Will Smith and Jay Z are pairing up again to produce a miniseries about Emmett Till.

Emmett Till was a Black teen who was brutally murdered at the age of 14 in Mississippi while on a family visit. He was accused of flirting with a white woman and killed by her husband and his brother.

The story of Emmett Till is an emotional and racially charged one, playing a role in the Civil Rights Movement. Bringing his story on screen could have an effect similar to Fruitvale Station, which had many viewers in tears upon watching.

Will Smith and Jay Z have worked together before on the film Annie. There are no writers on board yet. The miniseries is due to air on HBO.

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We’ve seen some cool stuff happen in films. There’s been films with crazy CGI stuff like giant robots. We’ve seen whole worlds created. There’s been films shot like one continuous shot. But sometimes the simple stuff is the coolest of all.

Characterization is one if the biggest parts of telling a story, and character interaction fuels characterization. So to have just one character to carry a film is risky. David Oyelowo was up to the task. He stars in Nightingale as a war veteran who, while waiting for a friend’s visit, starts to unravel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8hire8Ooe8

Nightingale airs on HBO. Check your TV listings for times.

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Bessie premieres May 16 on HBO.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FhmzwXfgz8

Bessie will debut on May 16 at 8/7c on HBO.

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Snoop Dogg, or Snoop Lion, or whatever he’s called these days, will be developing a drama about 1980s Los Angeles for HBO.

The show will focus on the effects of Reagan-era politics and its effects on the city and a specific family. Any thing Snoop produces should be interesting.

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Bessie is a film decades in the making. Starring Queen Latifah, it tells the journey of Bessie Smith as she becomes “The Empress of the Blues.” Check out the teaser below.

Cast:

Queen Latifah – Bessie Smith

Michael Kenneth Williams – Jack Gee

Khandi Alexander – Viola

Mike Epps – Richard

Tika Sumpter – Lucille

Tory Kittles – Clarence

Oliver Platt – Carl Van Vechten

Bryan Greenberg – John Hammond

Charles S. Dutton – William “Pa” Rainey

Mo’Nique – Ma Rainey

Crew:

Director – Dee Rees

Executive Producer – Queen Latifah

Executive Producer – Shakim Compere

Bessie will debut on May 16 at 8/7c on HBO.

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We can’t get through Black History Month without talking about Josephine Baker. She did it all. She was a singer, dancer, actor, activist, and even spy.

Josephine Baker was the first Black woman to star in a major film. She achieved worldwide recognition, another first for a Black woman. She was heavily involved in the Civil Rights Movement, even refusing to perform for segregated audiences.

The Josephine Baker Story is a TV film that aired on HBO. Lynn Whitfield starred as Baker. The film follows Baker as she worked to achieve worldwide fame.

It won a Golden Globe, an Emmy, and an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, Mini-Series, or Television Movie for Whitfield. It is available here.

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Ever since we heard that Issa Rae would be developing her own television show, we’ve been waiting with bated breath on what would materialize. It looks like now we can let that breath go.

HBO has ordered a comedy pilot called Insecure. It will star Issa Rae and is co-created by her and Larry Wilmore.

Insecure will be based on the experiences of a modern Black girl, similar to “The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl.”

HBO has produced a string of hits so I’m sure this will be no different. Can’t wait for it to hit the air.

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