Free Republic

In 1972, 22-year-old Stevie Wonder released his 15th album, Talking Book. The LP’s lead single, “Superstition,” marked a career turning point for the artist. By the early 1970s, R&B music was changing, led by such albums as Marvin Gaye's What's Goin' On and Sly & the Family Stone's musical answer to Gaye's question, There's a Riot Goin' On. Other albums, like Curtis Mayfield's Super Fly and Isaac Hayes' groundbreaking, Academy Award-winning soundtrack to Shaft, continued to expand the genre's subject matter beyond dance floors and relationships, discussing social issues relevant to the African American community as well as looking at...

'Who You Gonna Call,' premiering on digital streaming platforms June 7, chronicles the life and career of the Grammy-winning singer/songwriter.Ray Parker Jr., the legendary R&B artist/musician, is the subject of a new documentary. The film, “Who You Gonna Call”, about the life and career of the man best known for his smash 1984 hit “Ghostbusters,” will hit digital streaming platforms on June 7 via Sony Pictures, Variety reports. While “Ghostbusters” was the pinnacle of Parker’s commercial success, he accomplished a great deal prior. Parker gave filmmaker Fran Strine full access to archives of his life, a life full of...

As a song, “Ebony and Ivory” may not have aged well, but, on the May 22, 1982, episode of Saturday Night Live, the treacly Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder duet gave two of the show’s biggest stars one of their biggest hits. With the cloyingly rosy musical paean to black-white relations having come out just that March, SNL writers Barry Blaustein and David Sheffield knew they had the perfect Stevie Wonder for a parody sketch in Eddie Murphy. Murphy, well on his way to becoming one the biggest stars in the show’s history, did a killer Wonder, but had teased...

During a recent interview with Oprah Winfrey, the 25-time Grammy-winner, 70, opened up about his future plans to live in Ghana indefinitely — as part of his efforts to shield his lineage of grandchildren and great grandchildren from racial injustice in the U.S. "I wanna see this nation smile again," he told Oprah, 67. "And I want to see it before I leave to travel to move to Ghana, because I'm going to do that." When asked if he plans to relocate permanently, the star replied, "I am, because I don't want to see my children's children's children have to...

Rep. Ilhan Omar has accused President Donald Trump of being the reason why her father died of Covid-19 due to his "criminal neglect. "Omar told MSNBC:"My father and over 300,000 people have lost their lives because of dangerous criminal neglect by Trump and his administration."

An investigation has revealed that Dominion received a staggering $400 million payout from a Swiss bank account co-owned by the Chinese Communist Party, according to reports. SEC filings have revealed that Dominion Voting Systems' parent company received the funds less than one month before the U.S. presidential election this year.

Pop icon Stevie Wonder, whose estimated net worth exceeds $100 million, called for reparations for black Americans while performing at a Joe Biden rally in Detroit on Saturday. Stevie Wonder was a guest performer at the drive-in Biden rally on Belle Isle. The 70-year-old singer — who was born in Saginaw, Michigan, and grew up in Detroit — is the latest celebrity to help the Biden-Harris ticket’s effort to flip Michigan blue. At one point during the rally, the singer voiced his demand for reparations. “I know Joe Biden will do it. Give us reparations! For the work that we’ve...

A “virtual” concert benefiting the World Health Organization co-hosted by Trump-hating late night hosts Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon will be streamed and broadcast on April 18, organizer Global Citizen announced Monday. The show is being curated in coordination with Lady Gaga and is scheduled to feature Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, John Legend, Alanis Morissette, Andrea Bocelli, Billie Eilish, Lizzo and many others...

Former actor Bill Cosby was recently served a 3 to 10-year sentence in a maximum security facility after the judge presiding over his case determined that he is a sexually violent predator. Bill Cosby's prison sentence has sparked an outcry of emotions and reactions from individuals around the world. Women's rights attorney and activist Gloria Allred told CNN, "This is a very important day. Judgment day has come. We're so very proud of what law enforcement did to make sure we had a just outcome." Writer and actress Quinta Brunson tweeted, "As a Philadelphian and fan of his shows and...

As temperatures rise in the U.S. West, so do the flames. The years with the most acres burned by wildfires have some of the hottest temperatures, an Associated Press analysis of fire and weather data found. As human-caused climate change has warmed the world over the past 35 years, the land consumed by flames has more than doubled. Experts say the way global warming worsens wildfires comes down to the basic dynamics of fire. Fires need ignition, oxygen and fuel. And what’s really changed is fuel — the trees, brush and other plants that go up in flames. “Hotter drier...

Researchers no longer hesitate to blame climate change for floods, fires and heat waves. Here's how the science works. When the heat waves, droughts, wildfires and deluges come - as they seem to with increasing regularity these days - the question inevitably arises: Did climate change play a role? The answer scientists gave for years was that greenhouse gases created by humans likely contributed to extreme weather, but it was hard to definitively tie the warming atmosphere to any single episode. But that cautious approach, repeated in thousands of news reports for more than a decade, has been changing in...

During an appearance on Friday’s CBS This Morning, and without being challenged by the pro-science “journalists” of the morning show, Wonder was allowed to spread his conspiracy theory about Global Warming being linked to cancer: "I just feel that all these various diseases that we have and all that is happening in the world in part is because there are those who don’t believe in global warming, don’t believe that what we do affects the world,” he said. “Heat affects the world and affects us. I just hope that people will grow up out of the foolishness and know that...

Stevie Wonder visited the ailing star days before she died and said that at that point she was unable to speak. “We have to celebrate her life and continue the legacy by letting people of all the various genres hear the music that influenced us all,” Wonder told CBS This Morning’. Wonder drew a line between the increase of cancer and the ignorance of global warming. “I just feel that all these various diseases that we have and all that is happening in the world in part is because there are those who don’t believe in global warming, don’t believe...

Donald Trump has renewed his attack on NFL stars kneeling during the national anthem, by urging fans to stop going to games "until players stop disrespecting our Flag & Country". In tweets posted on Sunday morning, the US President told fans if they boycott matches "you will see change take place fast. Fire or suspend!" He added: "...NFL attendance and ratings are WAY DOWN. Boring games yes, but many stay away because they love our country. League should back US." https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/911904261553950720?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.sky.com%2Fstory%2Fdonald-trump-urges-nfl-fans-to-boycott-games-over-takeaknee-anthem-protest-11051259 https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/911911385176723457?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.sky.com%2Fstory%2Fdonald-trump-urges-nfl-fans-to-boycott-games-over-takeaknee-anthem-protest-11051259 Mr Trump's latest criticisms of the protest brought an immediate response at Wembley Stadium, which hosted the NFL...

Before performing a medley of his classic hits like “Higher Ground,” “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours,” and “Overjoyed,” at the Global Citizen Festival, Stevie Wonder made a passionate speech about unity saying, “It is only through life we can make life happen through ourselves and each other.” He added, “Our global brothers and sisters, I didn’t come here to preach, but I’m telling you, our spirits must be in the right place all the time.” After encouraging everyone to “stand down bigotry” and “condemn sexism,” he insisted that everyone “find love.” Then with the help of his son Kwame, he...

Why do Hollywood leftists have to ruin everything they touch? – My first reaction when I heard that the great George Strait would be putting on a nationally televised hurricane benefit fundraiser was great! Awesome! Greatest country music artist ever, native Texan, truly good ol’ boy in every sense of that title, it’ll be a fantastic show and raise a ton of money. Good for George. But then I saw that he would be joined by notorious cop hater Beyonce’, and I thought, oh, no, here we go. But hey, Beyonce’ is also a native Houstonian, so I figured she...

Mere seconds into the celebrity-filled benefit concert for victims of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma did these stars turn the ostensible charitable event into a platform for left-wing sermonizing. Stevie Wonder, who kicked off the show, began with call for unity, but then turned to mock anyone who questioned the global warming theory. "When love goes into action, it preferences no color of skin, no ethnicity, no religious beliefs, no sexual preferences, and no political persuasions," Mr. Wonder began. "It just loves. As we should begin to love and value our planet." But after calling for love, he singled out skeptics...

When is a White House event for 500 people considered “private?” They won’t say. Nor would they say, in advance, that hundreds of guests were expected on Saturday night for a soiree and serenade from Prince, as guests of the President and First Lady. All White House spokesman Josh Earnest would say about the Saturday event was that the First Family paid for it (though he wouldn’t elaborate on how much it cost, or whether things like security were also covered).

A weird thing to do during a pending case for an officer of the court who’s already been accused, and not just by police, of ramping up the charges against the Baltimore cops who arrested Gray for political reasons. Maybe save the pop-star grandstanding until after we figure out whether Mosby was right or wrong when she told the universe Gray was arrested unlawfully, no?On the other hand, how could a young aspiring mayor/governor/senator resist a photo op like this? The audience spanned a wide range of ages and backgrounds, much like Prince’s fanbase. Many were surprised to see...

Prince released his much-anticipated protest song about “Baltimore” on Saturday — one day before his scheduled “Rally 4 Peace” concert in the troubled city.