almost here.

Combs is a mogul, and like all moguls he has a team that tracks him with GPS precision. He also has a history of being late, which feeds stereotypes about selfimportance but is mostly just frustra�ng. And so, like an airline giving regular updates on a delayed flight, Combs Enterprises marks their man’s progress.

Above: Sean Combs in his Manha�an office at Sean Combs Enterprises in March. (John Midgely for The Washington Post) When Combs arrives, he is apologe�c, and he is dressed in black: jeans, T-shirt and a long-sleeve, pock-marked shirt. He is accessorized with gold medallions. He is broadshouldered and tall. At 46, he has a lean, unlined face that, when not in mo�on, seems to rest in judgment. Yeah, he shrugs. That inscrutable mien, it throws people.

But today, he is highly emo�ve. There is a lot going on. He is planning a reunion concert of his music company’s hitmakers. He has just announced that he was the organizer behind a charter school opening this fall in the Harlem neighborhood where he was born. He has also just launched a girls clothing line. A�er interrup�ng one conversa�on because he is summoned to take a call — only to return and then leave again — he finally collapses theatrically onto a cream-colored sec�onal in the lounge that abuts his office and curls into a near fetal posi�on. This room, with its television and sound system, recalls a VIP cave in a very posh club. It is black and white and glossy all over.

Combs Enterprises is home to not only Bad Boy Entertainment — the music business that begat a vodka brand and a cable network and a marke�ng firm, a line of fancy bo�led water and a philanthropic founda�on — but also the project that is arguably his most impressive: Sean John, Combs’s full-throated, built-from-the-ground-up fashion venture.

Eighteen years a�er its launch drew eye rolls from the fashion establishment, Sean John is racking up more than $400 million in annual sales. It is sold in every major market across the country. And even while the brand has become a mainstream staple at Macy’s, Rihanna has anointed Sean John with newfound cool, stru�ng around town in one of its original pink velour tracksuits and a Dior handbag.

With Sean John, Combs wasn’t just another celebrity looking to extend his brand with a piece of the garment trade. He wanted to create fashion — and change the face of the fashion industry. He did. This is his due.

From le� to right: Black fur with black leather workout pants in 2000. (Mark Finkenstaedt/for The Washington Post); Combs, seen here direc�ng a model backstage in February 2001, mounted elaborate runway shows filled with sex appeal and buzz. (Robert Mecea/AP)

The famous Times Square billboard for Sean John, starring Combs himself, photographed in 2004. (Sco� Gries/Ge�y Images)

Launched in 1998 at a Las Vegas trade show, the privately held Sean John

emerged as hip-hop was s�ll maturing as both a culture and a business.

The company dis�nguished itself with its audacity, which included a Times Square billboard starring Combs himself in one of its signature warm-up jackets, his fist thrust into the air like John Carlos and Tommie Smith at the 1968 Olympics.

Sean John was not the first clothing company to reflect a hip-hop — or street or urban or black — aesthe�c, and it wasn’t the only success story to emerge. But it had a par�cularly luxurious point of view, a mass-market goal and ac�vist undertones.

Today, Sean John is a staple of middle-class America, its sportswear sold exclusively through Macy’s and carried in 400 of the chain’s 600 stores, according to Jeff Genne�e, president of Macy’s.

But it’s the brand’s aesthe�c that, in hindsight, seems truly prescient. Its impact is visible from Paris to suburban cul-de-sacs. It is there in hoodies and track pants, luxury coveralls and oversize fur-trimmed parkas. It’s in Vetements and Balenciaga, Fenty and Yeezy.

Combs planted these seeds by injec�ng fashion with his personal point of view, which also happened to be an aspira�onal aesthe�c favored by a rising, mul�cultural genera�on. He cra�ed buzz with diamonds and furs, while he pitched oversize T-shirts and trousers to the neighborhood folks shopping Herald Square, State Street and countless suburban malls.

“We wanted to give them fashion that represents them. We wanted to give them extremely mul�cultural and diverse fashion,” Combs says. “We brought them fashion-tainment.”

In the days before social media democra�zed fashion — or gave the illusion of democracy — Combs studied the ways of the fashion industry, played by its rules and claimed victory.

From le� to right: Tyson Beckford wears fashion from Sean John’s 2008 Runway Fashion Show in New York City. (Dan & Corina Lecca/Courtesy Sean Combs Enterprises); Jussie Smolle� models Sean John’s 2016 Fall Men’s clothing. (Courtesy Sean Combs Enterprises)

“When I think about the whole journey, it truly was a fashion revolu�on

from how things were then and to see the impact we had on style,” Combs says. “Hip-hop fashion is now dominant.

“I got a message from Kanye West the other day: ‘Look, you’re all over my mood board!’ When I’d do a collec�on, I’d do a mood board and put everyone who inspired me on my board” — Ralph Lauren and Tom Ford’s Gucci, in par�cular, he says. “And now I’m on other people’s mood board.

It’s humbling.”

Sean John celebrated high-maintenance masculinity when fashion was emerging from a decade of grunge, blue-collar chic and Hush Puppies.

Combs’s street-meets-boardroom sensibility reflected his self-styled persona as a modern-day Frank Sinatra by way of Harlem. He cra�ed an aura of wealth and power around the brand, but he also infused it was a whiff of danger and a lot of sex appeal.

“The one thing with men’s fashion, you had to do something else with it. It’s boring. You have to give people something else to look at,” says Teri Agins, author of “Hijacking the Runway: How Celebri�es are Stealing the Spotlight from Fashion Designers.” Combs “had showmanship. He understood he needed to create excitement and buzz.”

Combs mounted million-dollar runway produc�ons, wooing his guests with a soundtrack of fizzing champagne, the gentle swish of fur against the muscular chests of black and brown men, and the throbbing bass of postshow par�es. Models Tyson Beckford and Channing Tatum, pre-“Magic Mike,” padded down his runways, one of which was carpeted in fur and lit with chandeliers.

The shows not only a�racted fashion’s top editors, but also Mary J. Blige, Alec Baldwin, Busta Rhymes and even Johnnie Cochran.

Combs didn’t go to design school, but he was a student of fashion. “Tommy

Hilfiger was my mentor coming up. He gave me all the informa�on I needed,” says Combs, who once walked in a Hilfiger show. “Tommy Hilfiger is one of the biggest supporters of diversity. He was the first to embrace it and not shy away from that consumer.”

Combs’s first hire was Jeffrey Tweedy, now company president. Tailored and polished, Tweedy talks fast and smooth. Instead of coffee, he offers a mimosa or a glass of champagne mid-workday. Tweedy grew up in the District, beginning his fashion career in the stockroom at Britches in Georgetown. Later, he worked at Neiman Marcus at Mazza Gallerie. “I met Ralph Lauren coming down the escalator,” Tweedy says. A�erward, whenever he’d read that Lauren had received an award, “I’d follow up and send him notes. You know who got all the notes? The assistant. So one day, I got up enough nerve to call and she put me through. I was 18, 19 years old. He gets on the phone. I told him I was the black gentleman you met.

Combs tapped his own daughters to model his Sean John Summer Spring 2016 Collec�on for Girls. (Courtesy Sean Combs Enterprises)

“I always said that. Never ‘black guy’ or ‘black boy.’ Just ‘black gentleman.’”

Combs also signed on with Paul Wilmot, a fashion publicist who had worked with Calvin Klein and who had deep roots in the industry.

Combs tapped his own daughters to model his Sean John Summer Spring 2016 Collec�on for Girls.

(Courtesy Sean Combs Enterprises)

Top & bo�om: Combs, center, with Tommy Hilfiger, le�, and Calvin Klein at the opening of a Sean John store on New York’s Fi�h Avenue in 2004. (AP Photo/Tina Fineberg); Combs celebrates his Menswear Designer of the Year award with Zac Posen, another winner at the 2004 Council for Fashion Designers of America Fashion Awards. (AP Photo/Stuart Ramson);

“He told us, ‘You need to go to fashion shows.’ We started going to shows two years out,” Tweedy says. Si�ng in the front row, Combs took note of the pecking order. He saw what moved audiences.

Sean John had its official New York debut in 1999, not with a show but with a cocktail party at Bloomingdale’s Lexington Avenue flagship. Combs arrived surrounded by security and television cameras, and under the wing of the store’s fashion director, the late Kal Ru�enstein, who was wearing a Sean John T-shirt.

“It was complete, wonderful Bloomingdale’s havoc,” says Stephanie Solomon, who worked alongside Ru�enstein for 22 years.

“Kal understood fashion and what was going on in pop culture. He embraced it immediately,” says Solomon, who is now fashion director at Lord & Taylor.

“No one else had the guts to explore that then. . . . At that �me, we were all snobs.”

Sean John wasn’t simply seen as sportswear. It was part of a new department-store classifica�on.

“Urban. I was always insulted by the word,” Combs says. “I would get insulted when they put us into [that] classifica�on, because they didn’t do that with other designers. . . . That ‘street, hip-hop s—.’ That’s what was said behind closed doors.”

Hip-hop was niche. It was dangerous. Who knew what sort of customers it could a�ract?

“We had pushback from buyers, from everybody,” Solomon says. “But Kal was such a strong force that he just bulldozed it through.”

The brand’s first show was in 2000 at Bryant Park. It was a mul�media extravaganza in front of a skep�cal crowd. “I was working the front of house,” Tweedy says. “Puff said, ‘What does it look like out there?’ I said it looks like they all have a brick under their seat and like they’re ready to throw it.”

But Combs had Vogue’s powerful myth-making on his side. In 1999, editor Anna Wintour decided to have Annie Leibovitz photograph Paris’s haute couture collec�ons with Combs.

Former Sean John designers Dao-Yi Chow, le�, and Maxwell Osborne, walk the runway a�er a show for their own fashion line, Public School, in February. (AP Photo/ Bebeto Ma�hews)

“That’s the one or two shoots of the year when you’re really trying to outdo yourself. When you’re trying to make a statement beyond the clothes,” says Grace Coddington, crea�ve director at large for Vogue, who oversaw the story.

The most dynamic image was the simplest: model Kate Moss and Combs face each other on a Paris bridge. She is leaning back against the polished railing, her black opera coat flung open to reveal a plunging neckline. Combs leans forward, considering her. He’s dressed in white, except for his black overcoat.

The kid who’d had an “unstable family life,” the Howard University dropout, was cast as the brooding hero, judgmental lover, hip-hop prince.

“I think the whole fashion culture changed with that Puff Daddy moment,” Coddington says. “I think Kim and Kanye are at the other end of that chain.”

Indeed, in 2014, Coddington herself ins�gated a Vogue cover starring Kimye.

Industry awards celebrate talent, but they also speak of influence and acceptance. Combs received mul�ple nomina�ons from the Council of Fashion Designers of America and finally in 2004, he was crowned menswear designer of the year. It was the first �me, since the awards began in 1981, that a black designer was honored in menswear, womenswear or accessories.

Kanye West, another hip hop star turned fashion entrepreneur, showed his Yeezy Season 3 Collec�on in February, more evidence of Sean John’s influence throughout the industry. (Andrew Kelly/Reuters)

Sean John's SS'14 Brand Campaign, DREAM BIG

“Being an African American designer was very heavy on my heart,” Combs says.

“People tried to put us in a li�le box. . . . The CFDA award changed the percep�on.

I saw more black models being hired, more black faces. I look at Olivier [Rousteing] at Balmain, Riccardo Tisci at Givenchy, that urban hip-hop culture gave birth to that era of designers.”

But Sean John did more than embed the stylis�c codes of hip-hop into the broader fashion culture. It produced other award-winning designers. Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne met at Sean John, where Chow worked as crea�ve director and Osborne interned. They started Public School in 2008 and took the design reigns at DKNY in 2015.

“Sean John was such a phenomenon. It was such an aspira�onal brand,” Chow told The Washington Post in 2014. Combs “was introducing street to high fashion.

The lines are a lot more blurred now than they were then.”

In 2014, the CFDA named Chow, who is Asian American, and Osborne, who is black, menswear designers of the year. It was the second �me a black designer was so honored. They’re nominated again this year.

“When I see other African Americans, Asians, people of color, when I see people who were part of the family of Sean John, when Public School won the CFDA award,” Combs says, “that was the exclama�on point on this whole ‘urban’ thing.”

Sean John wasn’t meant to be about race. But in propelling the sensibility of a

younger, city-centric genera�on forward, race entered the spotlight, too. Each �me Combs spread his arms wide or pumped up his chest, he was trying to keep from being pushed into a box.

“Every day, I wake up and I’m a black man,” Combs says. “I wear that with pride every day. [But] I’m mindful people will try to put me in a place where they can understand me.”

The million-dollar runway shows ended in 2008. The fit of Sean John is leaner now. The logos are discreet. Its $100 linen bomber jackets, $80 jogging pants and $160 velour track suits now hang alongside Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein and Michael Kors.

“It started out as a brand with mostly African American customers buying it and now it’s a much more diverse brand,” Genne�e says. “The line has broadened.

Sean’s persona has broadened.”

It’s no longer urban — not even in the geographic sense — and it’s not about Combs anymore. The adver�sing campaigns star “Empire’s” Jussie Smolle� and Combs’s three nine-year-old daughters. (He also has three sons.)

Sean John changed and the language of fashion changed with it. Men are peacocks. The quo�dian is luxurious. And Kanye West is fashion’s new, controversial interloper.

“What fuels Kanye is what fueled me; it’s an opportunity thing,” Combs says.

“He just wants to be heard.”

“The industry has to protect the world of fashion. They have to be snooty; it wouldn’t be fashion,” Combs laughs. “Everyone has their role to play in this beau�ful, epic world of fashion.

“Kanye West is carrying the torch of Sean John. I’m very proud of him.”

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Usher Drops 25 Pounds to Play Sugar Ray Leonard in a Movie Role!!!!!!!

From welcome2nyc.com/news

Grammy-winning singer Usher believes his dancing skills will help him in his upcoming role as Sugar Ray Leonard in “Hands of Stone,” a new boxing film about the great brawler Roberto Duran.

Usher said he has been preparing to play Leonard – a fighter with fast hands, smooth feet and a wide smile – for more than a year and s�ll needs to lose nearly 25 pounds before shoo�ng begins in October.

The movie is based on Duran, a world champion in four weight divisions over a career that spanned five decades. Duran, whose nickname was “Hands of Stone,” rose from the slums of Panama to defeat an unbeaten Leonard in 1980 and claim the WBC welterweight �tle, only to lose the rematch several months later in the infamous “no mas” fight.

Usher said he was honored to play Leonard in the film.

“You couldn’t find a more stylized boxer than Sugar Ray Leonard,” Usher said by telephone. “He was an incredible mo�on guy, the way he moved around the ring, and I think my dancing will make it easier for me to pick up his moves. I’ve been working on familiarizing myself with the ring, sparring and just understanding how to move in the ring.”

The role will mean dropping some weight. Usher said he’s currently about 172 pounds but will need to get down to about 150.

Ursher says hes down for the challenge:

“It’s an incredible story to be told,” he said. “The metaphor of determina�on and struggle is one we can all relate to.”

“He had such incredible discipline, and he was flashy and classy at the same �me,” said Usher, who’s been studying videos from Leonard’s boxing days. “I want to be as passionate and dedicated in preparing for this role as he was every �me he stepped into the ring.”

“I’m up for the challenge, and I’m looking forward to it,” he said.

“I think my overall feeling is one of an�cipa�on. It seems like this is a real passion project. It’s a film that everybody is so invested in, and I have the good fortune of having the character I’m playing s�ll around.”

Usher will be ac�ng along with Robert De Niro and Edgar Ramirez, so he be�er be ready to pull his weight. Will you be copping �ckets to see Raymond behind the gloves?

18 Ways to Meet People When Traveling Solo

Tips that every solo traveler should know before star�ng a trip.

by Rachel Chang for LeisureandTravel.com

Solo travel may sound like a solitary experience, but the logis�cs of naviga�ng foreign situa�ons on your own naturally leads to mee�ng new people.

From accommoda�ons and transporta�on to meals and entertainment, the opportuni�es to bond with other travelers or locals is built in, as long as you keep your ears piqued and your mind open. And that shared sense of searching for experiences o�en leads you to like-minded explorers on the same path.

A�er two days of hopping between city walking tours and day excursions in Ecuador, I remember thinking, “Gosh, I haven’t had any ‘me �me.’” So I planned a spa day to the Termas de Papallactas hot springs to truly get some down�me—and of course ended up mee�ng the most lovely fellow tourists relaxing in the pools there too!

When I took a small group tour to Cuba in February, the i�nerary seemed sparse, so I brought a blank notebook, with grand plans of filling it with my every thought. Instead, I found myself trying to squeeze in enough sleep because I hit it off so well with my fellow travelers that we were constantly going out for more Cuban rum nightcaps… and in one case, another single traveler staying in the same casa par�culars and I ended up cha�ng for so long that we didn’t get to bed un�l a�er 3 a.m. Incidentally, I did eventually pull out my notebook on the last day of the trip… to pass around the van to get everyone’s e-mail addresses to keep in touch!

The beauty of solo traveling isn’t just in where you leave your footsteps, it’s also in the friends and connec�ons you collect along the path. Here are 18 ways to ensure you meet people along your road to self-discovery.

Rent a Room

Whether it’s reserving a room in a home through Airbnb or Couchsurfing or staying at a bed and breakfast, stay at a spot where you can engage your hosts. Locals who are willing to share their personal space are usually interested in connec�ng with their visitors and can also provide �ps on where you might be able to meet others based on their past visitors. If there are mul�ple guests, talk with your fellow travelers—chances are, if you were a�racted to the same accommoda�on, you may share other interests too.

Join a Free City Walking Tour

The first �me I did a free walking tour was in Stockholm. I held back in the corner at first, slightly self-conscious about traveling alone. To my surprise, about 80 percent of my group was also solo travelers. In between stops, those of us who were on our own naturally cha�ed each other up—and by the end of the tour, four travelers and I bonded together and coordinated plans for the rest of our �me in the Swedish capital.

Grab a Meal at the Bar

A table may feel cozier a�er a long day of sightseeing, but a spot perched atop a restaurant’s bar stool offers one of the best opportuni�es to meet others. Try to snag a chair alongside customers who don’t seem to be in a group. The food, drinks, and restaurant’s scene will provide natural icebreakers to test the waters. And if connec�ng with fellow diners doesn’t do the trick, the bartender and waitstaff can also serve as meal�me conversa�on buddies.

Offer to Take Photos

While I was on the English-speaking guided tour of Marrakech’s Koutoubia Mosque, I spo�ed the perfect angle of a Moroccan �led pool that I wanted to photograph. As I was struggling to capture the scene just right, a fellow traveler who had spo�ed the same backdrop asked, “Do you want to get in the photo?” A�er we played photographer for one another, he asked where I was from—and it turned out we were both from New York and on the same group tour star�ng later that day.

Chat Up Your Seatmates

Trapped on a long bus, train, or boat ride? That’s the perfect �me to get to know the others on the journey around you. While sailing the through the �ords in Norway three years ago, I met a Winston Churchill Fellow from Australia studying global educa�on in the Nordic countries, a videographer from Spain filming Spaniards living outside the country, and a student from Chicago studying in the United Kingdom—who I’ve since met up with again when she visited my hometown.

Take a Class

Let your interests lead you to travel companions. Maybe it’s mastering the language of the country you’re in through an immersion course, taking a cooking class to make an authen�c dish, or learning the regional dance steps, so you can salsa or tango with the locals. Or perhaps take a hobby from back home on the road, like joining locals for a pain�ng or yoga class.

Look Up Local Meetups

The Meetup.com community has more than 20 million members in 180 countries, so there’s a good chance there will be an event of interest during your visit. When I was traveling in Ecuador over Thanksgiving a couple of years ago, the site had mul�ple dinners posted, hosted by expatriates so that Americans could get a taste of home.

Hang Out in Hotel Lounges

While staying at the Kolping Wien Zentral hotel in Vienna, Austria, in 2012, my search for a strong Wi-Fi signal led me to an upstairs lounge area… where I found solo travelers had congregated. Even if there isn’t a gathering of people, opt for spending down�me in a public spot, like poolside or in a courtyard, where organic conversa�ons could match you up with friends on the road.

Listen for Your Na�ve Language

Keep your ears piqued at all �mes for anyone speaking your language. While I was in Quito, any �me I heard anyone speaking American English, I simply asked them where they were from—a natural conversa�on starter. I ended up befriending a pair of older travelers outside a museum who happened to be staying in my hotel and invited me out to dinner, a middle aged couple at a local cra� market who were from my home state, and two young travel bloggers at the table next to me at dinner, who I s�ll keep in touch with today.

Connect Online

As with anything else, there’s an app for mee�ng people. TravBuddy and Tripr help you meet people ahead of �me who will be traveling to the same des�na�ons, Planely connects you with others on your flight, and Skout helps you find people who are already around you. For 50 more great apps and websites for travelers go to this link h�p://www.travelandleisure.com/ar�cles/best-apps-and-websites-for-travelers

Volunteer Your Time

Give back and gain contacts! Whether it’s an organized volunteer trip or an a�ernoon of volunteer work through a community project (try searching for one in your des�na�on on Couchsurfing or Meetup), bond over the shared experience of paying it forward.

Embrace the Hostel Community

Whether or not hostels fit your travel style, check out the websites for larger ones in the ci�es you’re visi�ng for their events schedules. Since they o�en serve as a hub for individual travelers seeking authen�c cultural experiences, many will host classes, tours, dinners, pub crawls, and events, where the interna�onal language of adventures requires no transla�on. Read more on the best new high-end hostels (seriously!) h�p://www.travelandleisure.com/ar�cles/best-new-luxury-hostels-around-the-world

Hail a Rideshare

Save money and make a friend when you’re ge�ng from point A to point B by op�ng for UberPool or tring a Via rideshare (currently in New York and Chicago) and cha�ng up the strangers going your way. In some ci�es, like New Jersey’s Hoboken and Marrakech, the city’s cabs are rideshare too.

Go to Fes�vals

The mix-and-mingle mentality of fes�val culture is the perfect spot to scout out new friends on the go. Whether it’s a music fes�val, like England’s Glastonbury Music Fes�val or Tennessee’s Bonaroo, or a local celebra�on, like the Coney Island Mermaid Parade or German Christmas Markts, the themes dictate the fun. Bone over shared love for a band, or make friends while you’re wai�ng in the (inevitably long) line for the restroom. Also look for ac�ve gatherings, like the Color Run fun runs or Wanderlust 108 mindful triathlons (5K run, yoga, and medita�on), where a support system for strangers is built in as

Find Local Hangouts

A�er a filling meal of Argen�ne steak and empanadas at Buenos Aires’ La Penia Del Colorado, the live music star�ng winding down—and that’s when the real harmony began. All of a sudden, diners started bel�ng out songs together, some even breaking out instruments. As all the tables joined in, conversa�ons and friendships struck up between groups. Even a�er 2 a.m., locals were s�ll arriving with guitars in hand, ready to share music with anyone at the peña—by defini�on a mee�ng place for musicians and ar�sts.

Sign Up for Day Trips

While figuring out how to get to the surrounding sites in Ecuador, like the Otavalo Market and equator line, I found a day tour through Gulliver Expedi�ons that was $45 for a nine-hour tour. The group ended up being only four people—all single travelers about my age—from England, Argen�na, and Hong Kong. We had instant chemistry and were laughing up such a storm that both our guide and driver couldn’t believe we had just met.

Travel with a Small-Tour Group

A�er going on family trips with tour groups as a kid, I started to associate them with pre-dawn wake-up calls, middle-of-nowhere hotels, gigan�c busses, and flavorless food halls. But a�er a�emp�ng to navigate traveling to the Galapagos on my own, I stumbled upon a new genre—small group tours, focused on authen�c experiences that give back. Now with several Intrepid Travel and G Adventures tours under my belt, I’ve le� behind the safety, language, and transporta�on concerns of traveling solo and experienced behind-closed-doors adventures (like having lunch at G Adventures Planeterra’s AFER women’s collec�ve in Meknes and ge�ng private performances at Conjunto Ar�s�co Korimacao through an Intrepid Cuba tour), while gaining lifelong friendships (our Morocco group is currently planning a reunion trip!).

Get Social with InstaMeets

Shu�erbugs unite! Join a photowalk, or for the more social networking-inclined, Instagram InstaMeets, where snap-happy people follow a guide’s path, taking pictures along the way. And this isn’t just for professional photographers, as many show up with just a cell phone. The hashtags allow you to see each others’ work and keep in touch. I’ve joined three in various parts of New York, one with hundreds of people and the others with a few dozen. And look for the #WWIM or Worldwide InstaMeets dates that spring up, when Instagrammers unite around the globe for the love of Likes.

ANDREW NOWELL’s

Olympic inspired photo shoot featuring his menswear and DASOUL underwear designs.

Click Here For The Exclusive Behind The Scenes Video Designer – Andrew Nowell Menswear Designer – DASOUL Underwear Cinematography – JoeYonDemanD Photography – Yama Terrell MUA – Kia Rayford Stylist – Leonard Smith

Model – Issac Jerge Model – Welton Pollard Model – Steven Johnson Model – O�s Pearson Model – Malachi Elias

Courtesy of Sundance Ins�tute

'Southside With You': Sundance Review

by Todd McCarthy Hollywoodreporter.com

If Southside With You, a warm and surprisingly engaging account of the first date of Barack Obama and Michelle Robinson, had been made four or eight years ago, during the presiden�al campaigns, it would have been accused of being outright propaganda for the candidate. As it stands now, writer-director Richard Tanne’s first feature can simply be enjoyed as percep�ve, intelligent, en�rely credible imagining of how these two very bright young lawyers broke the ice during a long a�ernoon and evening in Chicago in 1989. It was a long shot to be convincing but it plays very well, and an enterprising distributor could do very nicely with this across mul�ple audience segments.

The basic outline of the couple’s ini�al ou�ng — Michelle made it very clear at the outset that it was not a “date” — is well known: These two young colleagues at a top law firm went to an exhibi�on at the Art Ins�tute, then (possibly) to a community center where Barack gave an impressive speech, grabbed a couple of drinks, saw the just-released Do the Right Thing and, for a nightcap, went for ice cream to a Baskin-Robbins, outside of which they kissed for the first �me.

The details of what they talked about and their personal dynamics are not part of the record, and Tanne’s impressive accomplishment rests in not having been in�midated by his protagonists’ stature, thereby opening the door for him to create a living and breathing picture of two people spending a few hours together, offering select details about their lives and personali�es, probing, ques�oning, pushing things a bit on his side and her pushing back on the other.

The result makes you realize how few realis�c and three-dimensional date movies have been made in an era of throbbing hook-up encounters and R-rated horny teen gross-outs. And how many films have ever devoted themselves exclusively to extensively detailing a single date, a concept that puts great pressure on the screenwriter to keep the talk interes�ng and avoid standard cliches of awkwardness and sexual tension?

Tanne keeps the good talk coming, along with fluctua�ng moods and nuance. Of course it helps that the two individuals are a�rac�ve, extremely well-spoken, serious and, due to educa�onal success, clearly on the path to dis�nguished professional careers. At the outset, we see a bit of Michelle’s family life, as she s�ll lives at home with her mother and adored father, now sidelined with MS. She lauds her family to Barack and is whipsmart, a real catch — more impressive, it must be said, than he is at this stage. His skills may be visible, but they’re not yet as sharp and wholly formed.

Trying to keep his smoking habit from her as he picks her up in his �n can of a car, Barack takes her downtown to see an exhibi�on of the dis�nc�ve black painter Ernie Barnes. Without ge�ng pla�tudinous about it, Michelle succinctly explains the double jeopardy of being black and female at the major law firm where she’s a second-year associate, speaks about her upbringing, of playing piano and learning French in a family where “educa�on was always priority No. 1.”

In contras�ng himself with her strong family �es, Barack illuminates his odd upbringing in Jakarta and

Hawaii, his parents (“My father looked like Nat King Cole and my mother looked like Patsy Cline”) and especially his late father’s “incomplete” life. They argue strongly at one point when she feels he’s passing judgment on her, but he smartly apologizes and the day goes on as they drive to a black community mee�ng where Barack inspires an agitated crowd to rethink and reframe its approach to gaining some much-needed funding. The basics of the man’s speaking skills are very effec�vely shown off in this interlude, even if Michelle ini�ally suspects he’s brought her here just to impress her.

But that he does, and over beers in the evening they get down to some serious talk about their beliefs and career goals. (“Poli�cs?” she asks. “Maybe,” he says.) These two really could make a great couple, you begin to feel here, as Michelle finally begins to slightly let down her very well-constructed guard.

The ending of Do the Right Thing has a strong impact (excellent period detail: a poster for the upcoming sex, lies & videotape outside the theater), and the stop for a chocolate cone a�erward seals the deal. It’s been a great date and pre�y damn good date movie.

The film is sufficiently absorbing and genial that whatever issues one might have about Obama as president are easily put aside for 80 minutes. It also provokes specula�on as to how the first dates of

other presidents and first ladies of the past halfcentury would play as movies: JFK and Jackie? LBJ and Ladybird? Ron and Nancy? Bill and Hillary?

Saturday Night Live (or maybe Amy Schumer) might jump on this quite soon.

Very tall and bere� of Obama’s slight geekiness (a moment devoted to his protruding ears doesn’t convince because the actor’s are not), Parker Sawyers cra�s an immaculately considered portrait of a man of stature in the making; the ideas and ambi�ons are visible in rough-hewn form, quite recognizable from what we know publicly but with a ways to go. This is an ambi�ous man, but this trait doesn’t define his personality as presented here.

From the first second she’s onscreen, the striking Tika Sumpter is 100 percent the Michelle Obama the public has come to know: formidable, intellectually probing and a bit fierce. She may come across as overly guarded and judgmental but, as Barack obviously decides during the date, she’s worth every bit of the extra effort necessary to know her. Sumpter brings out all these quali�es and more in a spot-on performance.

Produc�on values and stabs at period evoca�on are modest but apt, and the musical backgrounding helps amplify the quietly shi�ing moods of the day and evening.

Kobe Co-Launches $100M Venture Capital Fund for Tech, Media, and More Fund mission is to backing budding entrepreneurs and add real value The Wall Street Journal reports that re�red basketball great Kobe Bryant launched a $100 million venture capital fund with entrepreneur and investor Jeff S�bel.

Investments will go to entrepreneurs in the technology, media, and data industries.

The $100 million is funded exclusively by Bryant and S�bel. The two are not yet seeking outside investors.

Bryant told WSJ that helping others succeed, in this case, by backing budding entrepreneurs, is important to him at this stage of his life.

Not an Endorser

“The most important thing I enjoy now is helping others be successful. I enjoy doing that much much more, that’s something that lasts forever, and hope they do that for the next genera�on,” said Bryant.

S�bel said the partnership was not about having Bryant act as a famous front man or endorser for companies that are funded.

“We don’t want to be in the business of inves�ng in companies so someone can use Kobe as an endorser.

That’s not interes�ng,” he said to WSJ. “The point is to add real value.”

Re�red basketball legend Kobe Bryant has formed a venture-capital fund with Jeff S�bel, a co-investor. The two men contributed a total of $100 million to the fund. The WSJ's Lee Hawkins explains. Photo: Andrew D. Bernstein/Bernstein Associates Inc.

Athletes Turned Business Moguls

In contrast to the many stories of professional athletes going broke in re�rement, today’s crop of African American athletes is increasingly business-savvy as both entrepreneurs and investors.

Last year, LeBron James inked a lucra�ve deal with Warner Brothers for his produc�on company, SpringHill Entertainment.

Shaquille O’Neil is an entrepreneur with many business ventures including investments in Google, Vitamin Water, and the Five Guys burger chain.

Tennis superstars Venus and Serena Williams are also astute business people. Venus owns an interior design business, is part owner of the Miami Dolphins with her sister, and owns mul�ple Jamba Juice franchises.

Eddie Murphy Leaves Comedy Behind In The Ver y Emotional Trailer For ‘Mr. Church’ By: Ashley Burns for uproxx.com

It has been five years since Eddie Murphy starred in Bre� Ratner’s expensive ensemble comedy Tower Heist, which probably didn’t live up to studio expecta�ons at the box office despite having solid reviews. The following year, Murphy returned as the leading man in A Thousand Words, which was a box office bomb and earned a Bucky Larson on Ro�en Tomatoes. And then in 2013 Murphy opened up to Ellen DeGeneres about making another Beverly Hills Cop film and said it was important to him that he never makes “anything else that sucks ever again.” That’s obviously a tall order, but it looks like he meant it.

In Mr. Church, Murphy returns to the big screen and he’s leaving cheesy, recycled comedy behind. This film opens on September 16, which isn’t awards season, but it’s hard to watch this trailer and not imagine that there will be a lot of “Eddie Murphy’s back!” hype surrounding his performance, as long as, you know, it doesn’t suck. Murphy plays the �tular character who fulfills a promise to work as the family cook for a dying mother, and ends up becoming an important part of the daughter’s life. Bruce Beresford (Driving Miss Daisy, Double Jeopardy) directs.

Trevor Edwards Nike Brand Vice President

"Nike, Inc.” by Philip Green

Do you know who Trevor Edwards is and why he's always smiling?

Teach your children this. We do the research so you don't have to.

Trevor Edwards, is the Nike Brand Vice President, he's always smiling because he makes a million dollar salary at Nike and even more millions in Nike stocks and op�ons and he uses both to build genera�onal wealth for his black family.

He will sell his stock op�ons in 2016 and profit over $10 Million dollars from one sale alone!

A pair of the iconic Air Jordan shoes can go for anywhere from $150.00 to $650 a pair. More if it's a rare and highly sought-a�er collectors edi�on. One share of Nike stock as of Tuesday August 23, 2016 is $59.62 per share.

EXPO ART WEEK

September 19–25, 2016

Vernissage

Thursday, September 22 | 6:00–9:00pm Presented by the Women’s Board benefi�ng Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago.

Hours

Friday, September 23 | 11:00am–7:00pm

Saturday, September 24 | 11:00am–7:00pm

Sunday, September 25 | 11:00am–6:00pm

h�p://expochicago.com/

Loca�on

Navy Pier 600 E Grand Ave Chicago, IL 60611

EXPO CHICAGO, the Interna�onal Exposi�on of Contemporary & Modern Art, opens the fall art season each September at historic Navy Pier. Entering its fi�h edi�on in 2016, EXPO CHICAGO presents artwork from 140 leading galleries from around the world, and includes EXPOSURE—a sec�on that affords younger galleries the opportunity to par�cipate in a major interna�onal art fair. EXPOSURE provides cri�cal opportuni�es for curators, collectors, and art patrons to survey the best in innova�ve and emerging programs.

EXPO CHICAGO also features dynamic on-site programming, including Special Exhibi�ons, showcasing select interna�onal organiza�ons, non-profits and ins�tu�ons; /Dialogues panel discussions, presented in partnership with the School of the Art Ins�tute of Chicago; EXPO VIDEO, a curated selec�on of new media, film and video works; as well as IN/SITU and IN/ SITU Outside and EXPO Projects, a curated selec�on of site-specific projects presented both on the main floor of the exposi�on, and throughout the city of Chicago.

With EXPO CHICAGO as the centerpiece, EXPO ART WEEK (September 19–25, 2016) is presented in conjunc�on with Choose Chicago, the city’s tourism and marke�ng organiza�on, and Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE). This citywide celebra�on of arts and culture features an unprecedented number of ins�tu�onal alignments and highlighted special events by the city’s most pres�gious museums, nonprofit organiza�ons, and galleries, making the city a must-visit des�na�on on the interna�onal arts calendar.

EXPO CHICAGO will take place September 22–25, 2016.

h�p://www.chicagogourmet.org/

"Being a black homosexual is the bo�om for certain people.

That's why I'm so excited for people to see Moonlight."

Photography by Ramona Rosales, out.com. Sweater by Uniqlo. T-shirt by James Perse. Jeans by H&M. Sneakers by Rag & Bone.

Trevante Rhodes Shines in

Moonlight,

This Fall's Essen�al Queer Black Film

By R. Kurt Osenlund for Out.com

Trevante Rhodes doesn’t have much �me to make an impression in the new film Moonlight.

Along with child actors Alex Hibbert and Ashton Sanders, he’s one of three players embodying lead character Chiron at different stages of his life, and he doesn’t even appear un�l the final act. By then, Rhodes’s peers have done most of the legwork in giving shape to Chiron, a lonely Miami boy who’s quietly — and very slowly — coming to grips with being gay. But Rhodes doesn’t need a whole lot of �me to tear your heart in half, and Moonlight’s finest scene rests on his sculpted shoulders. As a grown Chiron who’s adopted hypermasculinity for survival, the jacked Rhodes makes an achingly vulnerable confession to his childhood crush, Kevin (André Holland), who looks on in the same way the audience does — as if he just watched a brick house implode.

While studying at UT Aus�n on a track and field scholarship, Rhodes was working out on campus when he was discovered by a cas�ng agent. He moved to L.A. three years ago, booking roles on Tyler Perry’s OWN series If Loving You is Wrong and Terrence Malick’s Weightless before landing the lead in Barry Jenkins’s Toronto entry Moonlight.

Photo by: Dewey Nicks for Hollywood Reporter.com

“One way I connected with Chiron is that, like him, I didn’t grow up with a father,” says Rhodes. “I think his lack of a male influence increased his need for love. But I’m also a hopeless roman�c. I believe you find that one person who you’re supposed to be with, and I felt Chiron found that person early on.”

When Rhodes’s parents split, he was 4 and s�ll living in his na�ve New Orleans. At 10, he moved with his mother to Dallas, where a skill — but not a passion — for track and field would win him an athle�c scholarship to the University of Texas at Aus�n. “Even then, I despised running,” says the 26-year-old, who these days prefers boxing. “But it was a means to pay for school.” According to Rhodes, his fit body was also his �cket into the industry. College sparked the actor’s interest in theater, but he was simply taking it as an elec�ve while pursuing a degree in “petroleum land management.” And then he wound up topless in front of the right person.

“In my last year of college, I was jogging on campus with my shirt off,” Rhodes says. “A cas�ng director saw me, waved me down, and said, ‘You have to be in my movie.’ That was the start.”

"Every day someone comes up to me in the gym and says 'You’re in that Moonlight trailer!'

And they want to take pictures," says Rhodes.

Photo by: Dewey Nicks for Hollywood Reporter.com

Shirt and suit by Topman. Belt by Original Penguin. Shoes by John Varvatos Photography by Ramona Rosales, out.com.

The movie in ques�on, a Nicolas Cage vehicle, didn’t work out for Rhodes, but he did soon land a part in the 2014 short film Open Windows with Elijah Wood, followed by a s�nt on the Fox series Gang Related, a gig on the yet-to-be-released HBO show Westworld, and a recurring role on Tyler Perry’s OWN comedy If Loving You Is Wrong. But none of that would compare to Moonlight, which opened Rhodes up to the world of gay playwright Tarell McCraney, whose semi-autobiographical work In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue was adapted for the screen by writerdirector Barry Jenkins (Medicine for Melancholy).

“It was the best thing I’d ever read,” says Rhodes, who ini�ally read for the role of Kevin before Jenkins offered him the lead.

“I don't know how or why I got the opportunity to read it, but I was determined to book [the project].”

Rhodes is straight, but his close rela�onships with gay men and adjacencies to queer environments helped him sympathize with Chiron and connect with Moonlight’s emo�onal texture. One of Rhodes’s first friends in Dallas came out two years ago, and the pair remain best friends. “I knew what he went through, and I knew how hard it was for him to find himself,” Rhodes says. “We all have our insecuri�es.” A frequenter of clubs of all sorts, Rhodes says he was at West Hollywood’s gay hot spot the Abbey on the night before Orlando’s Pulse nightclub shoo�ng. (Some believe the Abbey was a target of James Howell, the armed man who was nabbed by police while allegedly en route to Los Angeles Pride.)

Rhodes, 26, who worked as a waiter at the commissary at The Lot in West Hollywood un�l recently, ini�ally audi�oned for the role of Moonlight's Kevin, Chiron’s childhood friend who develops into a love interest. “Not even half way through the audi�on, Barry stops me and he says, ‘I want you to read for the other role,’” says Rhodes.

Photo by: Dewey Nicks for Hollywood Reporter.com

“Our country is shit right now,” Rhodes says, pointedly. “Being a black person in America right now is shit, being a homosexual in America right now is shit, and being a black homosexual is the bo�om for certain people. That’s why I’m so excited for people to see Moonlight. I don’t feel like there’s a solu�on for our problems, but this movie might change people. That’s why you do it — because you feel like you’re doing something that ma�ers. This is someone’s story.”

Indeed, Moonlight feels like a movie of the moment. For all the effortless ebbs and flows of its nuanced progression, it offers forthright, unapologe�c depic�ons of blackness and queerness, at a �me when the visibility of both is vital. It features an all-black cast, takes place in an unequivocally black world (specifically, a small pocket of Miami at the height of the War on Drugs), and portrays Chiron’s experience with gay sex as healthy and forma�ve (rarely has a movie made such elegant yet unabashed acknowledgments of ejacula�on). It’s meaningful, too, that, barring a final shot, Rhodes is the last version of Chiron we see. He’s ostensibly strong yet terribly fragile, and, as Rhodes can a�est, there’s a �meliness to that.

“I was in Virginia filming a movie recently, and while walking down the street, I was being followed by a police car,” the actor says. “I was just walking to the gym. I knew I was being followed, I looked back, and they made eye contact. They didn’t pretend to not be following me. I turned back and con�nued to walk. Being in that situa�on was the most frightening thing in the world to me.”

True to his self-described roman�cism, Rhodes speaks o�en of love. It doesn’t sound corny or “Kumbaya”-esque — it seems like a desperate plea on repeat. “Is there no way to make anything be�er?” he asks. “The only thing people need to do is love one another — for who they are and who they love.” However flee�ng, there are rapturous moments in Moonlight that make you believe it could be that simple.

Moonlight opens in New York and L.A. October 21.

AIDS FOUNDATION OF CHICAGO

Our Mission: the AIDS Founda�on of Chicago mobilizes communi�es to create equity and jus�ce for people living with and vulnerable to HIV and related chronic diseases.

Our Vision: people living with HIV and related chronic diseases will thrive, and new HIV infec�ons will be rare.

Founded in 1985 by community ac�vists and physicians, the AIDS Founda�on of Chicago (AFC) is a local and na�onal leader in the fight against HIV/AIDS. We collaborate with community organiza�ons to develop and improve HIV/AIDS services; fund and coordinate preven�on, care, and advocacy projects; and champion effec�ve, compassionate HIV/ AIDS policy.

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