Feature Articles and Hosting Reel
Jeff Johnson
Digital Journalist | Host | Author
A snapshot of my written and visual work. Contact: [email protected]
A snapshot of my written and visual work. Contact: [email protected]
Feature Articles and Hosting Reel
The entertainment world stood still on its axis when Beyoncé dropped her visual album "Lemonade" last weekend. The album represented an emotional love story with powerful visuals to match and it quickly became the epicenter for fringe personalities and anyone looking for a come-up to voice their opinion with takes hotter than the surface of the sun.
'The Wiz' is more than an award-winning Broadway musical. Its evolution into a feature film and many revivals emerged to become a reflection of African-American culture. As this franchise gets revisited during tonight's "The Wiz Live!" special on NBC, it would behoove us to recognize its contributions to entertainment and the influence of black performance art on pop culture 40 years later.
One winter day, when I was around 15-16 years old, my friends and I were walking home from a routine store run. We walked alongside Jamaica Avenue in broad daylight. The street was bustling with the usual weekend commotion of shopkeepers selling items, men howling at women for some love and affection, and children like us just going about their day.
In 1994, a young emcee from Queensbridge named Nasir Bin Olu Dara Jones released an album which would years later be heralded as a classic. Illmatic was a ten track biography of the hip-hop culture in the early 90's, and the struggles of blacks in the inner city from a firsthand perspective.
Interviews
Remaining focused on any task can prove difficult. Keeping that focus for 13 years until you see results could make any normal person shudder. Chiwetel Ejiofor is no stranger to these life experiences. His new movie "Secret in Their Eyes" tells the story of a tight knit Federal investigative team whose bond is severed after a murder case resonates too close to home.
"The Ruler" Remy Ma sat down with TheYBF.com for an exclusive interview that covered everything from wedding talk and more children to the most important lessons she learned while locked up. She's now learning about the other important things in life (in addition to her new degree in Sociology) --reality tv and the BLOCK button on Instagram.
The Wiz Live! premiered on December 3rd to critical acclaim, drawing 11.5 million viewers and becoming the most live tweeted special program on record. Fans expressed their love for all aspects of the production, most notably the musical performances. Producer Harvey Mason Jr. was tasked with modernizing - while preserving a classic.
On Camera
Entertainment - Recaps
James "Ghost" St. Patrick has always viewed himself as more than just a drug dealer. He aspires to succeed as a true businessman, as a life of illegal activity usually concludes with incarceration or death. Season 2 of Power has thematically highlighted the Ghost "happily ever after" fantasy.
The ambience of starting a management company soon dissipates, as Reggie sees that dealing with clients who are magnets for trouble might not be worth the money in the season finale of Survivor's Remorse. Jupiter channels his inner Jameis Winston as he gets caught shoplifting marshmallows and disciplined in the dean's office...
Empire takes it to the cypher as Hakeem and Freda battle for the Lyon musical legacy on this week's episode of Empire: "My Bad Parts." Lucious wants to teach Hakeem a lesson for the disrespect he's shown throughout this season, so he gets his #1 rap soldier Freda to record a diss track aimed at his son!