Local Africa beat is major attraction in music industry Demand for homegrown contemporary music is sweeping Africa and driving a creative boom in an industry otherwise battered by falling CD sales and rampant piracy. A recent study of the entertainment sector by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) accountants showed rapid earnings growth in …
Read More »Study shows young women boozing like the boys
Paris, France | AFP | Young women in Western countries have caught up with their male counterparts in drinking habits, according to research published this week. Women aged 18-27 years old have almost reached parity with men of their age group in three categories of drinking — the likelihood of …
Read More »US rapper Coolio avoids jail in firearms case
Los Angeles, United States | AFP | US rapper Coolio was given community service on Wednesday after admitting carrying a handgun in a backpack at Los Angeles International Airport. The weapon was discovered in the bag as a member of the 53-year-old’s entourage went through a security screening checkpoint on …
Read More »Milka on being Monica in `Deception’
INTERVIEW: At 25 years, rising actress Milka Irene Sobya took on a role of a married woman in the NTV drama series `Deception’. She plays a woman, Monica, who is torn between keeping her marriage and advancing her career amidst insults and abuses from a mother in law. Milka has …
Read More »Man Booker Prize celebrates daring authors
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Six authors are vying for the Man Booker Prize, the world’s most prestigious English-language literary award to be announced Tuesday, in a shortlist celebrated for taking risks and tackling tough subjects. The winner will be announced at a glitzy event in London after judges …
Read More »Drake plans new release and takes shot at rival
New York, United States | AFP | Drake, the rapper who has dominated the charts with his latest album, celebrated his 30th birthday Monday by announcing a new release that includes a song dissing a critic. The Toronto rapper said he would release “More Life” in December and described it …
Read More »Reebok starts making shoes in US again
New York, United States | AFP | Sports equipment manufacturer Reebok is bringing some of its shoemaking back to the United States, unveiling plans to open a new manufacturing lab next year using innovative liquid material and 3D drawing. Some parts of the 300 pairs of shoes planned will come …
Read More »ANALYSIS: Deal turns telecom giant AT&T into new media-entertainment powerhouse
New York, United States | AFP | AT&T on Saturday unveiled a mega-deal for Time Warner that would transform the telecom giant into a media-entertainment powerhouse positioned for a sector facing major technology changes. The stock-and-cash deal is valued at $108.7 billion including debt, and gives a value of $84.5 …
Read More »Nigeria’s Wizkid, SA’s Semenya take top MTV awards
Ugandans edged out as Nigeria’s Wizkid, SA’s Semenya take top MTV awards Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | Nigerian afro-pop star Wizkid and South Africa’s Olympic gold medallist Caster Semenya won top prizes at the 2016 MTV Africa Music Awards in Johannesburg on Saturday. Wizkid was named artist of the …
Read More »ENTERTAINMENT: Brad Pitt hasn’t answered divorce petition
Los Angeles, United States | AFP | Brad Pitt has missed the deadline to respond to Angelina Jolie’s divorce petition, seeking to avoid sparking an acrimonious legal battle that could harm the children, media reported on Friday. The 52-year-old actor will not file an official reply, despite being two days …
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