Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe meets with Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff. (Google Images)
Bloomberg is reporting that the country of Japan is attempting to recover its influence in the country of Brazil.
Juan Pable Spinetto of Bloomberg reports:
“In the 1950s, Japan helped Brazil establish industries such as steelmaking and initiated key purchases of Brazilian iron ore. Now the Asian nation is seeking to regain influence in Latin America’s largest economy, where China is the No. 1 trading partner.
Japan has signed deals from energy to food and health care during Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s visit to the country, the first by a Japanese leader in a decade. Abe wants to strengthen ties with Brazil, where about 1.6 million people of Japanese descent live, as he urges his country’s companies to seek more business outside their domestic market.
Top representatives from Toyota Motor Corp., Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corp. and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc. were among the business people accompanying Abe in Brasilia and Sao Paulo, the last destinations of a nine-day tour through Latin American and the Caribbean.”
Korean and Chinese companies are the top producers of electronics in the country. Japan is the sixth leading investor in the nation, which is down from third between 1950 and 1985. Brazil’s infrastructure related industries and general safety are huge attractions for investors.
At first glance in the film’s opening sequence, Boseman, a co-star in this year’s feature Draft Day, shares a striking resemblance to the influential musical visionary. The multi-talented Howard University alumnus’ silhouette emerges out of the dark, dressed in an all-red two-piece suit and Brown’s signature perm.
“There’s a certain swagger and a certain power the man has that you begin to tap into,” says Boseman prior to the film’s Atlanta premiere. “You take all of these things with you and pull them out when you want to.”
Get On Up’s approximate 140-minute run time, directed by The Help’s Tate Taylor and co-produced by rock legend Mick Jagger (who is silently depicted in one of the film’s earliest performance scenes), chronicles Brown’s life with a stimulating but indecisive narrative style.
Unlike most biopics that pay homage to notable American musicians, Get On Up is told completely out-of-sequence. Those randomly selected moments from the original Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee’s career are stitched together to hopefully create a fully complex human being.
Get On Up’s major flaw, on the other hand, is its lackadaisical editing: causing parts of Brown’s identity to get breezed through at the blink of an eye. References are made to the funk pioneer’s entrepreneurial and humanitarian endeavors, which revolutionized black performers becoming profitable businessmen, but not fully examined.
Instances of Brown’s abusive relationships with his female love interests (Tika Sumpter and Jill Scott) are barely given a story arc or any visual depth.
As to be expected, Get On Up’s extravagant musical numbers are as stellar as Boseman’s performance. Each sequence uses Brown’s live recordings to recreate the nostalgia associated with “Soul Brother Number One’s” showmanship.
Of course, mastering Brown’s fancy footwork and stage presence are not easy tasks.
Boseman, who also played the role of Denver Broncos running back Floyd Little in The Express, dedicated five hours per day to dance rehearsals. The charismatic Anderson, SC native wasn’t quite sure about how much time cumulatively it took for him to prepare for the role.
Like an assertive Brown who is noted for his precise arrangements and rehearsing his band vigorously around-the-clock, the meticulous thespian put in additional hours of his own time.
“I had the time of my life,” says Boseman on the red carpet. “At first, I was apprehensive about it, but once I started, I just looked at it as you only live once.”
“All the pain and suffering is worth it, you only get to do that one time” adds Boseman.
Chadwick Boseman stars as James Brown in ‘Get On Up’. (Universal Pictures)
Director Tate Taylor on set with Boseman. (Universal Pictures)
Chadwick Boseman stars as James Brown in ‘Get On Up.’ (Universal Pictures)
Photo Credit: Universal Pictures
Singer/Actress Jill Scott plays DeeDee Brown, James Brown’s (Boseman) wife. (Universal Pictures)
Photo Credit: Universal Pictures
Chadwick Boseman and Nelsan Ellis star as James Brown and Bobby Byrd in ‘Get on Up.’ (Universal Pictures)
Boseman’s co-star, Oscar winner Octavia Spencer, who plays Brown’s guardian, Aunt Honey, also offers some insight on preparing to play her character. Like Boseman, Spencer, an admitted James Brown fan, did a lot of research and spoke extensively with family members.
The actress also says Taylor’s only intention for the cast was to “be truthful.”
“You realize you’re playing a real person, so you know there’s a responsibility to get it right,” says Spencer delightfully just minutes before Boseman poses for photos. “It was fun. I knew my character would contribute to the film.”
Already at work on his next film Gods of Egypt, Boseman remains tight-lipped about whether performing Robinson or Brown was better. “Even if I knew, I wouldn’t answer that,” says Boseman with a hint of laughter.
One thing is for sure; Get On Up is high energy and definitely a highlight on Boseman’s filmography. “I was able to gain a skill set I didn’t even know I had,” he says. “This film is the gift that keeps on giving is the best way to say it.”
This post was written by Christopher A. Daniel, pop cultural critic and music editor for The Burton Wire. He is also a contributing writer for Urban Lux Magazine and Blues & Soul Magazine. Follow Christopher @Journalistorian on Twitter.
Caribbean 360 is reporting that the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency has issued a new customs declaration form “in print and online” that expands the definition of family members for arriving Caribbean and other travelers.
CBP said the definition expands to “members of a family residing in the same household who are related by blood, marriage, domestic relationship, or adoption.” The agency said it has accepted this family definition since the final rule became effective on January 17. The new form (CBP Form 6059B) provides the expanded definition in the first paragraph.
CBP said the recent regulation change allows more returning US citizens, residents and international visitors to file a joint customs declaration for items acquired abroad.
The new form is designed to streamline the customs process, making it more efficient for families and customs officials.
Kendrick Johnson, 17 and his parents. (Google Images)
CNN.com is reporting that the family of Kendrick Johnson is taking wrongful death legal action against school officials in the suspcious death of their son. Johnson, 17, was found dead in a rolled-up gym mat at Lowndes High School in January 2013.
CNN‘s Alan Duke writes:
“His parents earlier filed a negligence lawsuit against the south Georgia school district claiming it was negligent and violated Johnson’s constitutional right to equal protection based on race. Johnson, 17 when he died, was African-American.
The new lawsuit accuses the Lowndes County Board of Education, its superintendent and the high school principal of ignoring reports that Johnson was repeatedly attacked and harassed by a white student.”
Johnson apparently suffered multiple physical attacks at the hands of a fellow white student and was threatened by the boy’s older brother with the words “It ain’t over” after an altercation on a school bus. The altercation occurred after Johnson’s mother had complained repeatedly to school officials about the attacks including one that took place in front of the coaching staff and school employees. This must be any parent’s nightmare. But as a parent, it is your duty to do whatever you can for your kid, even if it means filing for a wrongful death lawsuit. With the help of professionals like Attorney Michael R. Rowland, hopefully the family or anyone who ever has to go through something like this will finally get closure and the fact of knowing they can finally move forward.
His parents said school officials failed to interview Johnson or any eyewitnesses following the altercations. They believe that these factors, in addition to independent autopsy findings that Johnson’s death was a homicide have led them to file suit.
Grammy award-winning jazz singer Dee Dee Bridgewater performs with celebrated trumpeter Theo Croker at the National Black Arts Festival Gala in Atlanta, GA 2014. (Photo Credit: Christopher A. Daniel)
If jazz musicians are like one big happy family, then Dee Dee Bridgewater would certainly be the protective big sister over her younger siblings.
The vocalist, with her iconic bald head, has a career that spans four-plus decades and has earned the multitalented performer a global fan base, three Grammys, a Tony award and a slot hosting the NPR program Jazz Set with Dee Dee Bridgewater.
Bridgewater credits her success to being taken under the wings of legends such as Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry and Thad Jones. Now, she wants to focus more on helping other performers showcase their talent.
She believes her purpose as an artist is “to get the old school jazz people to open up to something new.”
“I’m at that point in my life right now where I want to provide exposure and opportunities for young musicians to get some recognition,” says Bridgewater following her recent performance at this year’s National Black Arts Festival (NBAF) gala.
“Music is healing. I’m very pleased with this new crop of young musicians. They’re coming along and bringing something fresh and new to jazz. They’re broadening the scope of jazz and making it more accessible.”
Released under Bridgewater’s DDB Productions imprint, Croker’s collection seams together jazz, hip hop, soul, funk, pop, Latin rhythms and bebop. Bridgewater refers to Croker as her “adopted child.”
“He is amazingly talented,” she says with a delightful tone. “He’s allowed me to get out of the traditional vein that I’ve been in for so many years. I like spreading my wings. We’re having a good time and playing some good music.”
Dee Dee Bridgewater and Theo Croker perform. (Google Images)
Onstage, Bridgewater’s comforting vocals are equipped with lush vibrato. The Memphis native also scats and improvises. Croker, who arranged the pair’s set, blows his horn similar to Bridgewater’s vocals. The singer, whose father, first cousin and former husband Cecil Bridgewater, are all trumpeters, even refers to her voice as “a trumpet.”
Bridgewater and Croker met following one of his gigs in Shanghai. Post-gala performance, Croker, whose late grandfather, Doc Cheatham, was also a Grammy-winning trumpeter, spoke about being conditioned to become a road warrior similar to Bridgewater, who’s lived in France since the early 1980s.
Sitting adjacent to Bridgewater sipping on a beer, the Oberlin Conservatory alumnus, living in both Shanghai and Manhattan, goes into detail about his early morning schedules, hectic travel arrangements, sound checks and catnaps.
“I learned how to live on the road and play. I live for playing music,” says Croker relaxing in the Intercontinental Buckhead Atlanta’s courtyard. “That’s what Dee Dee does!”
Bridgewater, sitting with her legs crossed, a lit cigarette and a cocktail, chimes in. “That’s what I do…and getting ready to do it some more,” she says. “We gon’ be doing this for a while.”
She remembers performing at the inaugural show at the United Nations’ General Assembly Hall. The following year, she was on tour and couldn’t attend the event. Bridgewater hadn’t been to Japan since the tsunami hit in 2011 but made it a priority to attend this year’s festivities.
“I’m happy to be a part of something that I think is historical,” says Bridgewater. “That was really fun. It was a beautiful experience, and there was so much talent. I got to sit down at breakfast with Lalah [Hathaway] and Esperanza [Spalding].”
“It’s nice to have that kind of respect for musicians that I hold in high esteem, and they hold me in that same category. It’s wonderful. It’s humbling,” adds Bridgewater.
Bridgewater is quite fond of Spalding. When the young bassist received the “Best New Artist” Grammy, Bridgewater, then sitting in the audience, called Spalding’s recognition “a magical moment.”
The singer jokingly admits she didn’t want to attend International Jazz Day’s press conference because she was too busy enjoying her chats with Spalding, who she affectionately refers to as “Espe.”
“She’s one of my babies,” says Bridgewater. “I’m really proud of her, too.”
Still sharing a few laughs and talking amongst themselves, Croker and Bridgewater have incredible chemistry. She can’t stop stressing how extremely proud and grateful she is to be in his company. He’s a sought after festival performer. Her longtime agent also wants to represent him.
Croker, on the other hand, is equally grateful to have met Bridgewater. Having studied under jazz greats like Donald Byrd and The Heath Brothers, the Presser Foundation Music Award recipient and former artist-in-residence at Ritz Theatre and Museum says Bridgewater’s mentorship has helped him to fully embrace his musical identity.
“[Dee Dee] helped remind me it’s all about being yourself,” says Croker. “It’s really not about following trends or trying to make other people like or understand it necessarily.”
“Being accessible is always important. Maintaining who you are within is really what matters,” adds Croker.
Bridgewater concurs.
“I tell him don’t be afraid to do the things that he hears,” she says. “Gaining confidence from the response that he gets is something invaluable…and to be able to hang with my crazy butt doing two-and-a-half-hour concerts when we’re supposed to do 90 minutes.”
Christopher A. Daniel is the pop cultural critic and music editor for The Burton Wire. He is also a contributing writer for Urban Lux Magazine and Blues & Soul Magazine. Follow Christopher @Journalistorian on Twitter.
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) members strike for better wages. (Google Images)
BBC Africa is reporting that a four-week strike in South Africa has come to an end after the country’s largest trade union reached a deal with employers.
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) said its 220,000 striking members had “unanimously” accepted the employers’ offer.
The deal promised three-year fixed annual wage increases of 10% for Numsa’s lowest-paid workers.
Both sides compromised significantly on the agreement.
The author writes:
“Numsa lowered its initial demand of an increase between 12 and 15%, while Steel and the Engineering Industries Federation of South Africa (Seifsa), the body representing employers, increased theirs, up from an opening 7%.
Seifsa chief executive Kaizer Nyatsumba said he hoped ‘all parties would honor the letter and spirit of the agreement.'”
The strike cost the engineering sector about R300m ($28M USD) a day.
African American families are succeeding at business and life. (Google Images)
On a summer evening, Karen Tappin pulls up to collect her 6-year old daughter from a full day of African, tap, ballet, and hip-hop dance classes.
Fresh from a speaking engagement, the Brooklyn native and founder of hair and body care line Karen’s Body Beautiful situates her daughter in the back seat as we chat about balancing the beauty business and family life. She politely excuses herself for a moment to give her dance-weary daughter some dinner.
“You want your food now, or something to drink first?” Tappin asks her young daughter. “Sorry, I’m driving, I’m trying to feed my daughter, and I’m like multitasking here.”
Act I in the metaphorical musical “How to Succeed in Business While Being Parents.”
Karen’s Body Beautifulis the end product of a care package mail order business Tappin started while a student at the University of Virginia. She left teaching to focus on the business full time in 2004, a transition made easier by having family involved.
“It’s not difficult at all, my husband’s the COO, which makes life a hundred times easier than it might be if he weren’t,” said Tappin. “Sometimes during events, I’ll have my daughter introduce me. I make her feel included in that regard. When she was younger, I would take her to the factory and her job was to sort the bottles.”
Managing beauty and babies has been a bit more challenging for Oyin Handmadefounders Jamyla and Pierre Bennu. Like Karen’s Body Beautiful, the popular brand grew out of Jamyla’s frustration with products containing ingredients such as petroleum and mineral oil.
“I began experimenting with my own kitchen concoctions for personal use, and because I was a freelance web designer at the time, [I]eventually built a website to sell the products to others with similar needs.”
Pierre is also an award-winning artist, writer and filmmaker who with Jamyla runs the alternative arts and media company Exittheapple. Combine all of this with two small boys, whom they describe on their website as “somewhat distracting, but super fun,” and you have the recipe for a hectic life.
“It’s almost impossible,” Pierre says of balancing business and the boys. “We are only just getting our babysitter game together this year, and [we] do not get enough sleep.”
Balancing acts like Tappin’s family and the Bennus are becoming the norm among beauty mavericks catering to black naturals as a primary market. Dr. Debra Nixon, celebrity marriage and family therapist and entrepreneur, believes the key to balance lies in planning.
“Couples have to plan it. That’s my husband and I too. We have to make sure that we schedule meetings for what we have to do in terms of the business so things don’t go undone.”
Also a professor, Dixon feels that complimentary roles aid in maintaining a healthy relationship.
“He’s way more romantic than I am, so he’ll make sure that the personal parts don’t get left out of the equation. So they have to balance each other in terms of asking ‘how do we attend to our personal relationship and then how do we attend to the business’, and it’s not always easy. ”
Based on her own personal and professional experiences, Nixon suggests that couples need to allow the person with expertise in a particular area to exhibit their skill, without assigning tasks along gender lines. She further believes that training children to understand the time involved with business activity, and that parents have lives too, assists in performing the business-family shuffle.
Both Karen’s Body Beautiful and Oyin Handmade recently negotiated coveted distribution deals with Target, a move that could take both businesses to the next level. As such, life will only get busier, as evidenced by Tappin’s new ventures.
“I’m working on an app, called Afroji, with images that look like us. I’m also working on a web-based talk show on natural hair, called ‘Karen Says.’”
Yet, the thought of adding more to her already full plate does not phase her, especially since she has the support of family.
“I really enjoy what I do. I have zero stress in my life. I hire people who I enjoy, I don’t sweat the small stuff, and I’ve gotten rid of stressful people in my personal life.”
It appears that the secret to striking a work-life balance in business and family may literally be in a jar.
This post was written by Dr. Chetachi A. Egwu, Associate Professor of Humanities at Nova Southeastern University. Her scholarship focuses on Black Internet Usage and the African image in film, with an emphasis in documentary. The Howard University alumna is the owner of Conscious Thoughts Media. Dr. Egwu is a regular contributor to The Grio. Follow her on Twitter @Tachiada.
Cameroonian Vice Prime Minister Amadou Ali in Kolofata. (Google Images)
Tansa Musa of Reuters Africa is reporting that Nigerian Boko Haram militants kidnapped the wife of Cameroon’s vice prime minister and killed at least three people on Sunday in a cross-border attack involving more than 200 assailants in the northern town of Kolofata, Cameroon.
Musa writes:
“A local religious leader, or lamido, named Seini Boukar Lamine, who is also the town’s mayor, and five members of his family were also kidnapped in a separate attack on his home…Boko Haram, an Islamist group which made international headlines with the abduction of 200 Nigerian schoolgirls in April, has stepped up cross-border attacks into Cameroon in recent weeks. Cameroon has deployed troops to its northern region, joining international efforts to combat the militants.
‘I can confirm that the home of Vice Prime Minister Amadou Ali in Kolofata came under a savage attack from Boko Haram militants,’ government spokesman Issa Tchiroma, who is also communications minister, told Reuters by telephone.
‘They unfortunately took away his wife. They also attacked the Lamido’s residence and he was also kidnapped,’ he said, adding that at least three people were killed in the attack.”
The Cameroonian army has reclaimed Kolofata from Boko Haram. This is Boko Haram’s third attack in Cameroon since Friday.
‘Poor Doors’ are coming to New York City. (Google Images)
Writing for Crain’s New York Business, Daniel Geiger examines the New York City approved proposal for developers to build a separate door entrance to identify residents who are part of the affordable housing program when living amongst wealthier residents of the same building. Known as “poor doors,” these separate entrances have come under fire by many including Mayor Bill de Blasio and Gale Brewer, the Manhattan borough president for being biased, unfair and segregationist.
Geiger raises an important issue that has been left out of the debate which is that the segmented residential buildings are built using incentives for creating affordable housing. This factor makes it even more disgusting that the developers then demarcate the affordable housing units with separate entrances.
Geiger reports:
“The Manhattan borough president took aim at so-called ‘rich door/poor door’ residential towers that allow developers to construct high-priced units while reaping a key zoning bonus in return for creating low-income apartments that are separated off and have fewer amenities, worse views and their own entrances.”
Developers claim that the “poor doors” are important incentives for residents paying market rate.
Let’s see — use working and lower middle-class residents to get full funding and then disrespect them afterwards. Classy.
 credits her success to being taken under the wings of legends such as 
