‘Harriet’ goes underground Dancehall Queen Spice
the Underground Railroad.
Recently released the film
will likely amplify discussion
about additions to US currency,
slavery and the hard-fought travails
brave ancestors endured
in order to escape rape, beatings
and torture in the deep
south.
Portrayed with guts and
gumption by Cynthia Errivo,
the British actress channels a
5 foot two inch teenager who
refused to remain shackled by
slave masters convinced they
owned Black, two-legged property
able to work endless hours
for no reward.
Actually a similar mindset
prevailed in “Roots,” the television
series, films “12 Days
A Slave,” “Glory,” “Django” and
a myriad of retrospectives that
document Black servitude in
pre-Civil War America.
What is different in this
Hollywood production is the
incredibly, determined, dangerously,
repetitive, heroic,
fierce, gender-defining role one
woman challenged when she
captained perilous terrain to
establish a route that became
the gateway to freedom.
Allegedly through 15 roundtrips
rescued dozens of slaves
and never lost a passenger.
Hounded by dogs, bounty
hunters and relentless slave
masters Tubman defied treacherous
territories, bad weather
to lead relatives and families
out of plantation suffrage.
The film delves deep to
compile historic data which
unearths details about the Maryland
daughter and her eight
siblings that inherited the woes
of Africans of that era.
That she was married to a
John Tubman, kept his name
despite the fact he was unfaithful
to her and even led his bride
and offspring out of slavery
seemed previously unearthed
information Lemmons chose
to include.
The director hired her husband
Vondie Curtis Hall and
their son Henry Hunter Hall
as key players in the enlightening
flick.
Through freedom trips
back and forth from Maryland
to Pennsylvania, Tubman
is helped by abolitionist John
Brown and whites sympathetic
to the cause.
Singer Janelle Monae portrays
a Black woman born
free and a liberator who aided
numerous escaped slaves.
At times difficult to endure,
the film is a tribute to the legacy
and love Harriet Tubman
devoted her life.
Errivo will likely win EGOT
(Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony)
status next year when the Academy
Awards honor the best in
Caribbean L 50 ife, November 8-14, 2019 BQ
the film industry.
If fairly judged for her portrayal,
she will join Halle Berry
as champion of the Best Actress
category.
Undoubtedly, Errivo delivered
a poignant and committed
performance in order to realize
a historic character beloved by
a grateful race and people.
The first Black woman to be
recruited for military service,
Harriet is also acclaimed for
receiving a $20 pension after
her husband died. Perhaps for
this alone her image is worthy
of a $20.
Tubman died at age 93.
Haitian performers: Eud, a talented
rapper and singer known
for hit songs such as “Hey” and
“Eudomination,” and Précil, a
Haitian-American singer-song
writer celebrated for her mix of
jazz and Haitian beats.
“We are excited to welcome
this musical icon to Aaron Davis
Hall and present New York audiences
with the chance to hear
the sounds of Haiti,” said Gregory
Shanck, managing director
of CCCA. “As we near the
10-year anniversary of the 2010
Haitian earthquake it provides
us with the opportunity to focus
on the glory and promise of that
nation.”
“Black Pearls” will also feature
the Sacred Heart Children’s
Choir of the Sacred
Heart Roman Catholic Church
in Cambria Heights, New York.
Tickets for “Emeline Michel’s
Black Pearls” are $40 general
admission and $32 for students
and seniors and are available
for purchase online atwww.citycollegecenterforthearts.
org
or by calling the box office at
(212) 650-6900. Tickets can
also be purchased in person at
the Aaron Davis Hall box office
Tuesday through Friday from
noon to 6 pm. Aaron Davis Hall
is located on the campus of the
City College of New Yorkat West
135th St. and Convent Avenue
(129 Convent Avenue).
Continued from Page 49
This photograph released by
the Library of Congress and
provided by Abrams Books
shows Harriet Tubman in
a photograph dating from
1860-75. Associated
Press / Library of Congress
Continued from Page 49
that kicked off with the mixtape
debuting at the number
one album on the reggae Billboard
charts.”
Driven said Spice is only the
ninth female in history to hold
this honor since the inception
of the genre-specific category
emerged in the 90s.
After charting at number
one on Billboard, Driven said
“Captured” stayed there for
several weeks “and continues
to have staying power to date.”
Driven said this project was
“brought to life” in part by global
entertainment brand 21st
Hapilos Digital Distribution.
She said the album is considered
“one of the most successful
independent releases
of dancehall themed album
from dancehall artists, male
or female.”
“The company also marketed
‘Captured’ and the
accompanying single-track
highlights and videos,” Driven
said, adding that Spice’s album
has remained on the Hapilos
monthly top five reggae
albums chart consistently for
a year, “a first for any release
in the company’s 10-year history.”
She said several hit songs
have emerged from the compilation,
including the controversial,
“Black Hypocrisy” that
has “became fodder for tabloid
gossip thanks to a clever PR
(public relations) stunt used to
make a powerful statement.”
Driven said the single release
story trended throughout the
day online, catching the attention
of media outlets, including
TMZ, Ballers Alert, The
Breakfast Club, the Wendy Williams
Show, the Shade Room
and ABC News.
The 20-song EP showcases
a variety of dancehall, reggae
and hip-hop tracks.
From “Captured,” Driven
said three videos – “Black
Hypocrisy,” “Romantic Mood”
and “Under Fire” – debuted on
Billboard, too.
Driven said the visuals for
“Under Fire” highlights Spice’s
leadership, from ladies hustling
behind the scenes to people
dancing in the streets and
playing with fire.
“Spice is no doubt a force
to be reckoned with,” she said.
“She has a large following on
social media, and her presence
is vast, thanks in part because
of her powerhouse personality.
”D
riven said Spice’s “uniqueness”
has been spotlighted in
Vogue magazine.
Recently, she received an
award from MTV for her role as
a cast member of VH1’s Love
and Hip-Hop Atlanta.
Continued from Page 49
‘BLACK PEARLS’ CONCERT
Haitian-American singer and songwriter, Riva Précil (left) and Princess Eud.