Beyoncé Shares Herself, Rare Pictures of Her Family in Open Letter Preceding Seventh Studio Album Release

Photo via Beyonce.com

One day after a leak threatened to steal the thunder of her first new music in six years and with eclectic R&B diva Kelis renewing their somewhat one-sided feud over an alleged sample on the new album, Beyoncé showed no signs of stress.

In fact, it seems like the pop music crown was not weighing particularly heavy on her head at all as Queen Bey failed to address either the leak, or Kelis' accusation, and instead took to the internet to celebrate with fans.

With one day to go until the official July 29 release of the Grammy winner's latest effort "Renaissance," she shared a special message with her legions of fans, known colloquially as the BeyHive.

Beyoncé’s already dealing with leaks ahead of her "Renaissance" album release, and now she's facing accusations of theft from Kelis ... who says she had no part in clearing a sample for Bey's record. https://t.co/299UzmfQRe

— TMZ (@TMZ) July 28, 2022

“This three act project was recorded over three years during the pandemic,” said Beyoncé explaining its genesis. “A time to be still, but also a time I found to be the most creative.” She also wrote, “My intention was to create a safe place, a place without judgment. A place to be free of perfectionism and overthinking.”

The 40-year-old goes on to call the process of creating the album a "beautiful journey of exploration," and thank family members, cultural and musical pioneers, her producers and perhaps most importantly her husband Jay-Z and the couple's three kids.

"I want to give a special thank you to Rumi, Sir and Blue for allowing me the space, creativity, and inspiration," she said. "And a special thanks to my husband and muse, who held me down during those late nights in the studio."

Read the entire message below.

This three act project was recorded over three years during the pandemic. A time to be still, but also a time I found to be the most creative.

Creating this album allowed me a place to dream and to find escape during a scary time for the world. It allowed me to feel free and adventurous in a time when little else was moving. My intention was to create a safe place, a place without judgment. A place to be free of perfectionism and overthinking. A place to scream, release, feel freedom. It was a beautiful journey of exploration.

I want to give a special thank you to Rumi, Sir, and Blue for allowing me the space, creativity, and inspiration. And a special thanks to my beautiful husband and muse, who held me down during those late nights in the studio. A big thank you to my Uncle Johnny. He was my godmother and the first person to expose me to a lot of the music and culture that serve as inspiration for this album. Thank you to all of the pioneers who originate culture, to all of the fallen angels whose contributions have gone unrecognized for far too long. This is a celebration for you. Thank you to my Parkwood crew, my slab, Dream, and all of the talented producers involved. Mama, I luhhhh you. To my father, my O.G., my first teacher: You inspire me in every move that I make. I love you.

To all of my fans: I hope you find joy in this music. I hope it inspires you to release the wiggle. Ha! And to feel as unique, strong, and sexy as you are.

Love y’all deep,

B

Photo via Beyonce.com

Chuck D to Tell 'The Story of Hip-Hop' in Four-Part Docuseries Slated for 2023

Kim Metso, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Chuck D's docuseries “Fight The Power: How Hip Hop Changed The World," finally has a premiere date.

PBS, along with its partner BBC Studios, announced today at the Television Critics Association summer press tour, that the Chuck D-produced series will make its debut on January 31, 2023.

“PBS is excited to join with Chuck D, Lorrie Boula and BBC Music to bring this illuminating project to audiences across our platforms,” said Bill Gardner, Vice President of Multiplatform Programming and Head of Development for PBS, of the impending launch. “Hip hop is one of the most influential artistic genres and cultural movements of our time, and we’re thrilled to tell a deep and unflinching story with one of its originators and most powerful voices.”

First announced during January's TCA winter press tour the series was developed by the Public Enemy co-founder and his manager Lorrie Boula, it promises to “trace the story of this globally influential art form over the past 40 years up to today” and will feature some of the arts' most influential names including Grandmaster Caz, Ice-T, Abiodun Oyewole (The Last Poets), Roxanne Shanté, Run DMC, John Forté, will.i.am, MC Lyte, B-Real (Cypress Hill), Melle Mel, Fat Joe, Lupe Fiasco and more.

“The hip hop community has, from the start, been doing what the rest of media is only now catching up to,” said Chuck D of the importance of the project at the time. “Long before any conglomerate realized it was time to wake up, hip hop had been speaking out and telling truths. Working with PBS and BBC is an opportunity to deliver these messages through new ways and help explain hip hop’s place in history and hopefully inspire us all to take it further.”

Boula added, “People are finally open to hearing and learning about the history of all Americans, and we want to deliver authentic, compelling and truthful stories to them.”

Jackie Robinson Museum Finally Opens in Manhattan After 14 years of Planning, Delays

 Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office

Tuesday, 75 years after Jackie Robinson broke Major League Baseball's color barrier and became the first Black player of its modern era when he made his debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers, the Jackie Robinson Foundation completed its long mission to open a museum in his honor.

Robinson's widow Rachel, who turned 100 in July, was on-hand for the star-studded half-hour celebration, which featured sports and entertainment luminaries including filmmaker Spike Lee and tennis legend Billie Jean King, among others.

Defying the 80-degree-heat in her wheelchair, she then cut the ribbon to officially mark the end of the 14-year-old process that led to the museum's creation and begin a whole new era of appreciation for one of the sport's greatest icons.

"There's nowhere on the globe where dream is attached to our name — or our country's name," New York City Mayor Eric Adams said of the museum's importance to the city while addressing the assembled crowd. "There's not a German dream. There's not a French dream. There's not a Polish dream. Darn it, there's an American dream. And this man and wife took that dream and forced America and baseball to say you're not going to be a dream on a piece of paper, you're going to be a dream in life. We are greater because of No. 42 and because he had an amazing wife that understood that dream and vision."

Exactly one week after she turned 100, Rachel Robinson — with help from son David — cut the ribbon during the ceremonial opening of her late husband’s museum in Manhattan. The Jackie Robinson Museum is finally open. pic.twitter.com/52NVdf3Hkr

— Coley Harvey (@ColeyHarvey) July 26, 2022

Originally projected to open in 2010 before delays caused by the Great Recession, and later Covid 19, the museum's location is at 75 Varick Street in Lower Manhattan. It features nearly 20,000 square feet of exhibits and installations honoring the legacy of Robison in baseball and beyond — including his role as a pioneer in the U.S. civil rights movement.

“The issues in baseball, the issues that Jackie Robinson challenged in 1947, they’re still with us,” said Robinson's 70-year-old son David, who joined his mother and sister Sharon (72) for the event. “The signs of white only have been taken down, but the complexity of equal opportunity still exists.”

According to materials provided by the Jackie Robinson Foundation, the Jackie Robinson Museum will enhance the JRF's —which was established by Rachel in 1973 — mission to promote higher education, by educating the general public about a man whose words and actions resonate as loudly today as they did during his lifetime:

The Museum will depict Robinson’s extraordinary athleticism and explore his prolific engagement in American life that included civil rights activism, civic engagement, economic empowerment efforts and public commentary. Educational programming for all ages is on the Museum’s agenda as are forums, lectures and other events that address issues central to Robinson’s legacy, such as equal access to education, civic affairs, economic empowerment, the business of sports and race relations.

“The Jackie Robinson Museum is the realization of a dream for my family. My mother has long hoped for a permanent space where people learn about the issues my father cared deeply about and the change he fought hard to affect,” said David Robinson. “We hope the Museum will be a place to not only learn more about his time in baseball and love of sports, but about all that he did to contribute to social progress. We extend our deepest appreciation to everyone who helped make this dream a reality.”

The museum will open to visitors on Labor Day this Sept.26. Guests can expect unprecedented access to over 450 hours of video footage and over 40,000 photos of Robinson on and off the field.

A seven-time All-Star and a World Series champion, Robinson hit .313 with 141 homers and 200 stolen bases in 11 seasons and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1962. MLB retired his number (42) for all major league players in 1997.