Polo Ralph Lauren honors Oak Bluffs, a historic Black community on Martha’s Vineyard, with a new collection designed by Morehouse and Spelman alumni. The launch includes a powerful documentary and support for cultural preservation.
Arts + Culture
A space for local and national arts and entertainment stories, with an emphasis on stories pertaining to the African American experience.
Posted inTelevision
HBO Debuts ‘Hard Knocks’ Featuring Buffalo Bills on August 5, 2025
For the first time, the Buffalo Bills are featured on Hard Knocks. The new HBO series premieres Aug. 5, following the team’s training camp as they prepare for the 2025 NFL season.
Posted inEvents
V-Fest brings healthy good times to St. Paul
St. Paul’s V-Fest returns July 26 with a free day of music, movement, wellness, and cultural healing. This community-powered celebration blends joy and justice in one of the summer’s most uplifting events.
Posted inMusic
Obi Original fuses heritage, healing and highlife in new single
Obi Original blends classic highlife with urgent diasporic commentary in “Who Man Dem? (We Never Reconcile),” a single that asks difficult questions about unity, belonging, and cultural memory.
Posted inMovies
F1: The Movie
Brad Pitt is Sonny Hayes, a past-his-prime racer with a point to prove in F1: The Movie, a slick, supercharged film from the Top Gun: Maverick crew. With attitude, action, and an unforgettable soundtrack, it’s built for big screens and big emotions.
Posted inArts + Culture
From MSP piano to TikTok fan base
Grammy-nominated pianist David Billingsley launched CLAB, Minnesota’s first TikTok Creator Network. Backed by TikTok, CLAB offers free support for artists and creatives looking to grow and monetize their work in the digital space.
Posted inMusic
Lewiee Blaze to release ‘ONE OF ONE’ album on major platforms following Juneteenth tour
Lewiee Blaze is reintroducing his 11-track album “ONE OF ONE” to a wider audience. The introspective project marks a powerful shift in the Minneapolis artist’s sound and message.
Posted inMovies
28 Years Later
Danny Boyle’s 28 Years Later is a beautiful nightmare—packed with eerie images, primal moments, and a terrifying performance by Ralph Fiennes. It’s not perfect, but it’s unforgettable.
Posted inArts + Culture
825 Arts honors legacies of elder changemakers
The Frogtown Arts Festival returns August 16 with a tribute to community legacies and the opening of the new 825 Arts creative hub.
Posted inMusic
New albums and festivals make for a rich jazz season
From major label releases to free local festivals, this summer offers a rich jazz experience for listeners everywhere. Read about new albums by Danny Grissett, Christian McBride, and Dee Dee Bridgewater, plus live shows like Lizz Wright at the Dakota and the Selby Avenue Jazz Festival in St. Paul.
Posted inMusic
DeLaSalle’s David Billingsley Named GRAMMY Music Educator Award Quarterfinalist
David Billingsley III, music director at DeLaSalle High School, has been named a 2026 GRAMMY Music Educator Award quarterfinalist. He’s one of just 200 educators honored nationwide for inspiring students through music and equity-driven education.
Posted inEvents
Line-Ups & Legacy event centers Black fatherhood, health, and community stories
2nd Chance Outreach presents Line-Ups & Legacy, a June 29 stage event and community fair honoring Black fatherhood, health, and generational legacy at North Central University.
Posted inEvents
Stages Theatre’s ‘Madagascar’ brings wild adventure to life
Stages Theatre Company presents “Madagascar – A Musical Adventure” through Aug. 3, starring 13-year-old Takelle Lee as Alex the Lion. With choreography from Threads Dance Project and direction by Sandy Boren-Barrett, the youth-centered musical explores friendship, freedom, and self-discovery.
Posted inArtists
“Greetings From” celebrates Minnesota’s iconic signage at Augsburg University
Augsburg University’s “Greetings From” exhibit, curated by designer Kelsi Sharp, celebrates Minnesota’s hand-painted signage tradition and local visual history. On view through June 30.
Posted inArtists
Roosevelt Mansfield honored as June Artist of the Month
Saint Paul artist Roosevelt Mansfield is being honored as Artist of the Month by 825 Arts. His new exhibit Giving Flowers showcases photographic portraits of Rondo community elders, with a public opening on June 22.
Posted inObituaries
Remembering Pepé Willie
The Minneapolis Music community has lost a legend. Linster Herbert Willie, Jr., affectionately known to the world as Pepé, passed away Sunday, June 1, at the VA Medical Center in Minneapolis after a brief illness. He was 76.
Posted inArts + Culture
‘The Road Less Traveled’ honors Black history through quilts, poems
CC Mercer Watson’s textile exhibition The Road Less Traveled honors the legacy of the Green Book through quilts and poetry, celebrating Black history and joy.
Posted inMovies
Bad Shabbos
Bad Shabbos serves up sharp laughs and unexpected twists — with Method Man stealing the show in this chaotic culture-clash indie comedy, reviewed by Dwight Brown.
Posted inEducation
With Black history under assault, Givens Collection more precious than ever
The Givens Collection of African American Literature and Life marks 40 years with a new exhibit and renewed call to protect and uplift Black cultural memory.