With the world at large engaged in deep debate about racial injustice, Little Mix star Leigh-Anne Pinnock has weighed-in with a powerfully personal take on her experience in the music business.

For over nine years, the singer and her group have dominated the Brit-Pop landscape – nabbing #1s and packing arenas on sold-out tours.

Yet, as the age old adage goes, not all that glitters is gold.

In a super candid video shared with fans, Pinnock opened up about feeling less than within the Pop quad and unpacked the various hurdles she’s encountered as a Mixed Race woman of Black heritage.

Watch below…

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Anna Wintour wants Joe Biden to make his running mate a woman of color.

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‘Canceled express’ has picked up a new passenger:  ‘Spider-man: Into the Spider-verse’ voice actor Shameik Moore.

The 25-year-old took to Twitter Thursday (May 28) to suggest Black peoples’ negative (and sometimes fatal) interactions with police forces across the United States could be avoided if they “learn how to deal with police and racism.”

Going on to cite “Black on Black crime” as a topic the African American community should prioritize over police brutality, Moore’s multi-tweet rant even saw him say he doesn’t ‘fear for his life because he knows how to handle himself in tough situations.’

Needless to say, his commentary – especially in the midst of a national social crisis stemming from the filmed death of unarmed Minnesota Black George Floyd – incited fury.

Read some of the fiery responses:

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Welcome to the latest TGJ Roundtable!

Over the years, That Grape Juice has established a distinguished voice that – whether loved or loathed – sparks discussion, debate, and, on occasion, drama!

Though comprised of seasoned writers who share a similar outlook on Urban Pop culture, the idiosyncrasies of the TGJ team members often lend for quite heated debates “behind the scenes” about the hottest topics.

Now, we give you a front row seat to the show. In a format similar to ‘The View’ or ‘The Real,‘ TGJ editors – Sam, David, Rashad, and Joe – get candid like never before.

Today’s roundtable topic asks each anchor his thoughts on the…

DOJA CAT RACISM SCANDAL

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The words captioned in the photo above are some of the last uttered by a Black Minnesota man – George Floyd – whose May 25 death at the hands of local police has caused outrage.

Though terminated from their positions at the police precinct (as we reported here), many – including celebrities the world over – are calling for men responsible to be arrested and charged for the incident.

Among the infuriated are Queen of Pop Madonna (as we reported here) and other influencers who are using their platforms to speak out against the social injustice.

Look inside to see the reactions of names like Janet Jackson, LeBron James, Ariana Grande, Naomi Campbell, Mary J. Blige, Ciara, Justin Bieber, and more:

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Recent years has seen the African music scene make waves on a global scale; a trajectory that looks set to continue following a major announcement made by Universal. 

For, the industry giant has formally unveiled Def Jam Africa. 

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In a dramatic twist, actress Lori Loughlin and her husband Mossimo Giannulli have agreed to plead guilty in their college admissions case.

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NBC is assembling some of Pop music’s biggest and brightest to line the performance roster of the 6th annual ‘Red Nose Day Special’ with big names like Gwen Stefani, OneRepublic, Ellie Goulding, and more leading the list.

Details inside:

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Doja Cat and ‘Old Town Road’ star Lil Nas X are among the big names saddling up for ‘Shein Together’ on Saturday (May 9).

A four-hour digital event, the “virtual showcase” – sponsored by fashion e-retailer Shein – will combine music with beauty and fashion to raise money for COVID-19 research.

Details inside:

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As flavoursome waves go, few are riding higher than Nigerian trio DRB.

The ensemble – made up of members Boj, Fresh L and Teezee – have been drumming up buzz on a global scale thanks to their magnetic sound.

Anchored in Afrobeats, the group is unique in that its stars have made major moves both collectively and independently – always being sure to return to their home-base.

From Toj’s Best Song nomination at The Headies (Naija’s answer to the GRAMMYs) to Teezee’s status as co-founder of the country’s Native Mag, the rising stars are taking a multi-disciplined approach to  amplifying their presence – both home and away.

The key driver of their increasing resonance, however, is of course their music.

Having collaborated with the likes of Davido and Skepta across a string of group and solo offerings, they showcase the length and breadth of their eclectic appeal on newly unleashed project ‘Pioneers.’

Aptly titled, the 12-song set fuses Afrobeats, Hip-Hop and a collage of world sounds in a colorful fashion that is already earning the ensemble legions of new fans.

With a keen eye for detail, the group enlisted noted Nigerian artist Anedu Edozien to helm the artwork for the release. Christened ‘Midnight Friends,’ the piece showcases the community, culture, creativity, style, and rebellious nature of DRB’s hometown of Lagos.

We’ve had DRB’s ‘Pioneers’ on replay here at That Grape Juice.
Give a spin to find out why…

https://open.spotify.com/album/7tFUesVQ7An8e5pEu7sPYv

Your thoughts?

[Photo Credit: Omofolarin Omolayole]

From ‘Awkward Black Girl’ to media mogul, Issa Rae‘s star is shining luminously. Aptly, then, she sparkles a-front of the latest issue of Cosmopolitan Magazine.

Arriving ahead of the Netflix premiere of new movie ‘The Lovebirds,’ the feature lands amidst the current season of ‘Insecure’ – which has been gripping viewers weekly and recently was renewed for another run.

Beyond posing it up for the Ruth Ossai shoot, Rae also spoke about the HBO hit, her rise through the ranks of Hollywood, and the sense of responsibility she feels to move Black narrative forward.

Peep pics and quotes below…

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Beyonce continues to be a staple figure in the effort to combat COVID-19.

The superstar singer has joined force with her mom Tina Knowles Lawson in a bid to support their hometown of Houston in the battle against coronavirus.

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