Van Peebles’ BlackStar Honor

Melvin Van Peebles burst into primetime with his powerful 1972 indie film Sweet Sweet Back’s Baad Asssss Song, which has been described as "guerrilla film-making in its purest form." Van Peebles has delivered to the world numerous films, books and plays, including Ain’t Supposed to Die A Natural Death, currently showing to sell out crowds at T New York, 240 West 52nd Street, in Manhattan. For tickets call (212) 352-3101 or visit www.melvinvanpeebles.com/aint

Melvin Van Peebles of Sweet Sweet Back fame-the Godfather of rebel cinema, has been added on the roster of honorees at this year’s Black Star News Annual Awards Dinner to be held May 26, 2006, at the Puck Building at 295 Lafayette Street, in Manhattan, near Houston St. “We’re honored to have this great fearless legend at our awards dinner,” says Black Star News publisher and CEO, Milton Allimadi. “You can’t talk about American cinema without mentioning Melvin.”

Tickets can still be purchased at the door for $100. Those with student ID’s can purchase tickets for $50. The evening kicks off with a cocktail hour at 6PM, followed by dinner, awards and entertainment, lasting until 10PM.

Ticket covers dinner, open bar, and entertainment, including musical performance by Jazz great Olu Dara. Opening acts include R&B sensation Chanda Rule, new R&B/Soul talent, Karizz, under Manchild Entertainment label, whose single Pretty Eyez will be released this summer, and Jarrard Anthony (www.jarrardanthony.com) on the Black Waxx label. There will also be dance performance by Sherekea African Dance troupe, choreographed and led by Kenya-born Vivian Akinyi and an art auction by artists William West, who visited Katrina-devastated New Orleans and painted vivid images.

Melvin Van Peebles burst into primetime with his powerful 1972 indie film Sweet Sweet Back’s Baad Asssss Song, which has been described as “guerrilla film-making in its purest form.” Van Peebles has delivered to the world numerous films, books and plays, including Ain’t Supposed to Die A Natural Death, currently showing to sell out crowds at T New York, 240 West 52nd Street, in Manhattan. For tickets call (212) 352-3101 or visit www.melvinvanpeebles.com/aint

After a recent performance of his play, Van Peebles stood up and had these brief words for the audience: “It’s not about how many times you fall down; it’s about how many times you get up.” He then invited the audience to join him at the bar-drinks were on him.

Van Peebles joins an impressive list of honorees at this year’s Black Star News Annual Awards dinner which includes NYC Councilmember Charles Barron, Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, Harry Belafonte, Marian Wright Edelman, Imhotep Gary Byrd, Alton Maddox, Transport Workers Union chief Roger Toussaint, Kermit Eady, Rev. Herbert Daughtry and Percy Sutton. Guest speaker will be Consul General Lenor Osorio of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

The Black Star News was founded in 1997 by Allimadi with seed funding from Camille and Bill Cosby. Since then the newspaper has broken several major news stories garnering mention on CNN Financial News, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Post, New York Press, Newsweek magazine, The New York Times magazine and The New York Observer.

Sponsors include Seagram’s, Sheba Ethiopian Honey Wine, Brooklyn.net, a high-traffic Black marketing portal and Black Waxx Recordings, Television & Filmworks (blackwaxx.com). Black Waxx was founded in 1993 by Shawna Glover, a 19 year old with a dream where positive Black images in music would restore the cultural fabric of our society. Black Waxx is now headed by Tylon U-Savior Washington, who claims over 30 years experience in the music industry through major labels like Arista and Sleeping Bag Records and has worked with artists such as Lisa Lisa, Maxwell, Joyce Sims and more. Many Black Waxx endeavors have transcended their original formats, including former newsletter The Ghetto Chronicles which is now a television show airing on BCAT.TV (Channel 1), Time Warner Cable Channel 34, Cablevision Channel 67 in Brooklyn, and also Comcast Channel 51 in Jersey City. The Ghetto Chronicles is hosted by Black Waxx recording artist Nana Soul.

The Black Star News and www.blackstarnews.com focus on investigative journalism, with a mission to expose police abuse, corruption, and discrimination. Feel free to contact the newspaper with solid news tips or to advertise at (212) 481-7745.

 

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