12 h. ago ‘They excavated a nightclub!’: uncovering Black British history beyond London – podcast

From struggles over miscarriages of justice to groundbreaking music, Lanre Bakare looks at the places and events that shaped Black Britain in the Thatcher yearsWhen Guardian arts and culture correspondent Lanre Bakare was growing up, he learned the same Black British history as many of us did. It was a series of singular events: the docking of the Windrush in 1948, unrest in Notting Hill or Brixton, the murder of Stephen Lawrence. All important, but all firmly focused on the capital.Now Lanre has written a book about the Thatcher years, looking at the stories that are less often told: those that took place outside London, in Liverpool – with the oldest Black community in the UK – or in his home town of Bradford. Continue reading...

Politics

22 h. ago Pop superstar looks unrecognisable in forgotten role from Orange Is The New Black before music fame

Fans of the Netflix hit, created by Jenji Kohan, have shared their shock after an old clip went viral.

Politics

41 h. ago Beyonce's mum Tina Knowles stripped naked in brutal police checks for simple traffic offence

She might be the mother of a superstar pop star legend but there's more to Tina Knowles than just being a 'momager' as her new memoir reveals in shocking, graphic detail

Events

4 d. ago Will Smith fans make baffling observation about latest album

The Fresh Prince of Bel Air and Men in Black star has enjoyed a successful music career, but his latest album has been dubbed 'a flop' despite the star planning to tour the UK and Europe with the new release

Politics

6 d. ago Jack Black’s A Minecraft Movie song becomes shortest track to enter UK charts

The song Steve’s Lava Chicken has a running time of just 34 seconds.

Culture

7 d. ago Tunde Adebimpe: Thee Black Boltz review – a sparkling solo debut

(Sub Pop)The TV on the Radio frontman’s sharp pop instincts kick in on a multifaceted synth-punk-funk set born out of deep personal lossYou would not know, on first listen, that this effervescent debut solo album by the sometime frontman of TV on the Radio was steeped in grief. Tunde Adebimpe’s sister died during the pandemic when these songs were taking hesitant shape in an LA studio that Adebimpe, now a successful actor, shares with multi-instrumentalist and co-producer Wilder Zoby.Those difficult feelings – and others, about living in “a time of tenderness and rage” – became snaggle-toothed synth-punk cuts and bouncy synth-pop sounds. On Drop, there’s beat-boxing; on The Most, a Sleng Teng reggae riddim ambush; while on Somebody New, you can hear a punk-funk echo of New Order. Only ILY, a finger-picked folk song addressed to his sister, breaks character, adding “balladeer” to Adebimpe’s varied CV (former stop-motion animator, illustrator). “How’d you get so low?” asks God Knows, ...

Politics

1 week ago Free Barbican exhibition charts a century of black music in London

Free Barbican exhibition charts a century of black music in London  ianVisits

Politics

1 week ago All the clues Taylor Swift will take on Whitney Houston's iconic role in The Bodyguard remake

Taylor Swift's fans are convinced the pop superstar will be taking on Whitney Houston's iconic role in a remake of the beloved 1992 film, The Bodyguard.

Events

2 w. ago Black Mirror star Rashida Jones' life from Mark Ronson engagement to music legend father

Rashida Jones, who stars in Black Mirror season 7 episode Common People, has had an interesting life.

Politics

2 w. ago EDEN CONFIDENTIAL: Revealed: the first wedding at Ed Sheeran's private chapel

The pop superstar has revealed that the first marriage ceremony has been held at the newly built chapel at his Suffolk estate.

Politics

2 w. ago The truth about lonely Britney Spears' doomed romance with 'deadbeat' ex felon

Britney Spears has split from ex-felon boyfriend Paul Soliz for a second time. The pop superstar, 43, broke things off with Soliz, 37, around Valentine's Day in February.

Events

2 w. ago Madonna and Elton John 'finally bury the hatchet' after years of feuding

Sir Elton John has long taken aim at pop superstar Madonna, with a series of nasty digs over the years yet it has all come to an end thanks to an unexpected reunion

Politics

2 w. ago Infamous bathroom where George Michael was arrested for 'lewd act' undergoes radical transformation

It's one of the most infamous public bathrooms in the world, becoming a pop culture pitstop and a local Beverly Hills landmark following British superstar George Michael's 1998 arrest.

Events

2 w. ago Sia fans don't recognise pop superstar as she strolls through New York City with family

Sia, who has been nominated for nine Grammy Awards, was spotted out and about in New York City, where the mother of three was asked a very important piece of life advice

Politics

2 w. ago Fortnite early patch notes for update 34.30 – Sabrina Carpenter's Festival, Ballistic map and more

Pop superstar Sabrina Carpenter is expected to make her appearance as the next Fortnite Festival headliner in the coming Fortnite update, as well as a few other goodies for players to get stuck into.

Politics

3 w. ago Black Sabbath fans convinced they'd 'never have made it' if they stuck to original name

Black Sabbath are often hailed as the pioneers of heavy metal music, but they actually began their journey into the music industry under a completely different name - and some fans think it would've been an error to keep it

Politics

3 w. ago Black Country, New Road: Forever Howlong review | Alexis Petridis's album of the week

(Ninja Tune)After losing their frontman, the band’s third studio album shows how resilient and adaptable they are, with luscious melodies, fantastical lyrics and lots of recordersThe last time Black Country, New Road released a studio album, in 2022, it was accompanied by a strange feeling. Their debut the previous year had reached No 4 in the UK charts, and Ants from Up There was an even greater breakthrough, the sound of the UK septet pulling confidently away from the serried ranks of sprechgesang-heavy alt-rock bands who proliferated in the late 2010s. But there was an elegiac feeling around its release: Black Country, New Road’s frontman, Isaac Wood, had announced his departure four days prior. The others had resolved to continue without him, but given how distinctive Wood’s declarative, ruminating vocals were, many thought the band’s future was uncertain at best.That proved to be an underestimation. Instead of touring Ants from Up There, the remaining members stopped playing an...

Politics

3 w. ago Desperate Hailey Bieber's frantic call for help as 'manic' Justin is now 'not eating, sleeping... and his decline takes grim new twist'

The pop superstar, 31, has become increasingly unrecognizable in recent months, fueling growing concerns with videos of himself smoking weed and acting erratically on live streams.

Politics

3 w. ago Netflix documentary shows Lady Gaga's most 'intimate' moments

The documentary gives fans a glimpse into the personal life of the pop superstar, showing her rarely-seen family and her health battle

Culture

3 w. ago The first ever Black Welsh Music Awards announced with support of international artists

For the first time ever Wales has an awards to celebrate black music

Events