Mixtape Download: THE RETURN !!!

Alright yall, its been awhile since we've posted some new music on the AVE. Well now it's back, and for good this time !! This is a pretty big list, because it consists of both new and current mixtape material that was released during the last couple of weeks. Click the cover and ENJOY !!!

10 Black People To Know

Take time always to celebrate our diversity and freedom in which we live in the United States of America. And pray that the world at large can appreciate one another and live in peace and fortune.

And please take time to recognize Black History this month and every other month. The contributions that all of our races have given are immensely greater than any one month can provide. 

1.) W.E.B. Du Bois 

Known as arguably one of the most intelligent individuals to ever live, W.E.B. Du Bois was instrumental in bringing along the process of human rights for African-American's. In a time when the despotic and abundant prejudice and bigotry towards African-Americans was not only tolerated, it was with reason and law.

Du Bois was the first African-American to earn a PH.D from Harvard University. He was also the founding member of what we know today to be the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People).

2.) Barack Hussein Obama

Barack Hussein Obama is the first African-American to serve as President of the United States. As our 44th President, he was born to a Kenyan father and English mother. He also served on the U.S. Senate for the state of Illinois.

3.) Martin Luther King Jr. 

Martin Luther King Jr. was the single most instrumental force in the Civil Rights Movement during the 1950's and 1960's. His use of a nonviolent approach to atrocities of humanity granted him the honor of a Nobel Peace Prize and the inspiration of an American nation and world at large. His famous speech during the march on Washington is forever emblazoned in American history as a pivotal point in the nations history. He influenced several political policies and calls to action, most notably the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which outlawed major forms of discrimination against African Americans and women, including racial segregation. It ended unequal application of voter registration requirements and racial segregation.

Martin Luther King was a living example that one person could change the world, with help of many.

4.) Macon Bolling Allen

Macon Bolling Allen was the first black-American Justice of the Peace (1848) and the first African-American to pass the bar and practice law in the United States (1845). He is believed to be the first black to ever hold a judiciary position in the United States, despite not being considered a citizen throughout most of his pursuit.

5.) Jane Bolin

Jane Bolin was the first black woman to become judge in the United States (1932) . She was also the first black woman to earn a law degree from Yale, the first black woman to pass the New York State bar exam and the first to join the city's law department.

Bolin worked to end segregation in child placement facilities and the assignment of probation officers based on race. She also helped create a racially integrated treatment center for delinquent boys.

6.)  Dr. Ralph Johnson Bunche

Dr. Ralph Johnson Bunche received the 1950 Nobel Peace Prize for his mediation efforts in Palestine during the 1940s, he was also the first African-American to receive the honor. He also received the Medal of Freedom from President John F. Kennedy. He was also directly involved in the building of the United Nations. Bunch was also a prominent advocate of the civil rights movement, he participated in the March on Washington, and was present during Dr. Martin Luther King's "I Have A Dream" speech.

He also attended the Selma to Montgomery march that led to the to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

7.) Christopher Gardner 

Christopher Gardner's story may seem so unbelievable you think it is something that came from a movie - well - that is true, but only vice versa. Christopher Gardner, former member of the Navy was determined to find a lucrative means of employment for his new family (Christopher Jr.), was willing to live on next to nothing - in hopes of completing training for a brokerage program. After his wife and mother of his children left him, he was determined to keep his son because as he once stated,

“I made up my mind as a young kid that when I had children they were going to know who their father is, and that he isn’t going anywhere.”

In five years, after training and with just $10,000, Gardner purchased his own brokerage firm (Gardner Rich). He eventually sold his shares in the firm for several million dollars. His autobiography "Pursuit of Happiness", was turned into a blockbuster film. The film starring Will Smith went on to gross over $300mil worldwide.

Chris also helped fund $50mil to help build the homeless low-income housing and provide emnployment to homeless people in San Francisco.

8.) Eartha Kitt

Eartha Kitt was one of the first mega-stars of her time. Paving the way for the Beyonce's of today. Kitt, born on a plantation farm and conceived of master-slave rape, moved off the plantation and eventually to New York with her biological mother. There she started working on a career in showbusiness, reaching career peaks with a starring role in the Orson Wells film Dr. Faustus, portraying Helen of Troy.

She most notably earned the recurring role of Catwoman in the television version of Batman. But above all of her success in film in t.v., Eartha earned the most stripes as an activist and social speaker on many causes.

Eartha was utterly blacklisted from the professional community for her position on the Veitnam war and the Johnson administration's policy on the youth who fought.

"You send the best of this country off to be shot and maimed. No wonder the kids rebel and take pot."

She went on to famously quote at a White House luncheon in which Kitt was invited to speak,

The children of America are not rebelling for no reason. They are not hippies for no reason at all. We don’t have what we have on Sunset Blvd. for no reason. They are rebelling against something. There are so many things burning the people of this country, particularly mothers. They feel they are going to raise sons — and I know what it’s like, and you have children of your own, Mrs. Johnson — we raise children and send them to war.

The reaction to the comments have since been unprecedented, she was ostracized in the film community and eventually had to find work outside the United States for years.

9.) Jean Baptiste Point du Sable

Jean Baptiste Point du Sable was Chicago's first recorded resident, founder, and curator. Although Chicago had been established before his colonization, his residence was recorded as it's first, and he stayed at the mouth of the Chicago River from years 1790-1800. This cabin Du Sable built for him, his wife and children.

This was at the time named "Checagou" by the native Indians.

Du Sable became greatly respected by the native Indian's and under the tutelage of Choctaw, he learned the skills that enabled him to open successful trading posts throughout the Lake Michigan mainland. He settled at the mouth of the Chicago River, a home built for him to settle with his wife and children, he named this Fort Dearborn (Later to be named Chicago).

Du Sable was Chicago's first recorded marriage, he also held Chicago's first elections and was the first established builder of the little known Chicago-land area from the period of 1770-1800.

As a alleged sympathizer for the American's in the American Revolution he was arrested by the British military and imprisoned on suspicion of being a spy for the American military. He then moved to St. Charles Missouri where he later died in 1818.

Despite the length of his inhabit, Jean Baptiste Point du Sable was Chicago's first man.

10.) Henry Louis Gates Jr. 

Henry Louis Gates Jr is an acclaimed historian, teacher, scholar, editor and public intellectual. His work on various PBS miniseries is eclipsed by his studies and distinguished intellectual achievements in the world of history and cultural studies. Gates was the first African-American to recieve the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Fellowship ( a private foundation with focus in 5 core areas ( Higher education, museums and art conservation, performing arts, conservation and the enviroment, and information technology with software development.).

He has also been asked to give the "Jefferson Lecture", this lecture is considered to be "the highest honor the federal government confers for distinguished intellectual achievement in the humanities."

Gates garnered the interest of national attention when he was arrested outside his home of Cambridge, Massachusetts. The officer was responding to a call of a possible breaking and entering when Gates could not gain entrance to his home. He was arrested after a responding officer and Gates began to engage in an altercation. Newly appointed president Barack Obama responded to the situation saying the police "acted stupidly" in their apprehension of Gates.

He later invited the two to the White House to share a beer.

Weekend Box Office Results February 10, 2012 - February 12, 2012

Here we are ladies and gents. Its been awhile, but BlvdAve is Steaming rolling it's way back to blogging a little more consistently than we have as of late. Here's the latest Box office results ! It was a close matchup, but "The Vow" beat out "Safe House" to claim the bragging rights of being the top movie in theaters this past weekend. With valentine's day falling on tuesday this year, most couples must've went out and celebrated the romantic holiday early and caught a viewing of this flick in the midst of their weekend. The movie only beat safehouse by about a million dollars. "Journey 2" starring Dewayne "Rock" Johnson lands at #3 continuing to show that the Rock's transition from the ring to the big screen has been a very successful one, with the film raking in $27 million in ticket sales. The rest of the top 5 is rounded out by the re-release of Star Wars: Episode 1 in 3D which brought home close to $23 Million in ticket sales, and last but certainly not least at #5 is last weeks top gun "Chronicle." Check the list for the remaining films in the top 12 and check back friday for the latest batch of films in theaters !!!


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@LEGENDKILLERZO 

TW		Title	Studio	Weekend		Total
1		The Vow	Screen Gems (Sony)	$41,202,458		$41,202,458
2		Safe House	Universal Pictures	$40,172,720		$40,172,720
3		Journey 2: The Mysterious Island	New Line Cinema (Warner Bros. Pictures)	$27,335,363		$27,335,363
4		Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace 3D	20th Century Fox	$22,469,932		$22,469,932
5		Chronicle	20th Century Fox	$12,092,589		$39,959,856
6		The Woman in Black	CBS Films	$10,102,658		$35,258,145
7		The Grey	Open Road Films	$5,045,620		$42,787,884
8		Big Miracle	Universal Pictures	$3,946,050		$13,281,985
9		The Descendants	Fox Searchlight Pictures	$3,441,676		$70,671,289
10		Underworld Awakening	Screen Gems (Sony)	$2,480,156		$58,914,525
11		Red Tails	20th Century Fox, Lucasfilm	$2,417,386		$45,080,772
12		One for the Money	Lionsgate	$2,300,953		$23,679,658

Peyton Manning's Future With Colts, Super Bowl Brief: Your Sports First NFL

Follow me on Twitter @curtisshawflagg

Hello my Avenue,

Welcome back to another edition of Your Sports First on BlvdAve. This week brought us a conclusion to the NFL Conference Championship games, giving us a repeat of the 2007 Super Bowl match-up between the New England Patriots and the New York Football Giants.


Peyton's Future In Indianapolis

Is Peyton done? Or is there more in the tank?

Eli Manning and the Giants will travel to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN, but he won't be the only Manning in discussion over the next few weeks. Lucas Oil is the home of the Indianapolis Colts, a team led by Manning's older brother and future Hall of Famer Peyton Manning. Peyton sat out this season with a neck injury, the Colts went on to win just two games, earning the No. 1 overall draft pick.

Peyton Manning has meant more for the Colts over the past decade then any other athlete in professional sports. Manning turned a 3-13 Colts team into a 13-3 within a season. And the Colts never looked back, finishing with no less than 10 wins twice in over 13 season's. Not only has Peyton turned the Hoosier state into a football state, he has emblazoned his name on the local Indianapolis Children's Hospital, now named the "Peyton Manning Children's Hospital". To say that Peyton Manning is the Indianapolis Colts is a true understatement.

Which makes this situation none like any other of it's kind. For the first time in football history we have a quarterback of Manning's elite level potentially up for grabs. Why you ask? Manning's neck injury has been the most perplexing of injuries of the 2012 season, and with the potential of landing a young quarterback like Stanford's Andrew Luck or Baylor's Robert Griffin III, and Peyton Manning approaching his 36th birthday, the Colts are stuck between a rock and hard place.

It has been widely asserted that a 36yr old, 60% Peyton is still better than taking a shot on a rookie QB to develop. With Manning on the field, Colts offensive coordinators have an easier job drawing a game plan, because they practically don't have to. Manning has long ran the offense from the line of scrimmage, being allowed to audible at his own volition. The Colts offense has been ran almost solely by Manning for over the past decade. Which makes this situation a little more volatile. Since the Colts are "blowing up" the franchise in light of "change", do they include Manning and his cerebral approach to the teams offense. Without Manning it is without doubt that the organization would have to go another route with the way they approach the offensive side of the ball.

The Colts, who have been a staple of stability in the NFL, have completely overhauled the organization. From the firing of team president and GM Bill Polian to the axing of head coach Jim Caldwell, the team clearly is taking a step in the next direction. Now with the hiring of Ravens defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano, it seems that the Colts are clearly going in the other direction. It is presently unclear whether or not Peyton Manning is apart of those plans moving forward.

Then there is the $28mil owed to Peyton.

The Colts will owe Manning over $28mil this season, due to contract language. A well deserved amount of money for a leader and face of the organization. It can be argued that the site of the 2012 Super Bowl Lucas Oil Stadium is the "house that Peyton built", as he has brought millions of dollars in ticket sales and ad revenue to the team that enabled them to launch the $735mil construction. No Peyton Manning, no 2012 Indianapolis Super Bowl. Period.

Note to Colts: In this situation you can have your cake and eat it too.


Until We Meet..... Again.
The New England Patriots are a clear definition of a modern day dynasty. In a time where free agency, trades, and a win now attitude shape the way business is conducted in the NFL, it is hard for teams, even Super Bowl winners, to repeat success. That hasn't been the case for the New England Patriots over the past 11 seasons, have reached the playoffs eight times, of those eight appearances they won 3 Super Bowls. All of this under head coach Bill Belichick and with quarterback and future Hall of Famer Tom Brady.

The duo own the records for most playoff wins by a head coach/quarterback combo, and also are positioning for the all-time Super Bowl record for a HC/QB combination. The Pats have went to the Super Bowl 4 times under the evil empire. losing only to the team in which they face in two weeks, the New York Giants in 2007. The Patriots at the time were 18-0, looking to complete a historic season.

The Giants sacked Tom Brady 5 times, the most he had been touched in an entire undefeated season. Eli Manning was money when it mattered, scoring two touchdowns in the 4th quarter and executing perhaps the most memorable play in Super Bowl history, hitting David Tyree on the Giants final drive, sticking the ball literally on the receivers helmet is what is now called the "Gum-helmet catch".



Plaxico Burress aka. "Cheddar Bob" ended up scoring the game winning touchdown that lifted the Giants over the Patriots 17-14, giving the Giants organization their first Super Bowl win in over 17 years. And fueling the debate on who is the more successful Manning, Peyton or Eli.

The Pats' and Giants will meet on February 5, 2012 at 6:29pm ET.


When Twitter Goes Wrong.....
Twitter has now become for many the primary source for information by the minute. When news breaks, it is typically Twitter that gets the information before the Associated Press. From Rob Lowe to Jessica Capshaw and T.O., many celebs are using the platform to expell information to their fans and followers first, then the national media.

But there is another side to Twitter, the vulnerability of an account, that has some people raising their eyebrow. In the case of San Francisco 49er Kyle Williams, that couldn't be more evident. The second year players was the most recent victim of Twitter-hate, receiving death threats and personal attacks after two consecutive miscues during the NFC Championship Game that seemed to have cost San Francisco an opportunity to play in the Super Bowl. Williams muffed a punt and fumbled another, both costing the 49er's the ball and leading to two scores, icing the game for the Giants.




Williams received Tweets like,

@KyleWilliams_10. I hope you, youre wife, kids and family die, you deserve it"

"@KyleWilliams_10 HOPE U RUN n2 A BULLET DA WAY U RAN INTO DAT BALL..."

"Jim Harbaugh, please give @KyleWilliams_10 the game ball. And make sure it explodes when he gets in his car." 

 Williams has since seen a multitude of support ranging from Deion Sanders to 49er President Jed York. However the outlash from followers may change the way he Williams looks at Twitter forever.


Stay tuned to BlvdAve for more sports updates and NBA news!
Also read more from me @ www.chicagonow.com/asiseeit

Weekend Box Office Results January 20, 2012 - January 22, 2012

Sorry for delivering this so late in the week guys, but here it is.
Heres the # 1 movie at the box office last week:

TW		Title	Studio	Weekend		Total	Week
1		Underworld Awakening	Screen Gems (Sony)	$25,306,725		$25,306,725	1
2		Red Tails	20th Century Fox, Lucasfilm	$18,782,154		$18,782,154	1
3		Contraband	Universal Pictures	$12,039,605		$45,937,525	2
4		Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close	Warner Bros. Pictures	$10,045,332		$10,737,239	1
5		Beauty and the Beast 3D	Walt Disney Pictures	$8,779,676		$33,588,056	2
6		Haywire	Relativity Media	$8,425,370		$8,425,370	1
7		Joyful Noise	Warner Bros. Pictures	$5,917,437		$21,745,419	2
8		Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol	Paramount Pictures	$5,554,254		$197,363,441	6
9		Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows	Warner Bros. Pictures	$4,515,497		$178,321,726	6
10		The Iron Lady	The Weinstein Company	$3,684,279		$12,585,958	2
11		The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo	Columbia Pictures (Sony)	$3,528,514		$94,553,582	5
12		War Horse	DreamWorks Pictures	$3,150,502		$72,285,180	5

In theaters NOW

Alright ladies and gents, we normally do this on fridays, but its been a busy week. Below is a couple movies that came out this weekend that you hopefully had a chance to go see, despite Jack Frost finally starting to rear its ugly, chilly head here in the states . As always we'll post box office results on either monday or tuesday. Peace !!!

- BlvdAve STAFF

Follow us on twitter @noemimediagroup

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close




Haywire


Red Tails


Underworld Awakening