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‘Black Is King’ co-director, Blitz Bazawule to direct ‘The Color Purple’ Feature Musical

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Hot off of co-directing Beyoncé’s Disney+ visual album feature Black Is King, Ghana-born filmmaker Blitz Bazawule is set to direct Warner Bros. musical film The Color Purple, based on the Tony-winning Broadway musical.

I hear that the feature’s producers Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, Scott Sanders, and Quincy Jones caught Bazawule’s movie The Burial Of Kojo on Netflix, and were wowed by his vibrant visual style.

“We, were all blown away by Blitz’s unique vision as a director and look forward to seeing how he brings the next evolution of this beloved story to life,” Winfrey tells Deadline.

Bazawule is a composer and musician of four studio albums: Stereotype (2009), Native Sun (2011), Afropolitan Dreams (2014) and Diasporadical (2016), and his musical sensibility, and what he could bring to The Color Purple, also impressed the producers as well. Bazawule co-directed Black Is King with Beyoncé and Emmanuel Adjei, helming the South African shoot. Following his zoom call pitch with the producers, I hear Warners moved fast to sign Bazawule.Marcus Gardley is writing the screenplay based on The Color Purple Broadway reimagining of Alice Walker’s 1982 novel. The story depicts the lives of African American families and relationships in early twentieth-century Georgia. The musical, featuring jazz, ragtime, gospel, blues and African rhythms, has a book by Marsha Norman with music by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray.

EPs are Walker, Rebecca Walker, Kristie Macosko Krieger, Carla Gardini and Mara Jacobs.

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The original Broadway musical debuted in 2005, scoring 11 Tony Award nominations in 2006 and winning for LaChanze’s role as Celie. It ran for 910 performances. A revival in 2015 scored four more Tony noms and won for Best Revival of a Musical and for Cynthia Erivo in her Broadway debut. The musical has also won Grammy and Emmy awards.

Spielberg, directed and produced the 11-time Oscar-nominated 1985 film, which Jones also produced. Winfrey, made her feature debut in the original movie and earned a Supporting Actress Oscar nom. Winfrey, Jones and Sanders also produced the Broadway musical.

Bazawule’s The Burial Of Kojo premiered at Urbanworld Film Festival where it won Best Narrative Feature (World Cinema). It also won the Grand Prize at the 2019 Luxor African Film Festival in Egypt. Bazawule is the founder of Africa Film Society, an organization focused on the preservation and distribution of classic African cinema. He is a Senior TED Fellow and recipient of the Vilcek Prize.

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Mr Drew faces lawsuit over missed Easter event performance

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JamRok Bar and Event Centre has filed a lawsuit against Ghanaian artiste Mr. Drew, alleging his failure to perform at their ‘Easter Dance Party’ event on April 1, 2024, despite being paid 50% of his fee. (more…)

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Stonebwoy performs ‘Activate’ with Davido at sold-out Madison Square Garden show

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International afrobeats singer, Davido surprised the sold-out crowd at his Timeless Concert at Madison Square Garden when he brought out BET Award-winning Dancehall & afropop singer Stonebwoy. (more…)

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What Every Rider Should Know About Motorcycle Safety

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What Every Rider Should Know About Motorcycle Safety

Thousands of motorcycle riders lose their lives each year in accidents, and many of these accidents are preventable. Other drivers on the road need to be alert to these vehicles and take proactive measures to avoid a collision. More people are choosing to ride motorcycles today because of high gas prices, so a person must always be vigilant.

Many accidents are the fault of the driver rather than the motorcycle rider. How can vehicles share the road with bikers? What should you know if you are injured on your motorcycle by a driver? How could they have avoided this accident? 

Blind Spots

Drivers must always check their blind spots when merging and changing lanes. Motorcycles are often hard to see, as they are smaller than passenger cars. Motorcycles blend in with other shapes in the side and rear-view mirrors, so drivers should always take a second look when bikers are on the road. This one step could save countless lives each year. 

Take Care When Passing

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Cars are legally allowed to pass motorcycles on the road like other vehicles. However, when doing so, drivers need to know that passing the bike creates a gust of wind. This wind could make the bike unstable and lead to an accident. Alert the biker to the lane change by using the turn signal. Do not return to the lane the biker is in until there are several car lengths between the vehicle and the bike. 

Weather Considerations

Bad weather can happen at any time. It may be beautiful outside only to have the skies open up and pour down rain. For those driving a car, this downpour is probably nothing more than an inconvenience. For bikers, however, any bad weather can be dangerous. Rain makes the roads slick for both cars and motorcycles, so accidents are more likely to happen. When it is windy outside, a biker might find it hard to keep the motorcycle on the road. In addition, motorcycles are hard to see when conditions deteriorate, so drivers need to take more care on the road to avoid accidents involving bikes. 

Night Riders

Many men and women love to ride their bikes at night. Drivers need to be vigilant when out after dark to avoid accidents. They should increase their following distance and turn off their high beams when a motorcycle approaches. 

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Avoid Lane-Sharing

Motorcycles are small vehicles, so a driver might assume they can share a lane with the bike. Doing so is illegal. Bikers are allowed their own lane just as cars are. Sharing a lane with a bike significantly increases the odds of an accident. 

Use Turn Signals

Both drivers and bikes need to use their turn signals routinely. Drivers should turn the signal on sooner than they normally would if a motorcycle is behind them in traffic. This gives the biker time to alter their speed or make other adjustments to accommodate for the vehicle turning.

Take Extra Care in Intersections

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Intersections are dangerous for both cars and motorcycles. Blind intersections are a common cause of accidents, so drivers and bikers must take extra care when approaching. Always come to a complete stop, look all ways for other vehicles, and proceed slowly through the intersection. 

Motorcycles are never involved in fender-benders or other minor accidents. The rider and passenger are completely exposed so any accident could result in serious injuries or fatalities. Drivers are responsible for their actions on the road just as bikers are. When all parties look out for one another, accidents will decrease. This is something every person wants to see today. 

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Family of accident victims refuses to press charges against Funny Face despite pressure

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The family of the two victims involved in the accident with comedian Funny Face has expressed their reluctance to press charges against him, despite pressure from various sources urging them to do so. (more…)

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Yaw Tog set to release sophomore album “YOUNG & MATURED”

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Three Years after his debut album ‘Time’, Yaw Tog is set to release his sophomore album dubbed ‘Young & Matured’ (more…)

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Fimy Baby sets to drop her new song “ I Do” on the 19th April 2024

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Hailing from a vibrant musical landscapes Maria Ruby Cyprian popularly known as Fimy Baby emerges as a captivating and soul-stirring female singer, infusing her rich heritage with a contemporary and evocative sound.

The Ghanaian Nigerian singer
With a voice that resonates like a whisper of winds through ancient forests, she has become a mesmerizing force in the African music scene
Born into a tapestry of cultures and traditions, Fimy’s musical journey began in 2020. Her early exposure to the rhythmic beats of African drum circles and the melodic tunes ignited a spark within her that would grow into a blazing passion for music.


Drawing inspiration from the diverse musical heritage of Africa, she effortlessly weaves together the intricate threads of traditional rhythms, modern Afropop sensibilities, and her own unique vocal stylings


Fimy Baby sets to drop her new song “ I Do” on the 19th April 2024

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