‘I’m underpaid, still struggling to make a living’- Djimon Hounsou.
In a snippet of an unreleased episode of CNN African Voices, Djimon Hounsou, known for his strong performances in ‘Blood Diamond’ opened up about his challenges in Hollywood, including systemic racism and financial struggles.
Despite earning Oscar nominations for his roles in “Blood Diamond” and “In America,” the 60-year-old actor revealed the ongoing difficulties sustaining his career.
“I am still struggling, trying to make a living. I have been in this business and making films for over two decades, with two Oscar nominations and many big blockbuster films, yet I am still struggling financially to make a living,” he said.
He further criticised the systemic issues within Hollywood, describing how his talent and achievements were often overlooked. “I am underpaid. I was nominated for the Golden Globes, but they ignored me for the Oscars, claiming they thought I had just come off the boat or the streets. Even though I successfully did that, they just did not feel like I was an actor to whom we should pay any respect. So, this conceptual idea of diversity still has a long way to go. Systemic racism does not change like that anytime soon’’.
Asaka, Burnaboy, Tems, Wizkid make Rolling Stone’s 250 greatest albums
Prominent American magazine Rolling Stone unveiled its list of the 250 greatest albums of the 21st century, spotlighting four Nigerian artistes for their groundbreaking contributions to music.
The list, published on 10 January, showcases albums released between 2000 and 2024. Among the featured works are Burna Boy’s African Giant, Wizkid’s Made in Lagos, Asake’s Mr Money With the Vibe, and Tems For Broken Ears.
1. Burna Boy – ‘African Giant‘ (120): Released in July 2019, the body of work won ‘Album of the Year’ at the All Africa Music Awards and was nominated for ‘Best World Music Album’ at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards.
2 . Asake – ‘Mr Money With the Vibe‘ (142): Released in 2022, the 12-track project gained massive reception locally and internationally, with hits like ‘Terminator’ and ‘Organise’.
3. Tems – ‘For Broken Ears‘ (222): Released in 2020 as the songstress’ debut EP.
Wizkid – ‘Made in Lagos‘ (228): Released in 2020, the singer’s fourth album houses 14 tracks.
Why I will continue to snub Gov Sanwo-olu- Mr Macaroni
Popular Nigerian skit maker and activist Debo Adebayo, Mr Macaroni, explained his reasons for consistently snubbing Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
The entertainer addressed the issue while responding to criticism from an X user, @OyesileJohn, who accused him of disrespecting the governor. The user had posted:
In several posts, Mr Macaroni fired back, asserting that his decision to snub the governor was deliberate and would not change.
He wrote: “I will continue to snub your Governor. He doesn’t mean anything to me, neither do you or your father. I love that you enslaved people bring this issue up all the time. Every time you do, I will send you to your masters.”
Mr Macaroni further explained that he could never mingle with the government. ‘‘They stripped me naked, beat, tortured, brutalised and dehumanised me,’’ he alleged
Aggrieved members disrupt AGN meeting in Umuahia
On Thursday, the National President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Emeka Rollas, convened a meeting in Umuahia that aggrieved guild members disrupted.
The protesters, who opposed the gathering, described it as illegal and demanded that David Amalaha be recognised as the legitimate chairman of the Abia State chapter. Amalaha had been elected to the position on 20 May 2023 in Umuahia.
The situation escalated, prompting the intervention of the Zone 9 Command of the Nigeria Police Force, which prevented the incident from turning violent.
On Friday, the Police Public Relations Officer of Zone 9 Command, Iheanetu Chukwudera, confirmed the police’s role in maintaining order.
“There was chaos caused by some aggrieved members. The Police arrested nobody. They have a factional leadership problem. The key actors in the chaos were invited by the AIG and made to write statements based on what happened during the meeting,” he said.
Wizkid, Burna Boy, Tems Nominated for 2025 NAACP Awards
Nigerian music stars Wizkid, Burna Boy, and Tems earned nominations for the 56th edition of the NAACP Awards, which will be held on 22 February at the Pasadena Civic Centre in California.
Wizkid secured two nominations for his hit song Piece of My Heart, featuring Brent Faiyaz. The nominations include Outstanding Duo or Collaboration and Outstanding International Song.
Burna Boy and Usher received a nomination for Best Collaboration with their track Coming Home.
Tems also made the list with her song “Love Me JeJe,” which earned her a nomination in the Outstanding International Song category.
I wish I were Nigerian- Candice Owens
Famous American media personality Candace Owens has posted a new video on her YouTube channel expressing her admiration for Nigerian culture and values.
During a recent episode on her YouTube channel, Ms Owens revealed her deep appreciation for Nigerians, describing herself as a big fan.
“I’m a Nigerian stan. I think Nigerians have their culture together. Whenever you meet a Nigerian, whether a doctor in the US or not, their families take marriage very seriously. I wish I were Nigerian. I do a little bit, but I’m not. They do have a good culture… I’m a Nigerian stan. They are funny. They have very good values,” she said
I regret advocating Mohbad’s exhumation -Iyabo Ojo
Renowned Nollywood actress Iyabo Ojo expressed regret over her role in advocating for the exhumation of late singer Mohbad’s body.
Speaking during an interview on Biola Bayo’s Talk to B podcast, Iyabo revealed her disappointment with the burial process’s delays and the ongoing disputes within Mohbad’s family.
“I wouldn’t have requested that Mohbad be exhumed if I knew his case would turn out this way,” she said. “He hasn’t been buried till now. His dad says he wants a DNA test done, and I heard the court has granted his request. But now, his dad has more conditions again.”
The actress explained her original intentions: “I just wanted Mohbad’s body exhumed so they could do an autopsy to find out the cause of his death. I did my best to ensure that everyone was investigated, but when they came up with different theories, the DNA test became more important to them.”
Do2dtun calls out Soundcity over unpaid salaries
Popular On-Air Personality Do2dtun criticised music channel Soundcity for allegedly failing to pay its staff for eight months.
In a series of posts on Wednesday, Do2dtun expressed his concerns about the treatment of station employees.
He wrote: “My friends and colleagues at Soundcity, how do you cope? No salary for 8 months? Mehn, that is crazy.
It’s not by force to open a radio station. Owing your staff for 8 months is inhumane. You don’t need a soothsayer to tell you this.”
Olamide becomes 1st African rapper to hit 1 Billion streams on Spotify.
Nigerian rapper Olamide reached a significant milestone, surpassing 1 billion career streams on Spotify. He is the first African rapper to achieve this feat, mainly due to his seamless integration of Afrobeats into his music and collaborations.
In addition to this achievement, Olamide made history last year as the first African rapper nominated for a Grammy, further solidifying his impact on the global music scene.
Seyi Law mocks Governor Sanwo-Olu after Mr Macaroni’s snub remarks
Controversial comedian Oluwaseyitan Aletile, better known as Seyi Law, swiped at Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu following skit maker Mr Macaroni’s declaration that he would continue to snub the governor.
Mr Macaroni recently sparked reactions when he announced he would keep ignoring Sanwo-Olu, responding to an X user who criticised his actions.
Seyi Law, in a response, defended Mr Macaroni on his X handle,
He wrote: “Nobody should blame Macaroni for how he speaks to Gov. @jidesanwoolu. Gov. BOS will see me and act like he doesn’t know me, but he will beg Macaroni for a handshake. Everybody get out.”
Davido announces release date for the highly anticipated album ‘5ive’
Award-winning Nigerian singer Davido confirmed the release of his fifth studio album, 5ive, on 14 March . He shared the release date through a pre-save link on his social media.
In December 2024, the 32-year-old Afrobeats superstar spoke about the album’s significance, describing it as “my story, my truth, and my growth.”
“My people, the journey continues in 2025 with my new album, 5IVE. This is straight from the heart — my story, my truth, and my growth,” Davido shared with his fans.
READ ALSO: TRENDING: Asake’s new look causes online stir (PHOTOS)
Tony Montana: ‘I’m not greedy’ – Skepta brags after giving Portable royalties for their song
Controversial Nigerian artiste Habeeb Okikiola, also known as Portable, has shared that British rapper Skepta paid him royalties for his contribution to their hit track, Tony Montana.
On Instagram, Portable celebrated the payment, writing: “Tony Montana money don enter. No ripping zone. Big Smoke. Big Money. I appreciate you.”
Skepta took to X to explain his gesture, stating that he honoured their agreement because “Greed’ no dey my Dictionary #TonyMontana.”
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