Beyoncé Visual Album ‘Black Is King’ Coming to Disney Plus

Beyoncé Visual Album ‘Black Is King’ Coming to Disney Plus

Celebs

by | Jun 28, 2020 | Celebs, Featured

Beyoncé is gearing to release a visual album entitled black is king on the disney+ streaming platform.

Written, directed, and executive produced by Beyoncé this album is inspired by The Lion King, it will premiere globally on Disney+ on July 31. A one-minute teaser trailer for Black Is King dropped Saturday night on beyonce.com.

“This visual album from Beyoncé reimagines the lessons of The Lion King for today’s young kings and queens in search of their own crowns,” Disney said of Black Is King. “The film was in production for one year with a cast and crew that represent diversity and connectivity.”

This film is based on her 2019 LP The Gift and arrives in celebration of the one-year anniversary of Disney’s live-action The Lion King remake, in which Beyonce voiced Nala. According to Rolling Stone, the film will feature videos for “My Power,” “Mood 4 Eva,” and “Brown Skin Girl,” as well as appearances by that album’s guest artists and some “special guests.”

“The voyages of Black families, throughout time, are honored in a tale about a young king’s transcendent journey through betrayal, love, and self-identity. His ancestors help guide him toward his destiny, and with his father’s teachings and guidance from his childhood love, he earns the virtues needed to reclaim his home and throne,” Disney added.

Highlighting the beauty of tradition and Black excellence, Black Is King is an affirmation of a grand purpose with lush visuals that celebrate Black resilience and culture. these timeless lessons are revealed and reflected through power of today’s Black voices.

In honor of Juneteenth, Beyoncé surprise-dropped “Black Parade,” co-written with her husband Jay-Z, focused on Black empowerment and centered on the nationwide Black Lives Matter protests following the killing of Minneapolis man George Floyd by police. Proceeds will go to  BeyGOOD’s Black Business Impact Fund, which supports Black-owned small businesses.

Jun 28, 2020 No Comments
NBA Schedule Re-Release: Top 10 Games To Look Out For

NBA Schedule Re-Release: Top 10 Games To Look Out For

Featured

by | Jun 27, 2020 | Featured, NBA

The three-month pause on the NBA season looks to be nearing its end, as the season’s suspension will officially be up on July 30 with the return of the premier basketball league officially releasing their 22-team schedule last night in a televised special on ESPN.

The relieving information brought on to sports fans across the stratosphere came at a time of necessity, perhaps, given the unpredictable reality of the teetering improbability of a season resuming where COVID-19 infection rates are low-to-nonexistent. Still, NBA supporters must’ve been glad to hear the news about their favorite teams’ schedules for the compromised season and with that, we can’t wait to break down some of the more anticipated matchups for the remainder of the year leading up to the postseason which should tip-off sometime late August.

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10. New Orleans Pelicans vs. Utah Jazz- There’s nothing like the first. In what will be the official resumption of NBA competition since March 11, 2020 (AKA the infamous date that the NBA was suspended) basketball will be back, live and direct to the people on TNT at 6:30 p.m. ET. The NBA just couldn’t wait to get the phenom, Zion Williamson, back on primetime television as the Pellies have somewhat of a red carpet-like path to the postseason. Aside from the Clippers, they’ll have the Grizzlies, Kings, and Wizards as their main competition coming up.

In comparison to the other three teams duking it out for the eighth and final seed in the West, New Orleans has arguably the easiest schedule of eight remaining games, and the Utah Jazz have one of the harder schedules with games against the Lakers, Grizzlies, and Mavericks within their plans to earn a higher seed for the postseason.

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9. Denver Nuggets vs. Los Angeles Clippers – This is going to be the final regular-season matchup between these two Western powerhouses, but it may be a little more subsidized as we may have wanted in accordance with the news surrounding star Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic and his contraction of the Coronavirus.

Though it’s likely, It is yet to be seen if he’ll take part in the NBA’s bubble games but if he participates, we’re surely in for a barnburner and potential playoff preview. On the other hand, the Clippers are in prime position to uphold their second seed in the West with a fairly easy schedule. On August 12th at 9:00 p.m. ET on ESPN, when the shorter season reaches its conclusion, this game could be a measuring stick for both teams now that both teams’ intensities must elevate in order to get ready for the playoffs.

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8. Boston Celtics vs. Milwaukee Bucks – This could very well be a preview of our Eastern Conference Finals this year. This is the first game for both Boston and Milwaukee on their path to the playoffs as well, and it’s happening on July 31 at 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. Both teams have gotten wins off of each other earlier this season and line up with each other quite well for what should be another compelling duel between two of the East’s most prominent teams.

While the Bucks have one of the more difficult slew of games in Orlando (tack on games against Miami, Houston, and Toronto) they’ve set unprecedented marks this year and are still holding on to the highest average scoring margin of any team in the NBA (+11.3) and don’t look to be taking it easy on anyone. Boston, on the other hand, has a real shot of landing the No. 2 seed in the East with games against Brooklyn, Portland, and Orlando as the most challenging games on the list.

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7. Houston Rockets vs. Dallas Mavericks – Dallas is balancing on a tightrope when it comes to getting higher in the Western standings and any infraction against the seventh-seeded Mavs could be severe. They’re in a tight battle with the Thunder for a higher seed in the West, and Orlando could be a huge opportunity to improve their marks just in time for the postseason. Tipping off at 9:00 p.m. ET on ESPN on July 31, this now neutral Battle of Texas features several playmakers in James Harden and Russell Westbrook going against MVP candidate Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis in a contest that should be a good one.

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6. Miami Heat vs. Toronto Raptors – And next, we have yet another potential playoff preview that we’ll likely see at some point during the Eastern Conference Playoffs, tipping off at 1:30 p.m. ET on NBA TV. Toronto’s laid plans of keeping the 2nd seed heading into August’s postseason could go awry, considering that they could lose their seeding with one of the more tedious schedules in all of the NBA. The Raps have to play the Lakers, Celtics, Bucks, Grizzlies, and 76ers and in the midst of that turbulence, lie the Miami Heat who could be a threat to reach the conference finals in their own right. But a lot of fans wouldn’t mind seeing Jimmy Butler exact revenge on the team that ousted him in the postseason last year.

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5. Houston Rockets vs. Milwaukee Bucks – One of the more suspenseful and rivalry-filled games that we’ll be treated to in Orlando, the two “good buddies” in Giannis Antetokounmpo and James Harden take their grievances to the court on August 2nd at 8:30 P.M. ET on ABC for what could very well be a Finals preview. Houston’s schedule isn’t all that challenging which can only mean good things for a sixth-ranked Rockets squad desperate for some wins. And when you look at the Western teams that are higher on the conference Totem Pole, teams like the Lakers, Nuggets, and Thunder may have a hard time keeping their status in the West.

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4. Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Lakers – As mentioned in the last section about these Rockets’ rather easy schedule…this probably isn’t one of those games. Still, the duel between Houston’s league-leading backcourt in scoring – of course, that’s Russell Westbrook and James Harden – and LA’s most intimidating frontcourt and Pick-and-Roll connection – LeBron James and Anthony Davis – is still going to be a dandy to watch. It’ll be live on TNT at 9:00 p.m. ET. Had the virus delay never commenced, this was actually scheduled to be the next game on the schedule for both the Rockets and Lakers but as fate would have it, we’re getting this battle of Western Goliaths later in the summer.

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3. Boston Celtics vs. Toronto Raptors – Taking place on August 7 at 9:00 p.m. ET on TNT, these teams could very well be neck-and-neck racing for the second seed and again, as mentioned in earlier sections, it’s polar opposites when comparing the strength of schedule between these Eastern factions. What won’t be up for debate is how intriguing this matchup is going to be. Boston is 2-1 this year against Toronto and by the looks of it, they have some sort of an advantage over the defending champions in more ways than one.

With this time off, however, Toronto will walk into Orlando as one of the lone squads that are completely healthy, and that’s quite a game-changing variable considering how much success Raptors coach Nick Nurse has had over the course of this year with his lineup combinations while missing substantial pieces like All-Star Pascal Siakam, Norman Powell, Kyle Lowry, and Fred VanVleet.

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2.  Memphis Grizzlies vs. New Orleans Pelicans – This is probably the final duel between the two presumptive Rookie of the Year candidates, and it could shape up to be a significant matchup, considering the playoff placement of the two teams that are battling for the final postseason spot in the West. Two must-see physical anomalies in Ja Morant and Zion Williamson could be playing for the continuation of their seasons, and their final duel for the 2019-20 season will take place on August 3 at 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

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1. Los Angeles Lakers vs. Los Angeles Clippers – So, if all predictions are true and all media experts’ initial postseason theories are correct at the end of the day, the Battle of L.A. will be a thing by the time the Western Conference Finals go down. The duel of the Staples Center inhabitants will now, more than ever, play in a neutral arena (as if they were going to play in anything different, right?) and the best part of this rivalry’s renewal? It’ll be the first game out of the gate for the Clippers and Lakers’ trip to Orlando, as the two teams square off on July 30 at 9:00 p.m. ET on TNT!

Jun 27, 2020 No Comments
The Nike Air Zoom BB Next is the Future of Hoops

The Nike Air Zoom BB Next is the Future of Hoops

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by | Jun 27, 2020 | Featured, NBA, Sneaker Releases, Sneakers

Nike’s dedication to performance is held strong by their continued evolution. Thanks to their continually improving technology, the folks in Oregon once again press forward with their advancements in innovation. The Nike Air Zoom BB NXT is the future of the Nike Air.

Image via Nike

“We now have athletes that are ‘positionless’ and generate the values of all positions on court. Within the NBA alone these positionless athletes face a grueling journey, starting with the offseason training, then preseason, and into the 82-game season, playoffs, Finals. Fatigue is the enemy and endurance is the goal,” says Ross Klein, Senior Creative Director for Nike Basketball footwear. 

Image via Nike

To reduce fatigue during critical moments, the BB NXT introduces a unified system of full-length Nike REACT foam, plate, and Nike Air Zoom pods that work in sync to provide superior impact protection and energy return. The Nike Air Zoom BB includes many revelatory changes in its construction.

Image via Nike

A bit of exposed REACT foam under the heel serves to create a “soft and responsive” feel while a plate above the foam counteracts it with the appropriate rigidity. Under the ball of the foot are two Air Zoom that both absorb energy as well as provide responsiveness. The lightweight mesh used to form the upper is specifically crafted to offer support and durability to basketball players of any skill level or position. The plush tongue and padded collar top off the experience for added comfortability, the collar flares out adding a supportive notch for the Achilles tendon.  

  The Nike Air Zoom BB NXT releases in the Black/Green “Dangerous” colorway on July 25. The white “Rawthentic” colorway hits the streets and courts this September.  

Image via Nike

Image via Nike

Image via Nike

Image via Nike

Image via Nike

Jun 27, 2020 No Comments
Thank You, Vinsanity: Vince Carter Officially Announces His Retirement

Thank You, Vinsanity: Vince Carter Officially Announces His Retirement

Featured

by | Jun 25, 2020 | Featured, NBA

Keeping it real here: it’s going to take a lot of time getting used to googling Vince Carter’s name and seeing “former American professional Basketball player in his bio.

And yes, it was expected considering that he announced that the 2019-20 season would be his farewell tour, but it is still going to be hard to see one of the more impactful superstars of the past two decades hang up the sneakers.

In what will go down as one of the many special moments stolen by the worldwide Coronavirus shutdown of sports this season, we’ll never get to formally see Vince Carter offer his goodbyes to the thousand of patrons inside Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena or in Brooklyn’s Barclays Center as an ode of respect to the fans of the Raptors and Nets, two of the franchises integral in carving out the legacy and storied career of the one we call “Half-Man, Half-Amazing”.

Instead, all fans and supporters of VC will get is a digital announcement, as the presumptive first-ballot HOFer took to Twitter Thursday morning to express his desire to step away from professional basketball, thus ending a 22-year career for the eight-time All-Star who played in eight jerseys in that span. Carter was on his “Winging it” Podcast on The Ringer when he declared his official retirement.

And deservedly so, he deserved a proper send-off – perhaps a cumulative career highlight montage, one final crowd address, a prolonged standing ovation – rather than the abrupt and sudden ending to his professional tenure on the eve of March 11, ubiquitously known as the date the season was suspended.

Looking back, he would’ve been a little more earnest of a more gratifying career conclusion; Though needing gratuitous persuasion from the onlookers within the Atlanta Hawks’ State Farm Arena, Hawks head coach Lloyd Pierce looked his way and placed him with the third-team in the game’s remaining 19.5 seconds, ultimately leading up to a dribble handoff and top-of-the-key three-ball to score his 25,728th point, 2,290th and final three-pointer.

The lasting impact of Vinsanity won’t soon be forgotten if that nugget of information ever needed an appropriate mention. He had never had the luxury of reaching the pantheon of championship gold once in his time in the league but had done oh so much in the span of 22 long years.

When we think VC, obvious pictures roll into our heads: the gravity-disrespecting throw-downs both in-game and in that memorable 2000 Dunk Contest he did as a pioneer of modern dunking. The All-NBA teams he qualified for. His highlight-filled collegiate career. His many appearances in USA Red, White, and Blue as a member of the national team during his winning of both the Gold in the 2000 Sydney Olympics and the 2003 Gold medal in the FIBA Americas Championship.

Oh, and the fact that he single-handedly made the sport of basketball cool in the entire country of Canada during his time as a Raptor.

Or, the multitudinous teammates he’s had throughout his 22 years in the business, including the youngsters he’s dropped knowledge for who weren’t even born when he was having his most-prominent years in the league.

A career that has seen its understandable decline in athleticism, Carter was never the type to lament about his diminishing role on the five teams he was shipped to in his waning seasons. And as quick as the physical transition from an All-NBA caliber high-flyer to a throw-in piece as part of trade negotiations, his humility, maturity, and understanding of playing the role of confidant and teacher developed just as expeditiously.

He could’ve bowed out gracefully and on the top back in 2012-2013 when he wasn’t exactly himself. But as his body slowly started to deteriorate, his mind found resolution and optimism. His unpredictable durability became a beacon of hope for players not quite comfortable with transitioning into lesser roles. During his second year with the Mavericks, who after signing Carter were still championship contenders even without him, still profited greatly from his contributions. He still averaged double-digits, completing his transformation to full-time reserve.

Carted did an interview with Sports Illustrated back in May of this year, and as Carter detailed his desire to retire last year, he said that he “had doubts”. And as fate would have it, he spotted a relaxed Kobe Bryant in the front row of the Nets home floor in the Barclays Center back in December. Two former rivals turned buddies embraced while Bryant’s daughter Gianna admired from afar and watched her dad and his former colleague conversate.

That conversation probably included old memories about their battles the two had in their careers, but moreover involved life after the game is over. Bryant confessed, in Carter’s words, that it was the happiest he had ever been. And then a month later, Vince Carter passed Dirk Nowitzki in scoring to earn spot No. 19 on the all-time scoring list, and the Flying Dutchman himself offered the same sentiment about retirement in a text, saying he was going to love it.

So, while it may be as anticlimatic of a conclusion to 22 seasons, in Carter’s eye, he may have already gotten his riding-off-into-the-sun moment: alongside the Knicks’ rookie guard R.J. Barrett at a free-throw hash, he logged his final minutes, played his final, 1,541st game, and drilled his final shot attempt for a total of five points in a win against the Knicks on a bizarre night that the entire NBA was forced into hiatus after players and fans in the stadium caught wind of the cancellation of that Jazz-Thunder game that caught the attention of national headlines.

When those same fans started chanting “We Want Vince”, imploring coach Pierce to put in the living legend that’s literally played in at least one game in four different decades, Carter said that it really started hitting him that it could all really be over. The legend may not have known at the moment that his goodbye was to be permanent this time, but as he’d say, “I ended on a pretty good note.”

And that he did. Thanks for everything, Vince.

Jun 25, 2020 No Comments
6LACK Is Just Trying to Stay Afloat on His Latest Single

6LACK Is Just Trying to Stay Afloat on His Latest Single

Celebs

by | Jun 24, 2020 | Celebs, Featured

For his 28th birthday 6LACK gives fans a gift of a new single “Float.”

Following “ATL Freestyle,” this new single comes as the second release from 6LACK’s upcoming EP 6 PC HOT, which arrives Friday.

The three-minute melancholy track finds 6LACK in his feelings in the midst of trying times. Reflecting on the ups and downs of life but staying centered and focused.

“Money change but I stay the same, know/Been on a wave, one that didn’t fade no/Different day but I’m in the same boat/I’m just tryna stay afloat.”

Along with the project, his hot sauce brand 600 Degrees will launch on the same day. With the 6LACK on Black Business Collaboration with Postmates and local Black-owned Atlanta restaurant favorite Goodfellas, offering custom 6LACK menu items and a free hot sauce bottle with 6 piece hot wings for $6 USD to ATL residents.

Finally, he’ll be introducing the “Coming in Hot” Robotic delivery to LA residents, giving a bottle of the hot sauce before mainstream availability.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CBy6AotleZe/?igshid=9cei3uavc3tk

Stream 6LACK’s “Float” on all streaming platforms. 6 PC Hot drops June 26, and 600 Degrees by 6LACK will be available on his D2C website.

Jun 24, 2020 No Comments