3/19/26 O&A NYC THROWBACK THURSDAY – WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH: Ella Fitzgerald A-Tisket-A-Tasket

A-Tisket, A-Tasket is the 1938 breakout hit that catapulted Ella Fitzgerald to national stardom. Co-written by Fitzgerald and arranger Al Feldman (Van Alexander), the song is a playful jazz adaptation of a 19th-century children’s nursery rhyme. Ella famously performed the song in her 1942 film debutRide ‘Em Cowboy. Continue reading

3/18/26 O&A NYC THE ARTS WITH ALEX SMITH JR.: About the Oscars

By Alex Smith, Jr.

Sunday night was the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ (AMPAS) 98th Oscar Awards at the Dolby Theatre, in Los Angeles, CA. I have watched the Oscars for decades now. I have found some Oscar programs better than others. I can’t remember any of them being spectacular except maybe the year The Godfather I won best picture-1973. Continue reading

3/16/26 O&A NYC DIVA ALERT: Misty Copeland Performs In Sinners Musical Number At Oscars

The musical tribute to Sinner at the 98th Academy Awards featuring a special appearance by former American Ballet Theatre principal dance Misty Copeland. Continue reading

3/326 O&A NYC INSPIRATIONAL TUESDAY: Viola Davis Receives NAACP Image Awards Chairman’s Award for Excellence, Impact & Advocacy

At the NAACP Image Awards, Viola Davis is honored with the prestigious Chairman’s Award, recognizing a career defined by excellence, impact, and fearless advocacy. From groundbreaking performances in film and television to her unwavering commitment to uplifting underrepresented voices, Davis has consistently used her platform to challenge the status quo and expand what’s possible in storytelling. Continue reading

3/2/26 O&A NYC HOLLYWOOD MONDAY: Stormy Weather- Lena Horne, Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, Cab Calloway, Nicholas Brothers, Katherine Dunham and dancers

Stormy Weather is a 1943 film musical produced and released by 20th Century Fox. The movie is considered one of the best Hollywood musicals with an all African-American cast and serve to  showcase of some of the top African-American performers of the time. Continue reading

2/28/26 O&A NYC GOING BACK TO AFRICA WITH WALESTYLEZ: Fela – Lady – Grammy 2026 Tribute

At the 68th Annual Grammy Awards in 2026, Afrobeat pioneer Feli Kuti was posthumously honored with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, becoming the first African artist to receive this prestigious recognition. Fela Kuti was recognized nearly 30 years after his death for his role as the Father of Afrobeat and his use of music as a weapon against political oppression. The award was presented on January 31, 2026, the night before the main telecast, at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles.

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2/28/26 O&A NYC SATURDAY MORNING CONCERT: Wattstax Concert (1972)

Wattstax was a benefit concert organized by Stax Records  to commemorate the seventh anniversary of the 1965 riots  in the African American community of Watts, Los Angeles. The concert took place at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on August 20, 1972. The concert’s performers included all of the Stax’s prominent artists at the time. The genres of the songs performed included soul, gospel, R&B, blues, funk and jazz. The film stars Isaac Hayes, The Staples Singers, Luther Ingram, Johnnie Taylor, The Emotions, Rufus Thomas, Carla Thomas, Albert King and others special guest star Richard Pryor. Continue reading

2/25/26 O&A NYC WITH WALESTYLEZ SPORTS REVIEW: NewYork Knicks at Cleveland Cavaliers – Full Game Highlights

The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the NewYork Knicks, 109-94 last night in Cleveland. Donovan Mitchell finished with a team-high 23, 5 and 4 assists for the Cavaliers, while James Harden tallied 20, 4  and 4 three pointers in the game. Continue reading

2/25/26 O&A NYC WILDIN OUT WEDNESDAY: Corbin Bleu Mein Herr (Broadway Backwards 2023)

Corbin Bleu performed an electrifying rendition of Mein Herr from the musical Cabaret at the 2023 Broadway Backwards benefit. Bleu opened the show, which took place on March 13, 2023, at the New Amsterdam Theatre in New York City.  Continue reading

2/23/26 O&A NYC HOLLYWOOD MONDAY: The Liberation of L.B. Jones- Roscoe Lee Browne – Introducing Lola Falana

In the 1970 film drama The Liberation of L.B. Jones a wealthy Black undertaker, Lord Byron (L.B.) Jones performed by Roscoe Lee Browne, seeks to engage a respected lawyer to represent him in a divorce action against Emma (Lola Falana), his young wife who’s having an affair with Willie Joe Worth (Anthony Zerbe), a white cop. Jones is seeking a divorce from his considerably younger Emma, alleging she had an affair with white police officer Willie Joe Worth, whom he suspects is the biological father of her unborn child. Continue reading