Music Fest had Memphis jumping

Memphis In May is upon us, and so is the wet Memphis weather, turning it into Memphis in MUD! But that didn't dampen the spirits of the thousands who attended the music festival. Big Boi (former member of Grammy Award winning Outkast.) took me back by singing songs like Hey Ya, and Players Ball. He had the crowd dancing and singing the to his hit songs.

The legendary Mavis Staples, who put on a stellar show, spoke about her dad, Pop Staples, and how he influenced her career. She is a considered a Memphian although she is from Chicago because her group, the Staple Singers, are part of the Stax family here in Memphis. She sang her songs and hits like I Take You There by the Staple singers. A favorite from Saturday's performances would have to be the Roots. The message they give and that funky Jazz style they have makes you want to follow them no matter where they are touring. The Roots have won a lot of Grammys with their smooth style.

Competition for BET is good news for TV viewers

WHAT'S HAPPENING MYRON?: Four cable networks broadcast directly to the African-American community as of today – BET, TV One, Aspire and Centric. More are on the way.

Could Bob Johnson have imagined this when he started BET way back in 1981? Maybe, but I say probably not. However, as society changes, so do viewing habits and choice of content.

For years, BET was the central source of programming for content geared toward the African-American community. It was once the only entity of its kind fully owned by an African American. Things changed in 2005 when Johnson sold the company for a cool $3 billion. Yes that was BILLION with a "B".

Wooddale student wins Congressional Art Competition

"The Rhythm of Memphis" is headed for a one-year run in the Cannon Tunnel in the U.S. Capitol.

The artwork is the handiwork of Jay Williams, a 17-year-old senior at Wooddale High School. On Tuesday (April 30), Williams emerged as the winner of the 2013 Congressional Art Competition.

"Jay Williams' artwork embodies the culture of Memphis," said Congressman Steve Cohen, who announced Williams' selection.

Anthony Mackie: The ‘Pain & Gain’ interview

Anthony Mackie was discovered after receiving rave reviews for playing Tupac Shakur in the off-Broadway play "Up Against the Wind." He's established himself as a solid on-broadway performer and has pocketed an impressive film career.

For Mackie, 2013 is proving very productive, with the horror thriller "Vipaka," the coming of age drama "The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete," the crime thriller "Runner, Runner" and "Bolden" being among his offerings. Here, he talks about his new movie, "Pain & Gain," a fact-based crime comedy co-starring Dwayne Johnson and Mark Wahlberg.

Kam’s Kapsules: Weekly previews - 05/03/2013

For movies opening May 3, 2013

BIG BUDGET FILMS

"Iron Man 3" (PG-13 for intense violence and brief sensuality) Latest installment of the Marvel Comics franchise finds the brilliant billionaire-turned-intrepid superhero (Robert Downey, Jr.) teaming with a precocious, prepubescent sidekick (Ty Simpkins) to take on a new nemesis, Mandarin (Ben Kingsley), the maniacal madman behind a recent string of terrorist bombings. Cast includes Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle and Jon Favreau.

Lauryn Hill’s New album

Lauryn Hill may be in a boatload of legal troubles, but that isn't stopping her from finally making new music – and it's time for the world to rejoice. Hill posted a statement to her official Tumblr account, announcing that she's back in the studio for the first time since 1998's iconic "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill."

Top ten DVD Iist - April 29, 2013

Top Ten DVDs set for release April 30, 2013.

"Silver Linings Playbook"

"The Big Boss" / "Fist of Fury" (Bruce Lee Double Feature)

"The Way of the Dragon" / "Game of Death" (Bruce Lee Double Feature)

"Wagner & Me"

Eric Jerome Dickey set for stop at Southwest

New York Times bestselling author Eric Jerome Dickey will visit Southwest Tennessee Community College on May 1 as part of a nine-city book tour promoting his latest novel.

Dickey, who is a Memphis native, will read some of his work and sign his most recent novel, "Decadence," from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Southwest's Macon Cove Campus in the Farris Building, Farris Auditorium, room 1201.

The author of 19 novels, Dickey also penned a six-issue miniseries of graphic novels for Marvel Enterprises, featuring "Storm (X-Men)" and "The Black Panther."

Kam’s Kapsules: Weekly previews - 04/25/2013

For movies opening April 26, 2013

BIG BUDGET FILMS

"The Big Wedding" (R for profanity, sexuality and brief nudity) Hollywood remake of Mon Frère se Marie, the French farce about a long-divorced couple (Robert De Niro and Diane Keaton) pressured to pretend they're still happily married at the wedding of their adopted son (Ben Barnes) when his conservative birth mother (Patricia Rae), a devout Catholic from Colombia, unexpectedly decides to attend. Ensemble includes Susan Sarandon, Katherine Heigl, Robin Williams, Amanda Seyfried and Topher Grace. (In English and Spanish with subtitles)

Mike Tyson: The ‘Scary Movie 5’ interview

Inside the ring, "Iron Mike" Tyson ruled and struck fear in opponents during his prime. Outside the ring, Michael Gerard Tyson has weathered a host of woes and controversies, ranging from allegations of spousal abuse to a rape conviction to the death of his 4-year-old daughter, Exodus, to declaring bankruptcy after frittering away over $300 million in prizefight purses.

Today, he is a very happily-married man, with a couple of children, Milan and Morocco, by his third wife, Kiki. He is currently on a 36-city tour of the country in "Undisputed Truth," a one-man Broadway show that is part comedy/part confessional and covers all of the above and more.

Here, the pugilist-turned-actor talks about his latest movie, "Scary Movie 5," co-starring a rogues gallery of controversial celebrities, including Charlie Sheen, Lindsay Lohan, Katt Williams and Snoop Dogg.

Hip hop, sagging pants, strippers and parenting

While the Heal The Hood Foundation-sponsored concert at American Way Middle School (April 20) was what urban youth would call "off the chains," there were multiple panel discussions that were just as "cool" – particularly the one about hip hop and its following.

The words Hot 107.1 FM'S DJ Lomax spoke were not a remix, nor were they commercialized. Every child and adult in the room knew that this was an original perception because there was far too much knowledge in the message for it to have been recycled or sampled.

Dressed in army fatigues, his words carried the weight of a drill sergeant.

‘Power List’ of books written or read by African Americans

Three leading African-American literature web sites have launched the Power List, a quarterly compilation of best-selling books written or read by African Americans.

The Power List is a joint project of AALBC.com, Cushcity.com and Mosaicbooks.com. The founders of the companies see a need for a comprehensive list of best-selling African-American books.

"Currently, the data is dispersed over a wide variety of sources," said Gwen Richardson, co-founder of Cushcity.com. "We wanted to compile and analyze the data across the board and present those findings to the public."