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Eddie Murphy is “Coming 2 America” in some standout African designs

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In a scene from Coming 2 America, the much-anticipated sequel to the 1988 cult classic, Eddie Murphy’s Prince Akeem paces about his palatial home, wondering what to do about his recently-discovered son. He wears a colorful, patterned knitted vest, lending the king of the fictional African country Zamunda an assured look, despite his worried demeanor.

Murphy’s vest is one of the first items South African designer Laduma Ngxokolo ever showed to the world. He created it in 2010, as part of the launch of his label Maxhosa. Ngxokolo’s designs have roots in the fashion of young Xhosa men in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province—he started out creating pieces for initiates as something stylish and functional to wear when they left their hallowed initiation ceremony. A decade later, Ngxokolo’s designs are a main feature of the wardrobe of Coming 2 Americaout today on Amazon Prime.

Although it’s set in a fictional African country, the film has relied on real designers to allow for better representation of the continent on screen. Oscar-winning costume designer Ruth E. Carter enlisted Ngxokolo to join her team and help create the looks for Murphy’s return to America, along with almost 40 other designers, ranging from India to Nigeria.

In collaborating with Nxgokolo, Carter has added an element of authenticity to a film with a pretty fantastical storyline. She’s done it before: Carter earned her Oscar for dressing the inhabitants of another fictional African country, Wakanda, in Black Panther.




Carter inherited the reins of costume design for the movie from Deborah Nadoolman Landis. The award-winning designer behind films such as Blues Brothers and Raiders of the Lost Ark designed all the costumes for the original film herself.

Directed by Nadoolman’s husband, John Landis, the outfits for Coming to America mashed everyday styles from Cote d’Ivoire, Gambia, and Senegal, with European influences, like the aesthetics of 1950s Dior, to create a deliberately over-the-top effect. The outfits are a big part of the film’s enduring appeal, and earned Nadoolman an Oscar nomination in 1989. Carter, who is friends with Nadoolman, has described the look created for the original film as “iconic,” but says she’s going a step forward this time.

“Hats off to Deborah for coming up with the original plan,” Carter has said. “But things have evolved. Looking back, they kind of had an imperialistic idea of royalty. It was a blend of English and African royalty.”

Carter’s choice of direction for the new film’s costumes don’t just reflect contemporary norms. They’re an illustration of the changing perceptions of African fashion on screen. By tapping into the work of designers like Ngxokolo, she is accessing the global success of African fashion, which gives the film an edge over its prequel.

As an example, in the first film, the character of King Joffe, played by James Earl Jones, enters a barbershop wearing the taxidermied head of a lion draped across his chest. In Coming 2 America, a respectfully sized lion, rendered in gold, rests on the shoulder Murphy, now king. It’s a reflection of the understated elegance a brand like Maxhosa seeks to define, and reflects less of the “curio” side of African fashion.

Carter first reached out to Nxgokolo in mid-2019, he recalls. “She said, ‘I think your approach to pioneering the African aesthetic is so unique and different. I want to do something with you, I will call you when I’m ready.’” By then, Nxgokolo had built Maxhosa Africa into a brand beloved by South African and international celebrities. Alicia Keys and Beyonce were fans, and his designs had been displayed in the Smithsonian Museum and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

A month later Carter called Nxgokolo back, asking him to help kit out the Prince Akeem’s royal court.

Nxgokolo tells Quartz that the team began with some of his existing designs, including the 2010 vest. It was one of the first five items Nxgokolo created for his label, born out of a university thesis project using knitwear to showcase Xhosa beadwork patterns and symbolism.

QUANTRELL D. COLBERT/2020 PARAMOUNT PICTURES South African actress Nomzamo Mbatha has a break-out role in Coming 2 America as Mirembe, the love interest of King Akeem’s son.

A majority of the other items featured in the film—about 100 or so pieces, including waistcoats, kufis (brimless caps), and tunics—were “designed with Ruth from scratch,” Nxgokolo says. “They then paired the looks with the actors, from the dancers to the house staff,” as well as fellow South African actress Nomzamo Mbatha, who has a break-out role in the film as Mirembe, the love interest of King Akeem’s son. “The ideas of the first film were the predictable ideas that the world has of African fashion,” says Nxgokolo. “This one has more innovation.”

Innovation has driven Nxgokolo’s work from the start, and is what he credits for his ability to cater for a specific demographic in South Africa and reach a wider audience at the same time. Maxhosa staged its virtual Spring/Summer 2021 collection at New York Fashion Week (the brand’s third NYFW collection) in September last year. Despite a season dampened by the pandemic, the brand managed to create a buzz with a YouTube video showing the collection. More than half of the 300,000 people who watched the video were from the US, Ngxokolo says.

The US makes up Maxhosa Africa’s second biggest market—in part due to his digital media savvy, and a boost he got after being listed by Beyonce in her Black Parade guide to Black-owned businesses last year. But Nxgokolo is still very much focussed on growth in Africa, and is working to position Maxhosa as a luxury brand, and on using fashion to help uplift the economy. Last year, he opened his second flagship store in Cape Town’s upmarket Victoria Wharf shopping centre. Gucci and Mont Blanc are neighbors. While their physical stores were impacted by the pandemic, Maxhosa online sales exploded, and he has doubled his staff to deal with the influx of orders.

Nxgokolo has also been working with DJ Black Coffee and artist Nelson Makomo, both South African, to open an academy for budding creatives. Should Murphy ever return to Zamunda again, there will be plenty more regal African designs for him to wear.

Culled from Quartz Africa

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  • Wesley Snipes and Eddie Murphy star in COMING 2 AMERICA Photo: Quantrell D. Colbert © 2020 Paramount Pictures

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Houston’s Urban South Brewery Celebrates Fourth Anniversary

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Urban South Brewery Houston will host its upcoming Anniversary Party from Friday, April 5 through Sunday, April 7, in the HTX Taproom, starting at 11 AM, celebrating four years of crafting exceptional brews and fostering community culture. This milestone event will be an exciting day featuring live music, food, activities, and a vendor market.

Beer enthusiasts are also in for a treat with the release of four exclusive anniversary specialty beers. Highlights include “Press Start,” a crafted Czech Pale Lager brewed in collaboration with Parleaux Beer Lab. Additionally, beer fans can indulge in “Level Up,” an Old-Fashioned Cocktail Sour Ale infused with orange peel, Luxardo cherry syrup, and subtle bourbon barrel notes. The offerings continue with “High Score,” a robust Double IPA bursting with flavors of Mosaic, Citra, and Chinook hops, and “Game Over,” a decadent Neapolitan Ice Cream Stout layered with strawberry fruit, Tahitian vanilla bean, and milk chocolate.

To make the celebration even more memorable, fans can pre-order an Exclusive 8-Bit Beer Box featuring the four-anniversary specialty beers (Press Start, Level Up, High Score, Game Over), a 16oz can-shaped Silipint with discounted refills, and 2 tokens redeemable for draft beer.

The Anniversary Party is open to the public, welcoming families and furry friends. Urban South Brewery invites everyone to join in the festivities and toast to four years of brewing excellence.

For more information on Urban South’s Anniversary Celebration, follow the Houston taproom on Instagram and Facebook.

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$600 Million Showdown: Michael Jackson’s Estate Executors Refusing to Pay Pop Star’s Mom $500k Legal Bill

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Now She is Fighting to Block Music Catalog Sale

The war between Michael Jackson ’ s mother Katherine and the two executors running his estate has heated up. According to court documents, lawyers for the executors, John Branca and John McClain , asked the court to shut down Katherine’s recent demand for $500k.

As we first reported, Katherine filed a motion asking that she be reimbursed $561,548. She said she spent the amount on a team of lawyers to fight the executors over the sale of Michael’s music catalog .

The executors asked the court to approve the music catalog sale in 2022. Katherine quickly opposed the deal. The parties went back and forth in court for months until a hearing was held on the matter.

At the hearing, Katherine testified that Michael did not want the music catalog sold and that he considered it a lifeline. Michael’s children Paris and Blanket told the court they opposed the deal too. Blanket said he opposed on emotional grounds.

The executors fired back claiming Katherine has a pattern of objecting to lucrative deals. They argued the market was hot for the music catalog sale and they needed to take advantage of it.

https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=20oBOm_0rpVCYR600
The estate said it had every right to make the deal. 

“The Estate was teetering on the verge of collapse, with more than $400 million in debt that encumbered Michael’s most significant assets and little or no liquidity or means to service that debt. Through creative thinking, hard work and business savvy—and, of course, Michael’s extraordinary creative legacy—the Executors transformed the MJJ Business into a profitable enterprise,” the executors said as they argued for the deal to be approved.

Despite the family’s plea, the judge approved the executors’ deal and allowed them to move forward with the sale.

Within weeks, Katherine had filed an appeal of the decision. She argued the executors did not have the authority to sell Michael’s assets.

Recently, the executors argued that Katherine’s appeal should be dismissed. They said they had every right to sell the catalog. No decision has been reached on the appeal.

On February 9, 2024, the estate announced they sold one half of Jackson’s music to Sony for $600 million — a deal that Katherine said should not have gone through.

As part of the appeal, Katherine won a couple of small victories against the estate. As a result, she asked the court to award her the $561k in legal fees.

Now, the executors asked the court to deny the motion for legal fees. In their motion, they argued, “The Petition does not indicate the source from which Mrs. Jackson’s counsel seeks to have the requested attorney’s fees and expenses paid. It is not clear whether she is seeking payment from the probate estate or from the Trust.”

Further, the executors argued, “To the extents Mrs. Jackson seeks payment from the probate estate, the Petition lacks merit because it relies on provisions of the Trust, claiming that payment of legal fees is required by provisions of the Trust authorizing the Trustees to make payments “in [their] absolute discretion, for [Mrs. Jackson’s] care, support, maintenance, comfort and well-being.”

A judge has yet to rule.

Culled from Rada online

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Otu-Umuokpu Anambra USA in Houston Gets New Leadership  

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Houston – TX: The Otu-Umuokpu Anambra USA Association Inc., Headquartered in Houston, Texas, has inaugurated its new executive leadership. An election was held in November 2023 where a set of new executive leadership emerged and was officially sworn-in on February 4, 2024.

Adaeze Stella Icon Adeone Samuel ( Stainless) is now the group’s new President, whereas Adaeze Nkiruka Mbonu ( Mmili doluedo) is the  Vice President.  Former President, Adaeze Dr Maria Elioku (Nkpulunma) remains the President Emeritus. A complete list of the new executive board members will be available on the group’s website, it was gathered.

While welcoming the new leadership team, President Emeritus Dr. Elioku thanked the outgoing executives for their impeccable service during their tenure. “As we all know, our mission as Otu- Umuokpu Anambra, USA Association is to promote and uphold our welfare and culture as well as foster unity, love, and harmony among us; and I am glad that within the past years, we were able to curtail distracting challenges to uphold those values,” she said.

Otu- Umuokpu Anambra, USA Association is a community of all paternal daughters of Anambra State of Nigeria with the core mission to promote and uphold the welfare and culture of her members; and foster unity, love, and harmony among them. The group has since its inception shared the uniformity of their ancestry as a unifying tool for community development and bonding of sisterhood.

For more information about Otu-Umuokpu Anambra, USA Association, Inc., please call 832-640-6329 or click to visit their website >>>>

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