Ohio-born John Legend is an award-winning, platinum-selling singer/songwriter. His work has garnered him ten Grammy Awards, an Oscar and a Golden Globe, among others. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania where he studied English and African-American literature, John participated in a wide range of musical activities while in college.
During that period, he was introduced to Lauryn Hill, who hired him to play piano on her track “Everything Is Everything.” Shortly thereafter, he began to play shows around the Philadelphia area, eventually expanding his audience base to New York, Boston, Atlanta and Washington, D.C.
After college, he was introduced to an up-and-coming hip-hop artist named Kanye West. Kanye quickly signed John to his G.O.O.D. Music imprint and had him sing vocal hooks on some of his tunes.
John’s career started gaining momentum through a series of similar collaborations with established artists. He added vocals to an impressive list of chart-topping hits including Kanye’s “All of the Lights,” Jay-Z’s “Encore” and backup vocals on Alicia Keys’' 2003 song, “You Don’t Know My Name.”
John’s debut album, Get Lifted, was released to critical acclaim in December of 2004 by Columbia Records. The album landed multiple Grammys, including Best R&B Album, Best New Artist and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. And earlier this year, John won his first Academy Award for “Glory,” a song he wrote and performed with Common for the film Selma..
Throughout his career, John has worked to make a difference in the lives of others. In 2007, he launched the Show Me Campaign (ShowMeCampaign.org), an initiative that focuses on education as a key to breaking the cycle of poverty.
He's received the 2010 BET Humanitarian of the Year Award, the 2009 CARE
Humanitarian Award for Global Change, the 2009 Bishop John T. Walker Distinguished Humanitarian Service Award from Africare, and the 2011 Harvard Foundation Artist of the Year Award. Furthermore, John sits on the boards of The Education Equality Project, Teach for America, Stand for Children and the Harlem Village Academies.
Here, he shares his thoughts about playing his first, major movie role opposite Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone in La La Land, a picture which he also executive produced. And he talks about his philanthropic work and his new album, Darkness and Light, too.
Kam Williams (LAWT): Hi John. Thanks so much for the time.
John Legend (JL): My pleasure, Kam.
LAWT: I've tried to land an interview with you for years, so I'm honored to finally have this opportunity to speak with you.
JL: I'm excited, too.
LAWT: Let me start by asking what made you decide to do this film with Damien [writer/director Damien Chazelle]?
JL: Well, it really started with meeting him as a filmmaker in my capacity as a producer, because my company, Get Lifted Film Company, has done a few movies and a couple of television shows now. We love meeting with up-and-coming directors who are doing great things. And, obviously, upon the success of Whiplash, Damien was someone we’d love to collaborate with. My producing partner [Mike Jackson] suggested we connect with him very early on, after we saw a screener of Whiplash. We finally got a chance to sit down and discuss something creative when he was in the process of preparing to shoot La La Land. The script was finished, and they were already in talks with Ryan and Emma to star in it. Damien wanted to see if we were interested in getting involved. He was originally thinking in terms of executive producing and in terms of the music for the character, Keith, and his band, The Messengers. But eventually, he asked me if I wanted to play Keith. I said, “Yeah, let’s do it!” I hadn’t done anything like it before. I hadn’t had a major speaking role in a film before. But I guess he felt that I could pull it off, because the character had some similarities to my own background as a musician. Damien thought I could relate to the character, and I felt the same way. So, it made sense for me to do it, since I was already a fan of his work. And then, when I found out that Ryan and Emma had come aboard, it seemed like a no-brainer for us to get involved.
LAWT: After watching the film, I was surprised to see that you have so few acting credits, because you did a phenomenal job.
JL: Thank you! I’d spent my whole career focused on music. Acting wasn’t something I was really pursuing, even though we were doing film and TV behind the camera as producers, because music takes up so much of my creative energy. But I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to work with such great people.
LAWT: After Damien released his first movie, Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench, I wrote: “Appreciate Damien Chazelle now and avoid the rush!”
JL: Yeah, he’s brilliant! You can tell, just by virtue of the fact that he made Whiplash and La La Land before turning 32. That’s not even fair. [Chuckles]
LAWT: What did you think of Justin Hurwitz’s score for La La Land? Did he compose the songs you played in the movie?
JL: We wrote those together. He, Marius [de Vries], Angelique [Cinelu] and I. The four of us just sat in a room and played, and figured it out. Justin, obviously, was the composer for the rest of the film, and he’s wonderful. But since I always feel comfortable singing, that particular song [“Start a Fire”] worked, and made sense for the character I was playing. Yet, it posed an interesting challenge, because you wanted the song to be good and represent a viable creative path, but you also wanted it to be a song Ryan’s character, Sebastian, wouldn’t want to play, given the storyline. So, it called for an interesting balance of making it a good, jazz-influenced tune you could hear on the radio while also making it something that represented too much of a departure for Sebastian.
LAWT: Early in your career, were you a musical purist like Sebastian, who had a reverence for the classics?
JL: No, I never looked at myself as a purist in the sense of simply wanting to recreate old music that I’d grown up listening to. I never struggled with that conundrum. But I think every artist is influenced by certain traditions and the artists they grew up listening to. For Taylor Swift, it was Country music. For me, it was Gospel and Soul. Other artists grew up listening to Folk, Classic Rock or whatever else it was for them. But no matter what your early influences are, you have to decide how much you’re just recreating the feelings those artists gave you, recreating their styles, or doing something fresh and new that’s influenced by them. I think we all deal with that. There’s always the push and pull in our careers of how much we go traditional and how much we try to change it up and do something new.
LAWT: Editor/Legist Patricia Turnier says: like many people, I think that you are a great artist and I consider you like the young Stevie Wonder. I saw you in Montreal when you opened for Alicia Keys on one of her tours. Given that your new film is about jazz, please name a few of your favorite jazz musicians.
JL: Honestly, I don’t consider myself much of a jazz aficionado. When I was growing up, my dad used to play a lot of vocalists like Billie Holiday, Ella [Fitzgerald], Sarah Vaughan, Nancy Wilson and Nat King Cole. So, I grew up loving some of the great standards singers and jazz vocalists. Also Nina Simone who cut across a few different genres. Those are a few of my bigger influences, but i wouldn’t say I was much of a jazz expert.
LAWT: Patricia also notes that you consider yourself a feminist. She would like to know why men should feel as concerned as women about female issues and how men can advance women’s causes?
JL: First of all, because its the right thing to do. It's fair, you have women in your family, women you work with, and women who are your friends. Why shouldn’t they have the same possibilities and opportunities as you? Why shouldn’t they live in a world where they are valued for what they contribute, and valued as much as men are for the same thing? Who wouldn’t want to live in that world? It doesn’t hurt men for women to do well, because it just makes the planet a better place. There’s more innovation, more creativity and more productivity in the world. All of our lives are improved when women have power, influence and opportunity.
LAWT: I’d like to congratulate you on your new album, Darkness and Light, which I’ve been listening to. It's terrific!
JL: Thank you. I’m really proud of it. It's funny being in La La Land mode today, since I’ve been in Darkness and Light mode for the past month, and I’ll be back into it for the next year or so. It’s exciting to support this really beautiful film and to have a new album out at the same time.
LAWT: I’ve always been impressed by your incredible commitment to charity work. What has inspired you to do that?
JL: I’ve always thought that if I were successful in this career, I would have a lot of resources and a lot of influence, and that I would would want to use them to make the world a better place. Part of my making the world better involves creating great art, and part involves my being an activist and contributing directly to causes that improve people's lives with my time, my money and my influence. I think that's part of who I am and of who I always will be.
LAWT: Finally, what’s in your wallet?
JL: What’s in my wallet? [Laughs] Credit cards... insurance cards... membership cards... I got my Academy membership renewed this year.
LAWT: Congratulations on the Best Song Oscar for “Glory” last year. And it looks like you’ll be back in contention, since it looks like La La Land’s going to be nominated for a lot of Academy Awards.
JL: Well, I don’t know whether I’ll personally be nominated, but I’m going to be rooting for the whole team. We have some wonderful contenders in a wide range of categories.
LAWT: Well, thanks again, John, and best of luck with both La La Land and Darkness and Light.
JL: Thank you very much, Kam. (AP Photos)
The partnership between NBA All-Star Chris Paul and the Brotherhood Crusade has had a positive impact on the community. It showed that his ability to assist goes far beyond the hardwood to push the Los Angeles Clippers to victory. His assist abilities help the community of Los Angeles by helping the youth move forward and find their purpose and worth.
The Brotherhood Crusade will honor the Chris Paul Family Foundation at the 48th Annual Pioneer of African American Achievement Award Gala. The Black Tie Gala will take place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on December 9 at 8:00 PST.
“The Brotherhood Crusade is a respected organization who has served the community for the past 48 years,” Paul said. “My family and I are humbled to receive this honor.”
The efforts of Chris Paul’s family reminded Brotherhood Crusade president and CEO Charisse Bremond-Weaver of a member of her family.
“The Brotherhood Crusade selected Chris Paul and The Chris Paul Family Foundation as their core values align with my late father, founder, Walter Bremond and our Institution Builder, Danny J. Bakewell, Sr. The Pauls are all servant leaders,” Bremond-Weaver said. “They give unconditionally to those in need. Today, the Brotherhood Crusade has the same philosophy of serving unconditionally.”
With his collaboration with State Farm and WINGS for the “Exist to Assist” campaign, Paul donated PCs, iMac desktops and Macbook Pros to the Brotherhood Crusade with software for graphic design and word processing.
"As Chairman of the Board and on behalf of the entire Brotherhood Crusade Board of Directors, we are so pleased and honored to present the Bakewell/Bremond Pioneer of African American Achievement Award to Chris Paul. We honor Chris not for his athletic achievements but for who he is as a man, as a husband, as a father and as a leader in this community,” said Danny Bakewell Sr. Chairman of the Brotherhood Crusade Board. “Chris has set a new standard for professional athletes throughout this country and around the world. Understanding that as a professional athlete and as an African American he has both a platform and a responsibility to speak up, speak out and also help out whenever he can to those who are less fortunate. We honor and celebrate both Chris and his entire family for the work that they do not only for The Brotherhood Crusade, but for communities all over this country, he is a man who's work should be celebrated and we are honored to be leading the charge for his celebration"
Paul also invited children of the Brotherhood Crusade to a holiday shopping spree at Target. He along with his friend, Kevin Hart, traveled alongside the children throughout the store, advising them how to budget the $100 allotted to each of them while giving out autographs and selfie opportunities.
“Working with their team in the past year has been as rewarding for us as it has been for the community,” Paul said.
Paul donates to give low-income children the same advantages and resources that children of the middle and upper class get. The importance of philanthropy was a lesson learned during his formative years.
“At a young age, my parents taught both my brother and I that is our responsibility to try and do our best to give back to our community,” Paul said. “When I was a kid, we always participated as a family in various events with our church and other community organizations in Winston, Salem to support those who needed our help.”
The lesson manifested during his years as a pro basketball player. Paul’s foundation has teamed up with fellow teammate Paul Pierce and the Clippers franchise to donate glasses to the entire Inglewood unified school district and he donated tennis shoes to every student at Barack Obama Charter School along with other projects.
Paul’s prominence in the Los Angeles community got recognition when he won the Sports Humanitarian of the Year Award in July.
Paul fits in philanthropy work in-between his obligations as a point guard for the Clippers and a father—he proves to be an excellent multitasker. The Clippers are third in the Western Conference with a 16-5 overall record as of December 5. The starters, along with reigning Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford and J.J. Redick, make up a contending core for the franchise.
“We're one month into the season and we are still working on achieving our goals,” Paul said. “I am a competitor and knowing that my teammates believe I can lead them gives me a responsibility that I take very seriously.”
When Paul visited the Brotherhood Crusade and other organizations, he would take time out to have open discussions with the kids he helped. He encourages the children to ask him questions about his life and career. His advice for starting a non-profit is to focus on personal interests and connect with organizations like the Brotherhood Crusade for guidance.
“I have learned that Chris and the family lead with their hearts. They care so much about the community and those in need,” Bremond-Weaver said. “Their gift is to help others. The Brotherhood Crusade is honored and blessed that we can pay tribute to a great family.”
For more information about the Pioneer African American Achievement Award or the Brotherhood Crusade, please visit www.brotherhoodcrusade.org or call 323.846.1649
Forest Whitaker was born in Longview, Texas on July 15, 1961, but raised in Carson, California from the age of 4. He earned an athletic scholarship to Cal Poly Pomona where he switched his major to music after a back injury prematurely ended his football career.
Forest made his big screen debut in 1982 in “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” en route to delivering memorable performances in “Platoon” and “Good Morning Vietnam.” In 1988, he landed his breakout role as saxophonist Charlie Parker in “Bird,” before subsequently starring in such critically-acclaimed pictures as “The Crying Game,” “Smoke” and “Ghost Dog.”
In 2007, Forest won an Academy Award for his chilling impersonation of Idi Amin in “The Last King of Scotland.” since then, he’s starred in such box-office hits as “The Great Debaters,” “The Butler,” “Southpaw” and “Taken 3.” And later this year, he’ll play Saw Gerrera in “Rogue One,” the upcoming episode in the Star Wars series.
Here, he talks about his latest outing as Colonel Weber opposite Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner in “Arrival,” an alien invasion adventure directed by Denis Villeneuve.
Kam Williams (LAWT): Hey Forest, thanks so much for the time. I really appreciate it. .
Forest Whitaker (FW): Hey, Kam. Sorry for the early morning call.
LAWT: No problem. What city are you in?
FW: London, but I’m on my way to South Africa later today after I finish this film.
LAWT: Which movie are you working on next, Burden?
FW: No, I already finished Burden. That’s another interesting film, actually. We just wrapped that up about a week ago. I liked the way they did it and I felt that the story was really powerful, so I'm hopeful.
LAWT: Then what movie are you shooting in South Africa?
FW: One about Archbishop Desmond Tutu called “The Forgiven.” It’s about the Truth and Reconciliation Trials he conducted after the fall of Apartheid.
LAWT: It was a remarkable way to resolve a civil conflict, to let perpetrators of war crimes off the hook, provided they confessed publicly.
FW: Yes, I think that was the interesting thing about what happened in South Africa. It enabled them to change regimes peacefully, and not leave all the pain underneath the surface. It brought a little bit of it out, so they could address what really happened. It was a very powerful solution.
LAWT: What interested you in “Arrival”?
FW: I thought it was really an interesting story, first of all, the whole notion of people coming to the planet and trying to find ways of communicating with them. But I thought the understory of time, and of how time exists in our lives.
I also found my character, the cast and the director very interesting. So, it all made sense to give it a try.
LAWT: I loved both “Prisoners” and “Sicario” by this director.
FW: Yeah, Denis is a really good filmmaker.
LAWT: Here, he’s made a very sophisticated contribution to the alien invasion genre. How would you describe your approach to playing Colonel Weber? Did Denis suggest anything?
FW: Wow! [Pauses] I’m trying to remember what he might have suggested. We had some meetings and stuff where we talked about the character and worked on it. I think, first, I was trying to figure out where Weber was from. That sort of involved locking in his speech patterns and creating that back history. You know what I mean?
LAWT: Yeah.
FW: I’d played military men before, but this felt a little different, maybe because of my task. So, I was trying to understand that, as well as this notion of running a team the way Denis wanted me to do it, by splitting powers. And then it all started falling into place and taking on a reality as I began to embrace the idea that I was trying to save the world [Chuckles]
LAWT: I know that you worked with Jeremy Renner a decade ago in “A Little Trip to Heaven.” How was it reuniting with him again?
FW: Yeah, Jeremy’s a great guy. That was a little independent film directed by Baltasar Kormakur. It was fun working with him then, and fun working with him now. He’s a really generous, good person who’s there, committed to having everything work out, and who you like being around.
LAWT: Was this your first time working with Amy Adams? How was that?
FW: It was. I enjoyed it. The movie was so much from her mind. She was very focused in on it. And when we tried to get the different scenes we shared to work, there was something happening inside of them every time. So, she’s a really talented actress. Really strong!
LAWT: What would you say was the movie’s message?
FW: I think it has several messages. One is about communication, because the film does deal with trying to communicate with these beings. Another message is about how communication can bring us together. And a third is about misconceptions in terms of how we read people and how we read circumstances. Meaning, are these people coming to create war or not? are they our friends? How are we interpreting their actions? We look at people differently culturally, in this case, as different galactically, or however way you’d say it. How do we engage them? How do we judge them? I think another issue explored in the film is time. From a scientific point-of-view, it raises the question of whether it exists at all. And secondly, if it doesn’t exist, it asks are we nevertheless on this plane of a loop that still holds the universe up? [Laughs] I think it poses that question, too.
LAWT: How do you feel about aliens? Do think that life exists on other planets?
FW: I think it must, when they talk about how many other galaxies there are. Even scientifically, they’re acknowledging that there are places where life could exist. And we've already discovered that there’s been life on certain planets that we’ve explored. That may just be algae or whatever, but life on Earth began a certain way, too. So, yeah, I do believe there’s life other than on our planet. [Chuckles]
LAWT: What do you care to share about playing Saw Gerrera in “Rogue One,” the next episode in the Star Wars series.
FW: I’m excited about it. I think he’s a really interesting character. It was a very exciting project to work on. He walks in the middle ground of trying to save the universe by any means necessary. He’s a freedom fighter and a rebel. The whole piece, which deals with those kinds of concepts, is really strong.
LAWT: What’s it like to join that franchise?
FW: I’m still discovering it. I’m looking at the toys and other releases that are coming out. It’s a big universe that I’m still learning to walk inside of. But I really enjoyed it when I walked out on the set for the first time. And I’ve remained excited during the entire process. just trying on my uniform was itself an exciting process.
LAWT: Did you meet George Lucas while working on the project?
FW: No, he came and met with the director, but I wasn’t there.
LAWT: Finally, what’s in your wallet?
FW: My driver’s license, some credit cards, a laundry card, pieces of papers I’ve written things on, some notes I made to myself about things I need to remember, and a few bucks.
LAWT: Nice speaking with you, Forest, and have a safe flight to South Africa today.
FW: Take it easy, Kam. Good speaking to you, too.
2016 has been a tumultuous year, especially for communities of color. The list of challenges ranged from repeated police shootings of unarmed black men to increasing numbers of incarcerated African American and Latino males to countless reports of economic injustices.
Anxiety levels peaked even higher following the results of the presidential election as tens of thousands of people took to the streets to protest against President-elect Donald Trump.
As Americans prepare to observe the Thanksgiving Day holiday, many are wondering if there is anything to be thankful for. According to local faith leaders, the answer is a resounding “yes!”
From a political viewpoint, Pastor Mark E. Whitlock, Jr., of Christ Our Redeemer AME Church in Irvine, declared, “We are thankful for eight years of great leadership presidential leadership from Barack and Michelle Obama. They are the reflection of Christian leadership in turbulent times. We are also thankful for true Christian leaders called to monitor, challenge, criticize, and condemn the oppressive, racist political oligarchies elected on November 8, 2016.
Bishop Kenneth C. Ulmer of Faithful Central Bible Church, insisted, “Even in a time of political and social unrest, may we be thankful that we live in a land that allows us to express our displeasure with the condition of our country, thankful that the King of Kings reigns over the president; thankful that He shall reign forever and ever and ever.”
The Rev. Dr. Rev. Michael Bernard Beckwith of Agape International Spiritual Center, noted, “The attitude and practice of giving thanks is healing for the soul and opens one to greater blessings. We can give thanks that great disappointments lead to exciting times of creativity, innovation and the elimination of complacency and apathy. These can be times of reexamining our priorities and searching ourselves for our assignment and mission to be given at this time in human history.”
Urging people to remember the Creator, Pastor Mary Minor of Brookins-Kirkland Community AME Church, observed, “African Americans can be thankful for a God who remains the same, who sustains God's people even in times of uncertainty, and who maintains the position as the ultimate leader of the universe!”
Agreeing, Pastor Sonja R. Dawson of New Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Church said, “African Americans can be thankful for our enduring faith in God which has carried and will continue to carry us through as a people. As long as we keep our focus and reliance on God and His ability to provide for and care for His people, we will be alright.”
Pastor Xavier L. Thompson of Southern St. Paul added, “Though things have caught man by surprise and man may feel that because of occurrences in our land, such as the recent election, police brutality, racism and sexism, I’m thankful because ‘the steps of a good man is ordered by the Lord.’ He is in control. I’m grateful and thankful for the faithfulness of God. He is committed to take care of those who put their trust in Him.”
Repeating the words of recording artist, Kendrick Lamar, Pastor Najuma Smith-Pollard of Word of Encouragement Community Church, maintained, “We gone be alright! We are not short of resources and resistance fuel to weather the storms that appear to be on the horizon. We have been 'here' before!
And, what we posses most to be thankful for is a heritage and inheritance that informs us in the 21st century.”
Offering even more reasons for gratitude, Pastor Kelvin Sauls of Holman United Methodist Church said, “Even though these are troubling times, African Americans can be thankful for family, friends and communities to share tender loving care with. Our ancestors, who survived worse times, taught us to lift every voice and face the rising sun!
“We can be thankful for an overcoming faith in a liberating God that said, "... in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord,” (Romans 8:37-29).
“Finally, we can be thankful for the opportunity to serve the greater good and continue the struggle for a more just and fair America.”