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Rising Hollywood Star Rayan Lawrence Reflects on Hit Cable Series and the Influence of 50 Cent

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Rayan Lawrence, plays K-9 in the hit Starz show BMF (Black Mafia Family). The series tells the true story of how the Flenory brothers (Demetrius “Big Meech” Flenory and Terry “Southwest Tee” Flenory) fought their way out of poverty and the war on drugs in Detroit to become cultural and hip-hop game changers.
The post Rising Hollywood Star Rayan Lawrence Reflects on Hit Cable Series and the Influence of 50 Cent first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

1 year ago

February 21, 2023

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By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Rayan Lawrence doesn’t let his success make him arrogant.

Lawrence, who plays K-9 in the hit Starz show BMF (Black Mafia Family), is just enjoying his newfound fame as the show’s new lead character.

Lawrence told the Washington Informer, “I love this, it’s so cool.”

“Back in New York, I went to a fashion show, and everyone there loves K-9. Because of what we’re doing with the character, everyone loves me.”

BMF tells the true story of how the Flenory brothers — Demetrius “Big Meech” Flenory and Terry “Southwest Tee” Flenory — fought their way out of poverty and the war on drugs in Detroit to become cultural and hip-hop game changers.

As the Flenory brothers build a national empire, their pursuit of the American Dream is tied in with themes of family, faith, and loyalty.

Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, a business and hip-hop mogul, is the executive producer of the hit show. Starz just announced that it has signed on for a third season of BMF.

The aspect of family creates a great attraction for Lawrence, he asserted.

“I was raised to value family, so it’s been amazing to be a part of this,” Lawrence said. “And to work with 50 Cent again. I worked with him on ‘Power,’ and I’ve been so excited to meet him.

LaLa Anthony, Mo’Nique, Steve Harris, and others also appear on BMF.

But playing the role of K-9, a ruthless gang leader aligned with Big Meech, counts as Lawrence’s biggest role to date.

In the past, he has appeared as a guest on shows like Ironside, FBI, and Magnum P.I.

He said that when he was a guest on Blue Bloods, he learned a lot from the famous actor Tom Selleck.

But he also gives credit to actor and director Shiek Mahmud-Bey, who has made a name for himself onscreen and teaches actors like Lawrence through his “Char’Actors” company and “Shiek Studios.”

New York, Detroit, Arkansas, and Atlanta are all now home to Shiek Studios.

Later this year, Shiek Studios will add Shiek University, a school where people can learn how to be a director.

Lawrence said, “Shiek is my guy.”

“We’ve worked together for many years. When we worked on a movie together, I found him very interesting,” Lawrence said.

“A director told me about Shiek, so I looked him up and thought, ‘Oh, I get it.’ I wanted to be a part of what he was doing, and I love the way he does his job. He helped me with auditions and gave me advice on BMF.”

Lawrence said Mahmud-Bey taught him to be true to the characters he portrays.

“I learned a lot from what he taught me,” Lawrence added.

“Be honest and sure of yourself, and be present, ready to listen and answer. That’s what he said to me.”

That advice worked out well.

Lawrence said he was moved to learn more about the history of slavery while he was making the movie “Underground.”

Before the movie, Lawrence said he stayed away from those stories because they were traumatizing.

During the 2016 presidential election, Underground was being filmed.

Lawrence recalled that they filmed a pivotal scene on the day that Donald Trump was elected president.

“One of the most important scenes was shot on the day Donald Trump was elected,” Lawrence said. “We had a scene about the right to vote. It was very dramatic, and we were in Atlanta. I played an abolitionist, and I must tell you that in the scene we shot that day, I really did throw some punches. There was so much tension.”

Lawrence’s first job was as a model, but he said he was bored.

He said he enjoyed acting better than being a model because as a model, “all I did was take pictures all day.”

“I started looking into characters to figure out how they thought, and I love the process,” Lawrence asserted. “After all these years, I still love the process, including going to auditions.”

BMF is filmed in Detroit, but Lawrence said he hasn’t had a chance to see much of the Motor City yet.

He said, “We filmed here, and we stayed at the Motor City Casino Hotel.”

“It’s a great and unique experience, but I’ve seen run-down houses where you can buy a house for $900, but no one seems to take advantage of that,” Lawrence said.

“It’s sad because there are many things that could be done.”

The post Rising Hollywood Star Rayan Lawrence Reflects on Hit Cable Series and the Influence of 50 Cent first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, activist Ramona Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.
The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

4 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Once upon a time, Black Americans were simply known as colored people, or Negroes. That is until Ramona Edelin came along. The activist, renowned for her pivotal roles in advancing civil rights, education reform, and community empowerment, died at her D.C. residence last month at the age of 78. Her death, finally confirmed this week by Barnaby Towns, a communications strategist who collaborated with Dr. Edelin, was attributed to cancer.

Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.

Edelin’s contributions to academia and activism were manifold. She was pivotal in popularizing the term “African American” alongside Rev. Jesse L. Jackson in the late 1980s.

Jackson had announced the preference for “African American,” speaking for summit organizers that included Dr. Edelin. “Just as we were called Colored, but were not that, and then Negro, but not that, to be called Black is just as baseless,” he said, adding that “African American” “has cultural integrity” and “puts us in our proper historical context.”

Later, Edelin told Ebony magazine, “Calling ourselves African Americans is the first step in the cultural offensive,” while linking the name change to a “cultural renaissance” in which Black Americans reconnected with their history and heritage.

“Who are we if we don’t acknowledge our motherland?” she asked later. “When a child in a ghetto calls himself African American, immediately he’s international. You’ve taken him from the ghetto and put him on the globe.”

The HistoryMakers bio noted that Edelin’s academic pursuits led her to found and chair the Department of African American Studies at Northeastern University, where she established herself as a leading voice.

Transitioning from academia to advocacy, Edelin joined the National Urban Coalition in 1977, eventually ascending to president and CEO. During her tenure, she spearheaded initiatives such as the “Say Yes to a Youngster’s Future” program, which provided crucial support in math, science, and technology to youth and teachers of color in urban areas. Her biography noted that Edelin’s efforts extended nationwide through partnerships with organizations like the National Science Foundation and the United States Department of Education.

President Bill Clinton recognized Edelin’s expertise by appointing her to the Presidential Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities in 1998. She also co-founded and served as treasurer of the Black Leadership Forum, solidifying her standing as a respected leader in African American communities.

Beyond her professional achievements, Edelin dedicated herself to numerous boards and committees, including chairing the District of Columbia Educational Goals 2000 Panel and contributing to the Federal Advisory Committee for the Black Community Crusade for Children.

Throughout her life, Edelin received widespread recognition for her contributions. Ebony magazine honored her as one of the 100 Most Influential Black Americans, and she received prestigious awards such as the Southern Christian Leadership Award for Progressive Leadership and the IBM Community Executive Program Award.

The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.
The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

4 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Tennessee State University (TSU), the state’s only public historically Black college and university (HBCU), faces a tumultuous future as Gov. Bill Lee dissolved its board, a move supported by racist conservatives and MAGA Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly, who follow the lead of the twice-impeached, four-times indicted, alleged sexual predator former President Donald Trump. Educators and others have denounced the move as an attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) and a grave setback for higher education.

Critics argue that TSU’s purported financial mismanagement is a manufactured crisis rooted in decades of underinvestment by the state government. They’ve noted that it continues a trend by conservatives and the racist MAGA movement to eliminate opportunities for Blacks in education, corporate America, and the public sector.

Gevin Reynolds, a former speechwriter for Vice President Kamala Harris, emphasizes in an op-ed that TSU’s financial difficulties are not the result of university leadership because a recent audit found no evidence of fraud or malfeasance.

Reynolds noted that the disbanding of TSU’s board is not an isolated incident but part of a broader assault on DE&I initiatives nationwide. Ten states, including Tennessee, have enacted laws banning DE&I policies on college campuses, while governors appointing MAGA loyalists to university trustee positions further undermine efforts to promote inclusivity and equality.

Moreover, recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.

The actions echo historical efforts to suppress Black progress, reminiscent of the violent backlash against gains made during the Reconstruction era. President Joe Biden warned during an appearance in New York last month that Trump desires to bring the nation back to the 18th and 19th centuries – in other words, to see, among other things, African Americans back in the chains of slavery, women subservient to men without any say over their bodies, and all voting rights restricted to white men.

The parallels are stark, with white supremacist ideologies used to justify attacks on Black institutions and disenfranchise marginalized communities, Reynolds argued.

In response to these challenges, advocates stress the urgency of collective action to defend democracy and combat systemic racism. Understanding that attacks on institutions like TSU are symptomatic of broader threats to democratic norms, they call for increased civic engagement and voting at all levels of government.

The actions of people dedicated to upholding the principles of inclusivity, equity, and justice for all will determine the outcome of the ongoing fight for democracy, Reynolds noted. “We are in a war for our democracy, one whose outcome will be determined by every line on every ballot at every precinct,” he stated.

The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy

May 24, 2023 – Walker West Music Academy gets an early start on expansion. Join us for a Wednesday episode of The …
The post Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

4 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

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