It’s that time of year again when fashion and music collide here at UPTOWN. And if there’s one thing we know about these two art forms it’s that what’s old becomes new and what’s new gets old really fast — unless it’s a classic. Keeping this in mind, we check out ’90s soul sensation D’Angelo‘s “comeback.” His music never got old, but we sure did as we waited for another studio album from the crooner. We’re also celebrating classic hip-hop group, The Roots, who’ve been in the game for 25 years! Sparkle stars Derek Luke and Carmen Ejogo don this fall’s coolest fashion trends. And speaking of Sparkle, if you haven’t seen the original, believe us, it still resonates today and we tell you why. Just like fashion and music, travel destinations can feel old or boring once everyone’s jumped on the bandwagon. So we’re highlighting one of newest favorite French location — Cognac, a town that seems sleepy at first, but awakens when the bars serve up the brown liquor Cognac is known for.
Although Sparkle wasn’t a blockbuster, it provided a counterpoint to the shoot ‘em up films depicting black life. It obviously inspired the Broadway musical Dreamgirls, having been released five years prior. And today, a glitzier and more glamorous remake of Sparkle is thrilling movie theater audiences. Yet we believe the original is required viewing!
“Before failed rehab stints, a rib-crushing car accident, and an arrest for solicitation,D’Angelo was the shining black prince of R&B.”
What does the music industry have in store for D’Angelo this time around?
Love cognac? Then it makes sense to learn about the town where “the brown” was born.
Sparkle stars Carmen Ejogo and Derek Luke show off the coolest trends this autumn — Asian and animal prints for her and layering pieces and transitional coats for him — inside a Dream New York Hotel.
Ever wonder how overachievers are able to achieve so much in the 24 hours we’re all given each day? It might just be the ADHD drugs Adderall and Ritalin.
“The whole Philly Neo-Soul thing happened in my living room.” — Questlove
And 25 years later, The Roots are more than a hip-hop group; they’re much more a hip-hop institution.
She is legend. That’s pretty much the best way to describe Bethann Hardison. Many in today’s fashion circles know her as a champion for change — mostly for her activism regarding the disparity of ethnic models on the runways and in advertising. Hardison confesses to UPTOWN about her take on the fashion industry today.
via UptownMagazine.com
