‘House of Cards’ Review: Why David Fincher‘s First TV Series is Tailor-Made for Binge-Watching

By:   by Alison Willmore

Source:  Indiewire

Netflix dropped all 13 episodes of the initial season of its first major original series, “House of Cards,” online for its subscribers — a political drama from Beau Willimon, David Fincher and Kevin Spacey, who plays the lead role of Representative Frank Underwood, House Majority Whip and consummate political animal. It’s a bold business move for the company, a direct challenge to cable networks like HBO who’ve built their brand around quality programming — why go to the linear channels trickling out content when you can watch a hopefully equivalent series online, from the same place many people these days are going for their TV anyway?  Read more..

SXSW 2013 Features Lineup

Source:  Indiewire

The South by Southwest Film Conference and Festival has announced the features lineup for this year’s festival, running from March 8-16. In addition to the previously announced opening night film “The Incredible Burt Wonderstone” and Harmony Korine‘s “Spring Breakers,” the festival announced its entire 109-feature lineup, including 69 world premieres.  Read more ..

WANDERING WORX MUSIC ANNOUNCES RELEASE DATE OF PITTSBURGH MC AND ACTIVIST JASIRI X ALBUM – “ASCENSION”

Source: Black News.com

Nationwide — Emcee and community activist Jasiri X is one of the rising stars in Pittsburgh’s burgeoning hip-hop scene. Following in the footsteps of Steel City natives Mac Miller and Wiz Khalifa, Jasiri is the latest Pittsburgh rapper to achieve national attention. Jasiri brings a socially conscious message to his music, delivering hard-hitting edutainment in the tradition of hip-hop greats from Public Enemy to dead prez.

After garnering significant attention last year for his tribute track “Trayvon” and being featured on outlets as diverse as AllHipHop and The Huffington Post, Jasiri kicks off 2013 with his latest album, Ascension. Produced entirely by Rel!g!on, Ascension hits iTunes and all other digital retailers on March 26th, 2013 through Wandering Worx Music and will distributed by Green Streets/Nature Sounds.

The album features artists Brother Ali and Rhymefest of Kanye West’s Good Music.  Jasiri X has been very busy lately. In January he launched the One Hood Media Academy with Paradise “The Arkitech” Gray of X-Clan, and guest and fellow Rapper/Activist David Banner, to help young African-American men. He was also featured recently in a documentary called “Voice of Art – Migration Is Beautiful”, Executive Produced by Pharrel Williams.

AllHipHop.com named Jasiri to the Top 50 Underground Hip Hop Artists of 2012.  Also in 2012, Jasiri spoke at Columbia University and Yale Law School and performed at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem for Michael Baisden’s 9th Anniversary Party and The Kennedy Centre in Washington, DC.

In December of 2012, Jasiri received the key to the city of Louisville and December 1st was officially named “Jasiri X Day”. He also appeared on “Our World with Black Enterprise”, hosted by Dr. Marc Lamont Hill on TVOne and HuffPostLive and continues to write a weekly blog for The Black Youth Project.

CHILDREN’S BOOK “THE GODDESS OF BEAUTY” AIMS TO UPLIFT BLACK AMERICAN WOMEN AND GIRLS

Source:  Black News.com

Nationwide — The Goddess of Beauty is an enchanting children’s book that takes readers on a journey from Jamaica to Trinidad to ancient Africa. Princess Lana of Jamaica receives a special message from Goddess Oshun to fly to Trinidad to uplift the spirits of a young insecure girl. After hearing about Oshun’s inner and outer beauty the young girl is no longer insecure and realizes that she too is a Goddess just like Oshun.

The Goddess of Beauty has a dual purpose; it is meant to instill pride in young girls and women of African origin and it is also meant to educate people of all backgrounds about the beauty of black features and culture.

The book is the first in a series of children’s books about beautiful women from across the globe by author Judith Martin. Miss Martin’s love for fashion, geography and global cultures is what led her to write her books.

“I want to empower all the women and young girls of the world with each book. My books are a reflection of the diversity among all the beautiful women of the world. It’s time women start defining beauty for themselves,” said Martin.

Oprah’s Exclusive Interview with Ayana Mathis
Oprah sits down with the author of her latest Oprah’s Book Club 2.0 pick to discuss the breathtaking novel The Twelve Tribes of Hattie for the season premiere of “Super Soul Sunday.” Tune in Sunday, February 3, at 11 a.m. ET/PT.

• The Book Club interview you can’t miss 
• Find out Ayana’s surprising answers to Book Club members’ burning questions 
• The best quotes from The Twelve Tribes of Hattie 

• AND, OF COURSE, OPRAH’S BOOK CLUB 2.0 NEWS!

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