Posts made in December 2019

From the Streets to Stanford Ph.D. to Self-Made Millionaire — Pimp Slap Your Pain Into Peace, Purpose, Passion and Profits 

Santa Monica, CA and Baltimore, MD (December xx, 2019) — Best-selling author and acclaimed international speaker and business mentor Dr. Venus Opal Reese made headlines for her inspiring and true story of rising from the tough streets of Baltimore, to earning a Stanford Ph.D. and becoming a self-made millionaire. Today, she is unleashing her new book and accompanying national tour, The Raw Truth Book+Tour.

The Raw Truth Book+Tour follows the release of Dr. Venus’ new book, The Raw Truth: A Pimp Daughter’s Diary, the honest and intimate account of her spiritual healing through turning her trauma and pain into peace, purpose, passion and profits. The book is now available for purchase on Amazon.com. 

The Raw Truth Book+Tour brings Dr. Venus’ story and new book to life. Kicking off in Santa Monica, California on January 17th, 2020, The Raw Truth Book+Tour will feature a 3-in-1 experience in each city. Each tour stop includes a book signing, a personal growth and wealth workshop teaching women the principles necessary to live their own raw truth and a live, solo performance from Dr. Venus. Her one-woman show is in the tradition of Spalding Gray (Swimming To Cambodia), Ntozake Shange (For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow Is Enuf) and Eve Ensler (The Vagina Monologues). 

Real, raw, erotic, vulnerable and unapologetically human, The Raw Truth Book+Tour inspires women (and the men who love them) worldwide to tell the truth they’ve been hiding under success, red bottoms, and hard work. It’s time to heal the silenced little girl inside and set free the woman she was destined to become. Dr Venus Opal Reese and The Raw Truth Book+Tour speaks to everyone who craves a safe and inclusive space to join an army of truth-tellers and become their real, raw and authentic selves.

Dr. Venus Opal Reese previously led her sold-out Black Woman Millionaire Tour in 2018, an inspiring program teaching black women in business how to break the million-dollar mark on their own terms. The accompanying book, The Black Woman Millionaire: A Revolutionary Act that DEFIES Impossible is available for purchase on Amazon.com. 

THE RAW TRUTH BOOK+TOUR CITIES AND DATES

Santa Monica – January, 17,18, and 19, 2020

Houston – March 21, 2020

Atlanta – April 18, 2020 

Chicago – May 16, 2020

New York City – June 13, 2020

Baltimore – July 18, 2020

To purchase tickets for The Raw Truth Book+Tour, visit https://rawtruthbook.com/tour/

About Dr. Venus Opal Reese

Acclaimed Inspirational Speaker, Best-Selling Author, Award-Winning Performance Artist, Marketing Alchemist™, and Business Mentor, Dr. Venus Opal Reese went from living on the streets and eating out of trash cans to obtaining two master’s degrees and a Ph.D. from Stanford University. Previously, she worked as a university professor before investing in herself and her entrepreneurial skills. Her business, Defy Impossible, grossed $5 million in less than six years without government funding, loans, investors or a sales team by turning herself into a category of one. Her clients have grossed millions since implementing her strategies and systems.

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Drawing 100,000 Fans to Downtown L.A., the Biggest Festival Brand in Rap Closed Out the 2010s With Its Sights on Another Decade of Domination

Drawing 100,000 Fans to Downtown L.A., the Biggest Festival Brand in Rap Closed Out the 2010s With Its Sights on Another Decade of Domination

Critical Praise:

“Rolling Loud has rapidly become the most essential annual hip-hop festival” – The New York Times

“One of hip-hop’s biggest festivals” – The Wall Street Journal

“The country’s premier hip-hop festival” – Billboard

THE RECAP:

The 2010s was a decade for rapid change, as the rap industry struggled to keep up with the voracious appetites of fans, who constantly scoured SoundCloud in search of the next star. As traditional gatekeepers fell by the wayside, Rolling Loud became a major rite of passage, giving these internet-born stars an IRL crowd to match their impressive streaming numbers. Rolling Loud hosted the first major festival performances from the likes of Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Baby, Playboi Carti, Trippie Redd, Lil Peep, and more, and became a comfortable home for relative veterans like Travis Scott, Migos and Young Thug, and influential forefathers like Lil Wayne and Gucci Man.

The final Rolling Loud festival of the decade was a bittersweet one, as Rolling Loud and the hip-hop community at large came together in Los Angeles to mourn Juice WRLD, who passed away earlier in the week. Before he turned 21, Juice World changed the face and sound of hip-hop, spinning bleakly witty tales of romance and inner turmoil and crafting emo-influenced melodies into unforgettable hooks. On Sunday night, Juice WRLD’s touring band held down the stage for an unmissable hour, as luminaries like G Herbo, YBN Cordae, Benny Blanco, Cole Bennett, and others came through to pay their respects.

The Juice WRLD tribute was a beautiful and necessary moment, but it didn’t distract from the rest of the sold-out festival, which brought its usual array of superstars, veterans, and on-fire newcomers. Futureclosed out the night with an impassioned run through his unbeatable discography. YG put on for his city (and mourned his close friend Nipsey Hussle) in an eventful performance. The crowd showed out for 2019 breakout stars DaBaby, Megan Thee Stallion, and Polo G, and vibed to L.A. locals like Tyga, Doja Cat (who brought out Smino during her set), and Buddy.

Check below for some of the best photos of the day’s most memorable moments, taken by Rolling Loud’s crackerjack internal media team.

For additional photos of the festival, visit this Dropbox of hi-res photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/1tlrxi7j77pcsij/AADUh-IPDhqS2nSDS4fqkJila?dl=0

See even more highlights on Rolling Loud’s Instagram.

For all other inquiries, contact Michelle, Scott, Kierra, or Erin

FUTURE:

Possibly the most influential rapper of the decade, Future was a fitting closing act for the final Rolling Loud of the 2010s (Credit: Rolling Loud/@eazypho) JUICE WRLD TRIBUTE:

An emotional celebration of the late artist’s legacy–figures like Benny Blanco, G Herbo (pictured), and Juice’s friends and family made appearance (Credit: Rolling Loud/@itchyeyephotos)

Juice WRLD’s girlfriend Ally gives emotional remarks (Credit: Rolling Loud/@itchyeyephotos)

A$AP ROCKY:

Pretty Flacko stopped the show at the High Hemp stage, performing hits new and old (Credit: Rolling Loud/@itchyeyephotos)

DABABY:

2019’s biggest breakout star unleashes pandemonium on the High Hemp Stage (Credit: Rolling Loud/@srodriguez92)

TYGA:

Bringing a cadre of dancers and a multitude of hits for the hometown audience, Tyga capped a roller coaster decade in style (Credit: Rolling Loud/@ITCHYEYEPHOTOS)

YG:

Don’t come to L.A….unless you’re coming to watch this Compton native perform (Credit: Rolling Loud/@jessicapadover)

MEGAN THEE STALLION:

Make your Holiday Season a Hot Girl season (Credit: Rolling Loud/@itchyeyephotos)

RISING STARS:

POLO G (Credit: Rolling Loud/@shaunllewllyn_1)

SHORDIE SHORDIE (Credit: Rolling Loud/@jordankelseyknight)

LOCAL HEROES:

DOJA CAT (Credit: Rolling Loud/@itchyeyephotos)

THE GAME & BLUEFACE (Credit: Rolling Loud/@shaunllewellyn)

BUDDY (Credit: Rolling Loud/@arrogantwatcher)

KALAN.FRFR (Credit: Rolling Loud/@jamesbaxter)

THE CROWD:

(Credit: Rolling Loud/@henryhwu)

(Credit: Rolling Loud/@jordankelseyknight)

(Credit: Rolling Loud/@itchyeyephotos)

(Credit: Rolling Loud/@henryhwu)

(Credit: Rolling Loud/@itchyeyephotos)

FOUNDERS:

Rolling Loud co-founder Tariq Cherif (Credit: Rolling Loud/@henryhwu)

Rolling Loud co-founder Matt Zingler (credit: Rolling Loud/@eazypho)

THE BACKGROUND:

Founded in 2015 by Matt Zingler and Tariq Cherif as a one-day festival in Miami, Rolling Loud evolved into a global behemoth, with massive festivals on both American coasts and an international event in Australia. An area with a rich and distinctive hip-hop tradition, the Bay was the first site of Rolling Loud’s expansion, hosting the first Rolling Loud Bay Area in Mountain View, CA in September 2017. Last year, Rolling Loud Bay Area re-located to Oakland Coliseum, drawing 80,000 rap fans to a sold-out two-day festival, headlined by Wiz Khalifa and Travis Scott.

Link to First Look Photo:
https://rumpus.natgeonetworks.com/_IghQRDcZgVNQ8R
Photo credit: National Geographic/Richard DuCree

From Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, Eight-Part Limited Series to Premiere May 2020 on National Geographic

(WASHINGTON, DC – DEC. 6, 2019) Today, National Geographic and Fox 21 Television Studios released a first look photo of triple threat Tony-, Emmy- and Grammy Award-winning Cynthia Erivo (“Harriet,” “The Color Purple”) as Aretha Franklin during the GENIUS: ARETHA start of production.

“Over the last few months, I’ve been preparing myself to embody the Queen of Soul, from relistening to her music to discovering her rare interviews and reading some amazing books on her – all to really capture Aretha’s attitude and spirit,” said Erivo. “I’m truly humbled to be working alongside a very talented and musical team. Together, we’ll serve the Queen and create something special.”

The ensemble cast includes Courtney B. Vance (“The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story”) as C.L. Franklin, David Cross (“Goliath,”,”Arrested Development”) as Jerry Wexler, Malcolm Barrett (“Timeless,” “Preacher”) as Ted White, Patrice Covington (Broadway’s “The Color Purple”) as Erma Franklin,
Kimberly Hébert Gregory (“Vice Principals”) as Ruth Bowen, Rebecca Naomi Jones (“The Big Sick”) as Carolyn Franklin and Sanai Victoria (“Black-ish”) as Little Re. The eight-part limited series will premiere on National Geographic in May 2020 in 172 countries and in 43 languages.

RELEVANT HANDLES AND HASHTAG:
National Geographic – @natgeochannel
Fox 21 Television Studios – @20thcenfoxtv
Imagine Entertainment – @imagineentertainment
Brian Grazer – @briangrazer
Ron Howard – @realronhoward
Cynthia Erivo – @cynthiaerivo
Genius – Facebook: @NatGeoGenius; Twitter: @NatGeoGenius; Instagram: @natgeogenius
Hashtag – #genius
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ABOUT GENIUS: ARETHA
GENIUS dramatizes the fascinating stories of the world’s most brilliant innovators, exploring their extraordinary achievements along with their volatile, passionate and complex personal relationships. The third season of the anthology series will explore Franklin’s musical genius and incomparable career as well as the immeasurable impact and lasting influence she has had on music and culture around the world, in the first-ever, definitive and only authorized scripted limited series on the life of the universally acclaimed Queen of Soul. Grammy Award winner Franklin was a gospel prodigy and outspoken civil rights champion; she is widely considered to be the greatest singer of the past 50 years, receiving countless honors throughout her career.

Imagine is partnering with Warner Music Entertainment for this third season, which will again be executive produced by Imagine’s Brian Grazer and Ron Howard. Suzan-Lori Parks is showrunner and executive producer and Anthony Hemingway is executive producer and producing director for the season. Legendary hit record producer Clive Davis and Atlantic Records Chairman and CEO Craig Kallman have also joined as executive producers. Returning executive producers include Francie Calfo (GENIUS, “Empire”), Ken Biller (GENIUS: EINSTEIN, GENIUS: PICASSO), Gigi Pritzker and Rachel Shane (MWM Studios), and Sam Sokolow (EUE/Sokolow). Diana Son joins as executive producer. In addition, Imagine’s Anna Culp serves as producer alongside Peter Afterman.