Nas and Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley are taking their Africa-inspired album across the world on the “Distant Relatives Tour,” set to kick off May 21 in Arcata, Calif.
The rap and reggae stars will perform material from their joint album, Distant Relatives, at venues and festivals throughout the U.S. and Europe.
Opening for the duo during their globe-spanning trek is Nigerian-born singer-songwriter Nneka, who released her U.S. debut, Concrete Jungle, earlier this year.
More dates will be announced in the near future, including shows in Africa this summer.
Nas & Damian Marley’s Distant Relatives Tour May 2 – West Palm Beach, FL – SunFest May 21 – Arcata, CA – Arcata Community Center May 22 – Eugene, OR – Cuthbert Amphitheater May 23 – Seattle, WA – Showbox Sodo May 25 – Oakland, CA – Fox Theater May 26 – Santa Barbara, CA – University of California, Santa Barbara May 28 – Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern May 29 – Las Vegas, NV – The Joint May 30 – Valley Center, CA – Harrah’s Rincon – Open Sky Theater May 31 – Los Angeles, CA – UCLA Jazz Reggae Festival June 2 – Santa Fe, NM – Paolo Soleri Amphitheatre June 8 – Houston, TX – House of Blues June 9 – Austin, TX – Stubb’s Waller Creek Outdoor Amphitheater June 11 – Manchester, TN – Bonnaroo Music Festival June 12 – Atlanta, GA – Tabernacle June 13 – Lake Buena Vista, FL – House of Blues – Lake Buena Vista June 27 – Brussels, BE – Couleur Cafe Festival June 28 – Paris, FR – Paris Hip Hop Festival July 1 – Arendal, NO – Hovefestival July 3 – Cologne, DE – Summerjam July 4 – Gdynia, PL – Heineken Opener Festival July 6 – Copenhagen, DK – Vega July 7 – Hultsfred, SE – Hultsfred Festival July 9 – Frauenfeld, CH – Openair Frauenfeld July 10 – Montreux Vaud, CH – Montreux Jazz Festival – Miles July 11 – Rotterdam – Holland North Sea Jazz July 13 – Hamburg, DE – Stadtpark July 14 – Munich, DE – Tollwood Festival July 16 – Manchester, UK – Manchester Academy July 17 – Dublin, IE – Tripod July 20 – Hammersmith, UK – Hammersmith Apollo July 23 – Gräfenhainichen, DE – Splash Festival July 31 – Brooklyn, NY – Williamsburg Waterfront August 1 – Bridgeport, CT – Gathering of the Vibes Festival
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A rep for Mariah Carey has shot down speculation that the singer and her husband, Nick Cannon, are expecting their first child.
Word first broke that Carey might be pregnant when photos leaked on the Internet that seemed to show the diva carrying a baby bump.
In a recent statement to Us Weekly, however, Carey's rep claimed that any mommy rumors are totally false. Earlier this year, Cannon suggested that the couple want to wait to have a family until children can be their main focus.
"We absolutely plan to have a family," he told MTV. "But we gotta prioritize, because that's a major, major priority. That's like the only priority in life, when you think about it, is starting and raising a family. We wanna make sure everything is out of the way and that we don't have any distractions."
The statement echoes similar comments that Carey herself has made in the past.
"I cannot do the having-a-child thing halfway," she told Larry King last November. "I wouldn't be just like, 'Oh, I'm having a child, yay! Let me get a nanny so I can give her the baby. Take the kid.' That doesn't work me. I don't believe in that." Mariah Carey rep denies pregnancy rumours
Whitney Houston performs at London's O2 Arena, Apr 25, 2010
*Here we go again.
In a headline appearing in London’s Daily Mail, Whitney Houston was referred to as “bloated, bedraggled and out of tune” on the latest stop of her troubled “Nothing But Love” world tour. Some 20,000 fans showed up at London’s O2 arena Sunday night and greeted the diva with wild cheers, according to the newspaper. But, “once again the voice that had left her contemporaries reeling in its wake, was a former shadow of what it used to be,” wrote reviewer Georgina Littlejohn. [Story continues below.]
Whitney Houston performs at London's O2 Arena, Apr 25, 2010
The review continued:
After stumbling half-heartedly through her signature song “I Will Always Love You,” Houston, who has suffered her fair share of drug problems in the past, said: “She don’t want to come, my soprano friend.” She added: “Sometimes the old girl sings, but not tonight. I want to do it, but she doesn’t want to. … She’s getting a little … temperamental, even.”
She struggled further with another of her classic songs, this time cutting short “Greatest Love Of All,” only managing to pull of a couple of verses.
And during much of the set she paused and panted for breath between songs while her backing singers did a great job of carrying her with their melodies.
Her outfit also left a bit to be desired. She came on stage in tight leather trousers, a sequinned jacket that struggled to fasten at her middle and a bloated face.
Whitney did manage to stay on stage for the majority of the two-hour gig, her first of three at the Docklands venue. But fans were still unhappy, with some even demanding their money back.
R&B singer Akon claims some former business partners stole his name and slapped it on bootleg perfume.
Grammy winner Akon claims some former business partners stole his name and slapped it on bootleg perfume - and he's suing them.
The R&B rapper and music producer had talks with the fragrance developers but was stunned when they formed Konvict Cosmetics International and started selling the scent "Konvict" without his approval, the suit says.
Akon wants the company to stop production, according to papers filed last week in Manhattan Federal Court. Representatives from Konvict Cosmetics
So I have had these twists in for 2 weeks now and I have ran through 2 bottles of leave in conditioners!
Let me explain: I spray the length of my twists 2x a day with my leave-ins, alternating between Jane Carter Solution Revitalizing Leave In and Giovanni Direct Vitapro. Doing this has caused me to run through bottles of leave ins that usually last for months. Well, my leave ins aren't cheap (the Revitalizing Leave In runs me around $12 a pop!) and I am in no mood to go all the way out to Whole Foods. I decided I can find a cheaper alternative at my local BSS.
I have heard so many rave reviews about Hawaiian Silky Miracle Worker 14 in 1 as a moisturizer that I decided to give it a shot. It only cost me $6 (plus tax)--I can get 2 bottles of this for what I pay for my leave ins!
From what I can tell, this product has multiple uses, including moisturizing hair that is braided. Apparently, it also strengthens hair, relieves itching, increases body, and is a thermal protectant. Time will tell if 14 in 1 can do all of these things but for now it seems like it make be an excellent moisturizer. I sprayed some in my hair as soon as I got home and and it seems to do its job.
Legendary Gangstarr artist Guru has succumbed to cancer after a lengthy bout with the disease. The artist, born Keith Elam, died on Monday April 19. He was 43 years old. Solar, Guru's partner, expressed sadness over the loss.
"The world has lost one of the best MCs and Hip-Hop icons of all-time -- my loyal best friend, partner, and brother, Guru," Solar said in a statement. "Guru has been battling cancer for well over a year and has lost his battle! Guru, a Boston native, rose to fame in the 80's as one half of Gangstarr, the iconic rap group with DJ Premier.
The group released six highly regarded albums in their tenure until 2003 when they broke up. After his successful run with Premier, Guru founded 7 Grand Records with producer Solar.
Solar went on to tend to the rapper as he fell ill, seemingly controlling the flow of information and access to Guru. Many of his family members complained that they were denied their right to see him.
He had tried to keep the cancer diagnosis private, but in early March, news leaked that Guru had been admitted to the hospital, suffered a heart attack, and was recovering from a mystery illness. Previous reports said he suffered from Anoxia, effects from a lengthy history of asthma and lung problems, but these new findings reveal a much worst condition.
"The world has lost one of the best MCs and hip-hop icons of all-time -- my loyal best friend, partner, and brother, Guru," Solar said in a statement. "Guru has been battling cancer for well over a year and has lost his battle! This is a matter that Guru wanted private until he could beat it, but tragically, this did not happen. The cancer took him. Now the world has lost a great man and a true genius.
"For the fans that reached out with love and support, I can't tell you how much that meant to Guru and myself. Guru prepared this letter (read below) while he was in the hospital for the fans," the producer continued. "I hope now that Guru has moved on to a better place."
Guru penned this letter to fans, explaining his illness while in the hospital with terminal cancer. Read it below in its entirety:
I, Guru, am writing this letter to my fans, friends and loved ones around the world. I have had a long battle with cancer and have succumbed to the disease. I have suffered with this illness for over a year. I have exhausted all medical options. I have a non-profit organization called Each One Counts dedicated to carrying on my charitable work on behalf of abused and disadvantaged children from around the world and also to educate and research a cure for this terrible disease that took my life. I write this with tears in my eyes, not of sorrow but of joy for what a wonderful life I have enjoyed and how many great people I have had the pleasure of meeting.
My loyal best friend, partner and brother, Solar, has been at my side through it all and has been made my health proxy by myself on all matters relating to myself. He has been with me by my side on my many hospital stays, operations, doctors visits and stayed with me at my home and cared for me when I could not care for myself. Solar and his family is my family and I love them dearly and I expect my family, friends, and fans to respect that, regardless to anybody's feelings on the matter. It is my wish that counts. This being said I am survived by the love of my life, my sun KC, who I trust will be looked after by Solar and his family as their own. Any awards or tributes should be accepted, organized approved by Solar on behalf myself and my son until he is of age to except on his own.
I do not wish my ex-DJ to have anything to do with my name likeness, events tributes etc. connected in anyway to my situation including any use of my name or circumstance for any reason and I have instructed my lawyers to enforce this. I had nothing to do with him in life for over 7 years and want nothing to do with him in death. Solar has my life story and is well informed on my family situation, as well as the real reason for separating from my ex-DJ.
As the sole founder of GangStarr, I am very proud of what GangStarr has meant to the music world and fans. I equally am proud of my Jazzmatazz series and as the father of Hip-Hop/Jazz. I am most proud of my leadership and pioneering efforts on Jazzmatazz 4 for reinvigorating the Hip-Hop/Jazz genre in a time when music quality has reached an all time low.
Solar and I have toured in places that I have never been before with GangStarr or Jazzmatatazz and we gained a reputation for being the best on the planet at Hip-Hop/Jazz, as well as the biggest and most influential Hip-Hop/Jazz record with Jazzmatazz 4 of the decade to now.
The work I have done with Solar represents a legacy far beyond its time. And we as a team were not afraid to push the envelope. To me this is what true artists do! As men of honor we stood tall in the face of small mindedness, greed, and ignorance. As we fought for music and integrity at the cost of not earning millions and for this I will always be happy and proud, and would like to thank the million fans who have seen us perform over the years from all over the world. The work I have done with Solar represents a legacy far beyond its time and is my most creative and experimental to date. I hope that our music will receive the attention it deserves as it is some of the best work I have done and represents some of the best years of my life.
Guru (real name: Keith Elam) rose to fame in the 80s as the frontman to the legendary rap duo, Gangstarr, also consisting of DJ Premier. The group released the classic single, "Words I Manifest," which was followed by their critically acclaimed debut, No More Mr. Nice Guy, in 1989. The group went on to release six official albums through 2003, before they split and went their separate ways.
Guru went on to found 7 Grand Records, partnering with producer Solar, and embarked on a solo career.
Since falling ill, there's been a lot of controversy over news of his hospitalization. Family members of Guru publicly claimed that Solar had taken over control of the rapper's decision making and had even barred them from visiting. The only official statements being released from the veteran rapper were relayed through his longtime partner Solar, which raised eyebrows from former Guru collaborators and friends. Solar, however, publicly denied claims of any malicious intentions and was only following the rapper's instructions.
Unfortunately, Guru never got well enough to clear things up himself.
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UK. Release on Friday, April 16 2010 In a recent interview, Jay-Z revealed that his aim for the third and final Blueprint album was, well, to "set the blueprint" for the next phase of his career.
However, after the dream team urban pop collaboration that was 'Run This Town', an anthemic ode to his native New York in the form of 'Empire State Of Mind', and some Mr Hudson-assisted musings on staying 'Young Forever', it's only until now that Jigga's mission for The Blueprint 3 is fully realised.
'On To The Next One' sees him up with Swizz Beatz, who pitches in on vocals as well as fulfilling knob-twiddling duties.
Over pounding beats and a looped vocal sample from Justice's 'D.A.N.C.E', Mr Beyoncé firmly reminds us why he's leader of the hip-hop pack: "N***az stuck on stupid / I gotta keep it movin' / N***az make the same sh*t / Me, I make the Blueprints."
While it may not be his most radio-friendly moment, this certainly proves that Hova has no intention whatsoever of relinquishing his King of Rap crown.
KELLY Rowland flew into Sydney yesterday - and then into a rage after a bust-up with Qantas cabin crew. Rowland launched a verbal assault on the hosties as she walked through the domestic terminal, having just disembarked from flight QF430 from Melbourne.
The former Destiny's Child singer claimed she and her entourage had been treated like children on the flight, which landed about 1.40pm, and vowed to complain about the service, calling it "s****y". It is thought the incident was sparked by some passengers using mobile phones on board and others sitting in the wrong seats.
"I found the flight attendants really shitty. I don't know why. You tell me," Rowland said. "They were very rude to us. That's the first time you'll ever hear me say a curse word. They were just rude to us on the plane. They treated us like five-year-old kids."
Asked what sparked the incident she said, "I don't know. Every time I've flown Qantas it's always been fantastic. It was rather unpleasant."
Rowland is in town for last night's Supafest gig at Acer Arena, (reports The Daily Telegraph). Fellow headliners Akon, Eve and Sean Paul were also on the plane but are not believed to have been involved in the incident.
A Qantas spokesman said it was important that all passengers followed the crew's instructions.
P.Diddy has admitted that despite his wealth and fame he still has "insecurities". The rap mogul - who stars alongside Russell Brand in forthcoming movieGet Him To The GreekClick here to see trailer - revealed that he has not always been so confident in his acting abilities. P.Diddy said that he has repeatedly been asked to star in an episode of Inside The Actors Studio, but always declined because of nerves.
"They have been calling me for the last three years to do it, and I was kind of nervous and said, 'I'm not at that level'," he told MTV. "I'm looking at Meryl Streep up there, and Martin Scorsese, Al Pacino and Denzel Washington and Chris Rock.
"They were saying they wanted to take it from a different perspective of somebody on the rise. I appreciated that."
He added: "After doing Broadway and now with Get Him To The Greek coming out... the time is right. I still have fears though, I still have insecurities."
....I washed my hair yesterday. Since my hair is in twists, I wash my hair with dry shampoo. I started using ORS Herbal Cleanse (you can find it in beauty supply stores for about $6) 2 years ago after one of my friends (who keeps her hair in braids) recommended it to me. This shampoo is definitely a staple for me when my hair is in braids.
I start the washing process by sectioning my hair and applying the dry shampoo to my scalp. Once applied, I massage the shampoo in and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Once I'm done, I wipe any residue away (gently) using warm water and a cloth.I love the tingly feeling my scalp gets from using this shampoo. Feels like my entire scalp is--refreshed. I love it! I finish up the washing session by rubbing a small amount of the dry shampoo into my twists. You can do this for each individual twist or if you're lazy, like me, you can section your hair and apply it to those sections. I finish up by spraying Jane Carter Solution Revitalizing Leave In along the length of my twists and covering my twists with a bonnet. Voila...I'm done.
The time it takes to do my hair is definite benefit to having twists. I'll probably give my hair a wash again this weekend.
Fans attending the Coachella Music & Arts Festival this weekend may be in for a surprise as word has it Jay-Z will be bringing out Dr. Dre during his set. According to the rumor mill, Jay and Dre will perform their latest collaboration 'Under Pressure' which is said to be the lead single off the super producer's long awaited 'Detox' album. At this point any news surrounding Dre and his 'Detox' album is hard to believe until it actually happens. The 'Detox' single was to emerge last week, according to Dre himself. And, although sources close to the Compton native's label, Aftermath Records, revealed that he will indeed hit the main stage with Jiggaman on April 16, there has been no confirmation (or denial) from either party.
As previously reported, the Brooklyn MC will co-headline the three-day festival, along with Muse and Gorillaz, which takes place at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. Other big names slated to perform include... De La Soul, Wale, and B.O.B.
When a Drake-featured record from G-Unit’s ex-leading lady, Olivia, hit the web Sunday afternoon, some were left critcizing its authenticity.
The 3:33 minute track titled “Control” (produced by DJ Special K of Souled Out Ent.) claimed to be Olivia’s second single off her mixtape, Under The Radar and was e-distributed by mixtape DJ, King Smij. “[‘Control’] wasn't supposed to be released for another week, but due to demand and overzealous blogs we're forced to release it early,” Smij’s email reads. “To give you an idea of how crazy her album Show The World is, this song didn't even make the final cut!!!”
But while Drake’s 2010 sound is buttery, halting and melodic, “Control” was reminiscent of a pre-Wayne, flashy-flow, Room For Improvement, Drizzy. For verification, VIBE emailed Olivia’s rep asking if Drake’s lyrics were borrowed from any past mixtapes and received the reply: “Drake recorded [‘Control’] specifically for Olivia… Her manager has a lot of connections [and] was able to get Drake on the record.”
However Drake told AllHipHop today that he was completely unaware of the collaboration: “I don’t support [artists] taking unauthorized recordings and marketing them as features,” he says. “I’ve never worked with Olivia and I apologize to any fan who was duped into thinking that ‘Control’ was a collaboration of mine.”
Earlier today however, Olivia's manager, Rich Dollaz (who also manages Ryan Leslie) explained to VIBE that 29-year-old R&B singer never claimed to have been in the studio with Drake and that "Control"'s producer, Special K, claimed that the track was not only cleared by Drake, but recorded two weeks ago in Canada. However, a quick google search shows that Canadian newcomer, Leila, originally recorded the track “All Night” with Drake — same production, same rap verses as “Control,” — but in 2007.
Olivia shared with VIBE how the record came to fruition. “The producers had sent it to us like ‘Yo, we think this would be a great record for her, Drake already has his verses down. What do you think?’ We didn’t have the chance to work together, but they sent it to me,” she says. “As soon as they sent it, I said ‘His verses are hot, let’s do it.’ And then they said ‘Everybody loves it, we’re going to make his vocals match yours since they weren’t recorded in the same studio’ and that was it.’
Her manager explained that producer Special K had reached out two - three weeks ago with the track, pushing Olivia to record it quickly so it could also live on a Canadian compilation. "I knew I wasn't going to pay $100,000 to get Drake on the album, but I was under the impression this was cleared for the mixtape. I was pissed off when they leaked it, you can check my Twitter. I was heated," he says. "But its not that serious, it was for a damn mixtape. He can be mad all he wants to, I don't give a fuck if he's mad. I don't represent him. He can be mad at the producer."
She also agreed that Drake's rebuttal was a bit of an overreaction: "Sorry Drake's mad, 'cause I love [him]. But I'm not feenin' to get on the thing and wild out." Olivia is currently prepping for her forthcoming mixtape, Under The Radar, and second album Show The World. DJ Special K did not respond to VIBE's interview request. —Tracy Garraud
*In her blog on Vibe.com, Brandy comes clean about the romance rumors surrounding her relationship with “Get Low” rapper Flo Rida, particularly in light of paparazzi pictures showing the two cuddled up at her 31st birthday bash in February.
“I’ve seen the photos of me and Flo Rida,” Brandy writes. “I don’t want to say that we’re a couple. I can definitely say that he’s somebody in my life and I’m definitely interested but I’m not serious with anybody. I’m a little bit afraid to give my heart away right now. It’s very scary.”
One reason for the hesitation is her 7½-year-old daughter, Sy’rai, from her marriage to producer Robert Smith that ended in 2003.
“My daughter hasn’t seen me with anybody in five years,” she writes. “I’m very, very selective when it comes to that because I want to make sure that it’s real. I don’t want her to see me with just anybody because she means everything to me.”
So, what is Brandy looking for in a potential beau?
“You have to be a strong guy to be in a committed relationship,” Brandy writes. “If you’re not ready for that, then don’t tell me that you are. Be honest with a girl …
Don’t tell somebody they’re your girlfriend and then you go out and act like you don’t have a girlfriend. That’s not right.”
While admitting her own reluctance to take the leap, Brandy gave some encouraging advice to her fans.
“I’m scared to give my heart away,” she wrote. “I don’t know where to find a good guy. I just think that they’re around and I think you have to be good and at some point you’ll attract that. I really believe that.
First, people should stop looking. The looking thing does not work. Just let love find you.”
Brandy’s blog coincides with last night’s premiere of her new VH1 reality series “Brandy and Ray-J: Family Business.”
A local New Jersey newspaper has reported that R&B singer Jaheim was arrested in his hometown of Hillsborough on March 28, and now faces charges of speeding and marijuana possession.
Jaheim 32-year-old entertainer was pulled over by Hillsborough, NJ, cops while driving 30mph over the speed limit. When police approached the car, they claimed to notice a strong odor of marijuana, giving them cause to search the vehicle.
According to the Messenger-Gazette, Jaheim allowed cops to search the car only after exchanging a few unpleasant words with them. Inside, police reportedly found a small marijuana bud and several discarded cigar wrappers, which they associated with marijuana use.
HILLSBOROUGH —
The Hillsborough Police Department releases the following items from March 28 to April 3: Marijuana Charge
Jaheim Hoagland, 32, of Hillsborough was pulled over near Royce Brook Golf Course on March 28 for allegedly traveling 65 mph in a 35 mph zone and was then charged with possession of marijuana in a motor vehicle. Hillsborough Police reported that they could smell a strong odor of raw marijuana emanating from the vehicle. Hoagland gave police consent to search his vehicle after yelling at authorities, police said. During the search, Hillsborough Police allegedly noticed a small bud of marijuana underneath the driver’s seat. Police said they also observed several cigar wrappers, cigar shaving and cigar paper, which is consistent with marijuana use. Hoagland was also charged with speeding.
Noise Complaint
Police responded to a house on Merritt Drive for a noise complaint the night of April 3 after being told there was a possible fight and yelling in the street. Upon police arrival, people scattered throughout the area. The homeowner, Daniel Martinez, 21, was given a non-indictable summons for noise pollution complaints.
BB Gun Shooting
Hillsborough Police responded to a report of a male shooting a BB gun at a gas station attendant at Quick Chek at 273 Route 206 on April 1. The victim, Irene Green, 35, of Piscataway, said that at approximately 12:30 a.m., she noticed a gold sedan car enter the gas station and approach her, pausing 15 feet away. A white female with black hair and a black male wearing a hoodie were in the car, she said. The male pointed the gun at her, and she heard several cracking noises. The vehicle then drove off out of the western exit and departed along Route 206 North. Police do not have any suspects.
Jay-Z was the first rap artist to headline Britain’s Glastonbury Festival in 2008 and he will make history once again next Friday when he becomes the first solo hip-hop act to top the bill at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival.
But Jay wasn’t always able to command a stage. He opens up about the rapper who indirectly encouraged him to become a better performer and the artists who’ve influenced his on-stage evolution.
“In hip-hop, there’s not many great performers, I look outside the genre, measuring myself against others. I look at Madonna’s production and envy that. Daft Punk’s set, I’m like, what the… And I look at the way U2 can command an audience. Bono’s a performer pretty much like I am. He’s not a dancer; he’s not jumping around. He’s having a conversation. He’s using his stillness as movement.”
The hip-hop heavyweight was modest when talking about his early stage presence. “All my early years? Forget it. I was a horrible performer,” he admitted, realizing that he needed to up his game when touring with DMX in 1999. “DMX tore me to pieces. I remember being stunned.”
It was then Jay knew that he had to raise the bar. “[DMX] had me really working. But I had to figure this out,” he explained. “If you want to be a headliner, you better put on a headline show.”
Now well adjusted to playing sold-out arenas, Mr. Carter is looking forward to his next headlining gig at Coachella in Indio, Calif. “There’s nothing like seeing 100,000 diamonds.”
For his ninth feature film, writer/director Tyler Perry has returned to the source of his most inspired work. “Why Did I Get Married Too?” is a sequel to the 2007 domestic disturbance ensemble piece, reuniting all of the original cast to once again delve into the flood waters of marriage, trust, and infidelity.
The original film wasn’t an astounding emotional investigation, but it permitted Perry a chance to work on a script concerning adults, without the pinching shackles of the demonic Madea character or his feckless stabs at religious enlightenment. “Married Too” continues the coarse matrimonial adventure, only now the childish rage and jarring tomfoolery has moved to the Bahamas, allowing the earsplitting melodrama a chance to grab a tan.
Continuing their annual get-togethers, couples Diane (Sharon Leal) and Terry (Tyler Perry), Patricia (Janet Jackson) and Gavin (Malik Yoba), Marcus (Michael Jai White) and Angela (Tasha Smith), and Shelia (Jill Scott) and Troy (Lamann Rucker), have gathered in the Bahamas for a week of fun in the sun.
Much like their previous encounters, tempers flare when the couples have a chance to share their bedroom woes and gender role fears, with added trouble arriving in the form of Mike (Richard T. Jones), Shelia’s abusive ex-husband, who’s come to enjoy a vacation. Returning home after a stormy week of wicked introspection and arguments, the couples are faced with new decisions to make, contemplating divorce or worse after this friendly gathering reveals ghastly secrets and desires.
Actually, the tropical playground only takes up a third of “Married Too,” serving as a change of locale to launch the sequel with a few fresh steps. The effect only lasts mere seconds before the film snuggles up to the same old Perry business, only the sequel feels the vile urge to up the ante thousandfold in the hysteria department. If there are two forces in filmdom that should be kept as far away from each other as possible, it has to be hysterics and Tyler Perry.
It’s actually fairly shocking to watch “Married Too” tear into itself so swiftly, steamrolling across the screen with a head-rattling shrillness that doesn’t mesh at all with the original picture. To Perry, this franchise is now professional wrestling, with heroes to cheer and villains to boo, taking whatever minuscule dimension of characterization there was to nuzzle in 2007 and reducing it to a merciless clenched fist that strikes the viewer over and over in all the sweet spots.
“Married Too” is a cinematic act of cruelty, and I’m curious to understand why Perry decided to amplify the viciousness to apocalyptic levels, where the first picture made due (and money) with a softer, more controlled tone of distress. Sequels generally quest to outdo their screen forefathers, but this feature is absolutely preposterous in the manner it plays to the rafters. Heck, even past the rafters at times.
Even the audience at the midnight screening I attended (Perry doesn’t like film critics to sniff around his movies early) found themselves laughing at, not with, the wailing absurdity. Perhaps the filmmaker has finally lost touch with his loyal audience.
Staged for the camera like one of Perry’s plays, “Married Too” is unforgivably stiff, with clumsy cinematography that makes the picture feel rigid and synthetic. The dialogue appears largely improvised as well, with actors often talking over each other, thus creating more unwelcome noise. This is an unconvincing ensemble, but I don’t place the blame for this film squarely on their shoulders. After all, it’s Perry’s vision, and he wants the vein-poppin’, staggering-around-with-a-bottle-of-booze, overly reptilian stuff here.
The performances are uniformly dreadful, but there’s a special migraine grip from Tasha Smith, who positively terrorizes this film as hyper-jealous she-beast Angela. She’s a rampaging velociraptor, bleeding gunshot wound, and Ke$ha song all rolled up into a 100-pound African-American nightmare, and every last screen moment with her screeching self is death. Pure death. There’s nothing funny about the performance, though Perry seems amused, encouraging Smith to squeal until hoarse and stomp until bruised.
Smith’s agonizing performance plays into a larger concept of sympathy that Perry bungles immediately. Are we supposed to feel for these characters and their failed marriages or do we revel in their petty jealousy, rampant stupidity, and overall inhumanity as some type of sport? Perry doesn’t have a single insightful thing to say about the state of marriage in the United States, instead erecting the film as a gladiatorial arena, pitting men versus women in a battle royal of unnecessary contempt. Perry doesn’t take the dramatic challenge of relationship despair seriously, and this sequel is all too quick to exploit some very real emotions to rile up the crowds with wild displays of implausible numbskullery. “Married Too” isn’t about the heart, it’s about rabid behaviour to whoop over.
And if you think the film couldn’t get any worse than 105 minutes of lunatic soap opera turns, actors chewing the frame, and Perry turning marriage into an act of sustained emotional violence, he goes completely spineless in the final 15 minutes, ushering in cancer and a car accident to rush his film to a close, barely capping any of the subplots off in the process. It’s downright shameless, assisted by a Perry first: a surprise celebrity cameo, helping to swallow this alarmingly bitter pill. Cancer! Good lord.
Talk about an unabashed, intensely distasteful screenplay cheat.
I’ve sat through every single Tyler Perry film hoping for something that reveals promise or spotlights creative growth, and I thought the original “Why Did I Get Married?” was a interesting peek into the filmmaker’s potential future away from the prison of Madea. I was wrong. “Why Did I Get Married Too?” is actually Perry’s most obscenely obnoxious, morally bankrupt, and professionally ramshackle film to date. It’s appalling in every way, showing a disregard for humankind in a manner that should keep Perry on a therapist’s couch, not on a film set."
To describe “Our Family Wedding” as an offshoot of “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” is undoubtedly an insult to the 1967 Stanley Kramer film. Perhaps my memory isn’t as sharp as it once was, but I fail to recall the original picture containing a scene in which a goat, jacked up on a spilled bottle of Viagra, endeavors to dry-hump an understandably confused leading character. Again, perhaps that’s my mind playing tricks on me.
Returning to Los Angeles to spread word of their hasty wedding plans to their families, Lucia Ramirez (America Ferrera) and Marcus Boyd (Lance Gross) are faced with an impossible task; breaking the news to their respective Mexican-American and African-American broods, the couple is met with hostility when it’s clear fathers Miguel (Carlos Mencia) and Brad (Forest Whitaker) are unable to get along.
Looking to create a suitable ceremony in just a handful of weeks, the diverse cultures clash over the festivities, leaving Lucia and Marcus in a position of doubt as their wedding day approaches and the two families can barely agree on any of the details.
Scattershot doesn’t even begin to describe the direction of “Our Family Wedding.” Helmer Rick Famuyiwa (who hasn’t made a picture since 2002’s “Brown Sugar”) angles to make something very silly and sincere, ending up trapped midway: an uncomfortable middle ground where nothing in the picture registers in the heart or bangs loudly on the funny bone. Instead, it’s a rambling, episodic dramedy using a screenwriting template to feel out its giggles and characterization, insisting that racial tension is the key to unlocking a riotous good time at the movies.
Perhaps there’s some promise in the plot, which delights in the culture clash discomfort shared between the two families; however, when one imagines the potential of a broadly staged wedding farce, the names Forest Whitaker and Carlos Mencia don’t exactly spring to mind. The actors are dead weights that anchor Famuyiwa’s intentions further, murdering the joy of the picture with their lethargic line-readings and predictable improvisational harassment.
The leading men look the part, but neither actor has the ability to make the script sing, while the supporting cast flops around screeching, encouraging the aggressive stereotyping, making the feature a ghastly brew of “Sabado Gigante” and “House of Payne.”
Of course, it’s not all hornball goats, wedding cake fights, clueless Caucasians, and Mariachi sing-alongs, “Our Family Wedding” wants to capture the heart too. I’m not exactly sure why Famuyiwa believes anyone will care about these harebrained characters, but the second half of the film heads in a strained dramatic direction, where all the main players are assigned their own bit of worry to overcome for the finale.
Had the film elected a more farcical tone (as the opening act suggests), the results might’ve been more agreeably numbing. Erecting a bridge of sympathy to impersonal sitcom troubles only reinforces the shallowness of the direction and the limitations of the cast.
“Our Family Wedding” slaps on the dancing shoes for the grand finale, but there’s little bliss to share. Intensely unfunny and persistently insipid, the picture is a chore to sit through, especially with a filmmaker who’s clearly working outside of his gifts. Well, at least the goat is happy."
