New "Annie" Film Produced by Jay-Z and Will Smith (Video)

by: April D. Byrd

The trailer for The highly anticipated remake of "Annie" finally hit the internet. The remake of the classic 1982  film stars Quvenzhané Wallis, Jamie Foxx, and Cameron Diaz. The film will also feature modern remakes of the signature songs "Hard Knock Life" and "Tomorrow".

The story line features Jamie Foxx as Billionaire Benjamin Stacks, and Quvenzhané Wallis who captured our hearts in "Beasts Of The Southern Wild" in the title role of Annie. As the story goes Stacks, a politician initially uses Annie as a prop to advance his political career, but has a change of heart when the bond between him and Annie (Wallis) grows stronger.

No word on whether Jay-Z's infamous 1998 Hard Knock Life sample made the cut in the new film, but he does serve as a producer along with Will Smith. "Annie" starts playing in theaters on Christmas Day. Until then check out the first official trailer: (Below). 

What are your thoughts on the remake? Do you think the Oscar Winner, and the Oscar Nominee will do it justice? Leave a Comment and join in on the discussion on Trey Anthony's Fan Page.

16 year old Producer, Wondagurl, Shows Us That Dreams Can Happen at Any Age

16 year old producer, Wondagurl proves that age ain't nothing but a number when it comes to chasing your dreams. Her story spread throughout the Internet this week with the release of Jay-Z's much hyped album release Magna Carta Holy Grail, as it was discovered that a 16 year old producer from Brampton produced a track on the album.

Talk about defying any limitations - she's a female (how many womyn producers can you think of?), she's young and she is North of the border farrrrr away from the life of Jay-Z. So how did she make this happen? She visualized what she wanted and then took action to get there.

In a Toronto Star article, she explained that she got started because she saw a video of Jay-Z and Timbaland in the studio working on beats and she wanted to do what they were doing, she wants to be one of the greats. So, fast forward a bit and she may still be working on establishing her name but her hard work landed her on the album of one of the very greats that she first visualized.

She is more proof that you can make whatever you want happen as long as you have a dream, a plan and are committed.

Happy Friday!

Happy Father's Day: Some of My Favourite Famous Dads

Father's Day doesn't get the same amount of shine that Mother's Day does, but it should. The bond between a great father and his daughter/son is irreplaceable. Alot of times through the media, we don't see many black father represented as the story of the missing "baby daddy" is often the dialogue. So, I wanted to give some shine below to some of my favourite famous daddies that are influential.

Cliff Huxtable on The Cosby Show - the prototype of the best and most unforgettable father on tv.

Will Smith - People have a lot to say about the way that Will and Jada raise their kids, but besides the headlines, doesn't Will seem like a cool dad?

Rev Run - Showing the best of reality tv, Run' wise and cool approach to parenting his 6 kids was awesome to watch.

Jay-Z - We don't know much about this daddy daughter duo but I can bet that Jay-Z is  a great father already.

These are just a few, but who would you add to this list? Leave a comment below and let me know who your favourite famous father is.

MONDAY MOTIVATION: Money Talks

In 1993, Jay Z and his friend Damon Dash sold his record out of Dash's car.... and well the rest is history! Tyler Perry spent his life savings to make a musical that people did not attend!  He was homeless for a time and spent many months living in cheap motels and his car!   Finally in 1998, he was successful and never looked back! 

What Jay Z and Tyler Perry have in common is that they didn't give up and they also invested in their own dreams, spent their own money to make things happen!  By investing in their dreams both of these men have changed the face of the entertainment industry. Yet, by  having the support of the black community they also have changed the way in which urban culture is viewed by the mainstream!  The only way we can make changes is if we as artist choose to invest in our own projects, but also reach out to our various  communities  to support our projects.

I have invested thousands of dollars in my own productions and some have been very successful ventures and some have lost me money but I still kept/keep going, because I believe in my work, believe in my talent--Believe that I have something very important to offer this world!Lately,  I've been really impressed with the numerous innovative ways that artists are now choosing to invest in themselves and their work, and their dreams. 

My brother, Darren Anthony recently started his own indiegogo campaign to raise money to turn his successful play, Secrets of a Black boy,  into a short film entitled THE REC, with the hopes of eventually making it into a feature.  He is a few thousand dollars away from his dream and I would encourage you to support him!  We need to support artists who are changing the "game." To find out more about THE REC and to support Darren's work check out this video. 

I recently had the pleasure of meeting playwright Katori Hall, one of the few black womyn to have her play on Broadway. Hall shared with me that director Kenny Leon was instrumental in going to the community to raise 3.1 million dollars in order to bring her play to Broadway!! Wow! 

As I'm currently embarking on my own initiatives to raise money for my own production of 'da Kink in Atlanta, I was inspired by Kenny Leon's tenacity to raise such a great sum.  Suddenly, my own efforts to balance 'da Kink budget didn't seem so daunting and I realize I just have to raise the money, one dollar at a time!  

So,  trust me folks in the next few weeks I will be rolling out an initiative to get donors, investors, and supporters on board and yes I will probably be clearing out all my life savings once again to make my dream of bringing 'da Kink to Atlanta happen!  I believe money talks, money changes the game and money changes the way we are able to tell our stories!  I strongly urge you, if you want to see more diverse stories on stage, on television and in the media, it's time you put your money where your mouth is! Let your money talk! Invest in your artists! And also invest in yourself! If your dream is important to you spend your own money as well!

Please also remember to donate to Darren Anthony's production and help him actualize his dream! In the next few weeks I will be using my blog once per week to highlight various artists who need our community support to make their dreams come true! If you have an initiative please feel free to contact me and I will try my best to support it and help you spread the word!  Every penny counts, donate even just $5 and if you've got it, donate MORE!!! Let your money talk! 

Monday Motivation: The Genius in You - 5 Lessons Jay-z Taught Me This Weekend

This past weekend I flew to NYC to attend the Jay-Z concert at the opening of the Barclay Center in Brooklyn. As I was in my spot in front of the stage I had the chance to look around, breathe in and really take in the monumental occasion that I was about to be a part of. Forget what anyone has told you, the rap culture has always been a source of inspiration AND aspiration. The G.O.A.Ts of this culture have shown us how to be moguls, how to be successful off of our passions, why creativity is not just a hobby but a business and how to create a brand built from your authentic self.

Jay-Z, one of the greats, has shown us these examples for years and this weekend reminded me of a few life lessons that I will carry with me into this week and beyond:

There is a genius in us all but it is our job to find out what it is. Then, work!

At a point during the show, Jay took a moment to address the crowd and let them know that he was no different from us. That anyone of us could be standing up there on stage in his place. As he said:

I think every single person is born with genius level talent. You just have to find out what it is that you are a genius at...Once you find out what it is [that you are talented at], that’s not the end of it. Once you find out your genius level talent, you apply yourself in such a way that you do amazing sh-t. I’m a living testament of that. I am no muthaf-cking different than anybody in here tonight and I’m standing on this stage as living proof that if you apply yourself to what it is that you are genius at, you can do anything in the world.

It’s not about where you’re from. It’s about where you are going.

Jay-Z declared years ago, “I’m from Marcy son…ain’t nothing nice”. Growing up in a Brooklyn project, there was no reason for him to make it, but he did. With faith and persistence we can become MORE than our pasts and not allow for it to determine what our future holds.I still have so much that I want to achieve but it still amazes me how far I have come and how much I have achieved since being a little girl from Rexdale who dreamed of being a comedian. Dream big and act, don’t let disadvantages limit you.

Declare your value

Jay-z said it best, “Not a businessman – I’m a business, man”. Whether you are an entreprenuer or an employee, you are a business and a brand. Find out what your unique skills are and be consistent about presenting yourself in this light. Determine a value for what your skills are worth and do not sell yourself short!

Fish in different waters

You will not achieve success if you stay within your comfort zone. Even if you have already achieved success, to reach new levels you need to continue to push yourself past your boundaries.  For Jay-Z this meant hanging in different circles and aligning himself with things outside of the rap culture (politics, sports, entertainment venues) in order to take his brand to the next level. I made the decision to move to Atlanta to test the waters out here. For some of you, it may mean to meet new people, relocate to a new country or city, for others it may be to go back to school or to leave the job that you hate waking up to go to.

Quiet the noise of naysayers

Everyone has an opinion and often times whether well intentioned or not the noise of people’s opinions can often drown out your own voice or steer the course of your dreams. You have to develop a belief in yourself and trust your own decisions. Many people doubted whether Jay-Z as a rapper belonged in the different arenas and ventures that he pursued, but he had a vision for himself that many others could not see. The more people who doubt you, the more you know that you are headed on the right track.

If you visualize it, then you can achieve it!

I don’t know about you all, but I’m ready to embrace my dreams head-on. Are you? Tell me some of the lessons that you are applying to your life today.

Happy Monday!

P.S.  Have you all checked out the details for my Artist Millionaire Workshop? I announced an amazing panel of industry power players that will equip you with the tools to unleash your dreams. Check out the details here.

Ni**as In Paris???

Recently Gwenyth Paltrow tweeted a picture that had Twitter on fire.  She attended the Jay-Z Kanye West concert in Paris with some of her celeb friends Beyonce (of course), Kelly Rowland and Spike Lee.  And while she was there she tweeted a picture with the caption "Ni**as in paris for real" (see pic below)

Gwyneth Paltrow on WhoSay

Why is everyone going crazy? At the concert that night, Jay-Z performed his song 'Ain't No Ni**a' and EVERYONE in the room was singing every lyric (including all the White girls to their Black boyfriends in the audience that night).  After all, it's just the name of the song title...right?

Reaction to this innocent (I don't think that she did it maliciously) has been varied...some say that she shouldn't have used it.  Some say get over it.  Some say that White people shouldn't use it.  It's enough to make your head spin.

So what are the 'rules' we need to live by concerning the every controversial N-word?  Is it OK to use it in hip hop circles only?  Do Black people get to use it towards each other at free will and every other race has to tread lightly when using it?

Do we allow this to go by as innocent and frown upon a  Dutch magazine calling Rihanna's style 'ni**gabitch'?  (Click here to read more)

I don't think we'll ever come to a consensus on the use of the word...but I'm curious to know if any of you use the word.  Do you get offended when Black people use the word?  Other races?  Maybe it's the context that matters most?

"my greatest creation was you"

I listened to this new Jay Z joint and I had to admit I got a little sentimental.  Yes I maybe pms ing... and yes my ovaries are in full overload at the moment..... But I did love the track I think it's beautiful. I know there is a rumor out there that Jay apparently fathered a young boy nine years ago with Trinidadian model Shenelle Scott.

Read More: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2037429/Jay-Z-lovechild-Does-Beyonces-husband-secret-son-Shenelle-Scott.html#ixzz1jD0PPoiC 

So I did think about that little boy, hoping the rumor wasn't true! Because I think it would be sad for him to grow up and hear his "father" rap about this little girl stating "my greatest creation was you," while he never publicly acknowledged this little boy, so really i hope it's not true.

But I still love the song! And it's nice to see a black man show a huge public love for his daughter!   I hope every parent believes and feels that all of their children are the best thing they ever created! A big love to everyone out there who is parenting it's a huge job! Nuff respect. Take a listen to the new joint below! 

Listen to the track: Glory ft. Blue Ivy Carter

Jay-Z and Beyonce welcomes Blue Ivy Carter!

She's finally here!  Beyonce and Jay-Z welcomed baby Blue Ivy Carter into the world Saturday in a New York City Hospital.  Princess Carter and mom are apparently doing well!  CONGRATS!

The thing that I don't understand is the name.  Ivy is cute and "according to GMA, the couple chose "Ivy" because of the significance of the number "4" or "IV," --  Beyonce and Jay-Z were born on Sept. 4 and Dec. 4, respectively, were married on April 4, 2008, and Beyonce's latest album is entitled 4.)" ( from yahoo.com)  But Blue just sounds....well...'blue' to me (ie I'm feeling blue).   To me that is a little odd.


There has been so much speculation about the significance of the name Blue, but I wonder if this is Jay-Z's final nod....his Blueprint 4 (aka Blueprint IV aka Blue Ivy). His true masterpiece in the form of a bouncing baby girl!  Your thoughts?  What do you think about the name Blue?


I wonder how long we'll have to wait to see the baby pics....