‘No Better Moment to Use It’: Power of Women New York Honorees Urge Action in Face of Roe v. Wade Threat

Michael Appler Gala on the Green, the Public Theater’s annual benefit held Tuesday night steps from the Delacorte Theater in New York’s Central Park, is the best spot in town for a breezy evening spent as a fly on the wall.Last evening, for example, Liev Schreiber served as emcee. At his table sat Oscar Isaac and Ethan Hawke, while nearby was Peter Dinklage and partner Erica Schmidt. Pillars of the New York theater community like Lin-Manuel Miranda, Kelli O’Hara, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Julia Murney and “A Strange Loop’s” Michael R. Jackson were on hand, too.

Emanuel Okusanya Since 2017, Haitian DJ-producer Michael Brun has been hosting Bayo concerts to highlight artist from his home country and the Caribbean, and at the tour’s stop at New York’s Pier 17 on Saturday night, he brought some famous friends: J Balvin — with whom he wrote the 2018 World Cup theme song “Positivo” — Wyclef Jean and even the long-running Haitian group Boukman Eksperyans.The 2022 installment of Bayo — which means, “to give” in Creole and concluded with the New York show — certainly took audiences on a sonic journey to Brun’s home country. The concert took place just a few days after Haitian Flag Day, which is a symbol of liberation and freedom throughout the Caribbean, and Brun crafted a setlist of both well-known American hits and Caribbean classics for the New York audience: For example, the crowd roared when he played Bajan heroine Rihanna’s song “Work,” and grew even more ecstatic as the instrumental backing was swapped for a classic Kompa riddim.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorThe New York City Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment has announced the full slate of programming for the fifth annual New York Music Month, to run throughout the month of June 2022 in New York City.This year’s NYMM will feature a combination of in-person and virtual programming, with more than 20 events, including an all-day industry conference on the future of NYC’s music industry, skill-building workshops, free rehearsal space, songwriting camp, and showcases of emerging NYC artists. This month-long series aims to support songwriters, established musicians, emerging artists, and NYC’s entire musical community, many of whom were severely impacted by the pandemic.

Bobby Shmurda has said that New York’s new Rap On Trial bill should be adopted across the United States.Earlier this week (May 17), the New York State Senate passed a bill limiting the use of song lyrics as evidence in court by prosecutors.First touted last November, the purpose of this bill is to set a new high bar compelling prosecutors to show “clear and convincing evidence” that a defendant’s rap song, video, or other “creative expression” is “literal, rather than figurative or fictional”.Shmurda was jailed for seven years in 2014 after being indicted and pleading guilty to weapons and murder conspiracy charges. The initial indictment in his case included references to his lyrics.“I’m grateful for it,” he told TMZ of the new bill.

Jessica Alba was in the Big Apple this week to host an event for her clean and sustainable brand, Honest Beauty. During her time in New York, the ‘Dark Angel’ actress was spotted looking fab and glamorous in a brown leather outfit.Jessica who was recently seen all glammed up celebrating her 41st birthday with her celebrity friends in L.A., looked amazing in earth tones.

It’s graduation season for Taylor Swift.

New laws that would restrict when prosecutors can cite rap lyrics in criminal proceedings were passed by the Senate of New York State yesterday, just a week after supposedly incriminating lyrics were included in legal papers alongside the prosecution of Young Thug and Gunna. There is now one more stage in the process before these new rules become law in New York State.The proposed new rules are contained in Senate Bill S7527, sometimes dubbed the ‘rap on trial’ bill.

First touted last November, the purpose of this bill is to set a new high bar compelling prosecutors to show “clear and convincing evidence” that a defendant’s rap song, video, or other “creative expression” is “literal, rather than figurative or fictional”.Led by Brad Hoylman (D-Manhattan) and Jamaal Bailey (D-The Bronx), the bill – called ‘Rap Music On Trial’ and dubbed Senate Bill S7527 – has received support since the idea was raised from Jay-Z, Run The Jewels‘ Killer Mike, Meek Mill and more.The bill will now aim to pass through the New York State Assembly in order to become a law.The passing of the bill comes as YSL rappers Young Thug and Gunna have been charged in Georgia, with a large amount of prosecutors’ case against them being taken from their song lyrics.Both rappers were named in a 28-person grand jury indictment and charged with conspiracy to violate the state of Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.The indictment centres around the YSL record label and collective, allegedly formed by Thug – real name Jeffery Lamar Williams – in 2012, which authorities claim is a “criminal street gang”.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentCairo-based film marketing and distribution outfit MAD Solutions has taken an equity ownership stake in New York’s revived arthouse distributor D Street Releasing.The partnership will extend the reach of MAD Solutions’ theatrical distribution operations, giving it an inroad into the U.S. arthouse sector where so far Arab cinema has been largely reliant on festival exposure.MAD Solutions, which is a top distributor of specialty Arab cinema across the West Asia region, now plans to release between five and seven standout titles from Saudi Arabia, Egypt and other Arabic-speaking countries to North American audiences.D Street Releasing, which has been largely dormant in recent years, is a division of D Street Media Group, the New York-based production, distribution and music publishing company with affiliate operations in the U.S., Germany, Ecuador, Argentina and South Africa.

The New York Times journalistic standards with respect to coverage of American politics in the Trump era.” The letter, which Schmidt said his attorneys delivered to Baquet earlier in the night, complains that the Times’ reporting in early 2021 on the Lincoln project’s trials and scandals were rooted in “access journalism” and “transactional journalism.” Schmidt also criticized how the NYT covered the scandal involving Lincoln Project co-founder John Weaver, who has been accused by more than 20 men of sexual harassment. Calling that coverage “political hit pieces disguised as authentic and earnest reporting,” Schmidt said that an independent inquiry into that matter determined that Lincoln Project leadership “was unaware of the accusations against Mr.

Katie Holmes and her new beau packed on the PDA while out and about in New York City over the weekend.The  actress and her boyfriend, musician Bobby Wooten III, were spotted spending time together in NYC on Sunday, where they were all smiles whenever they weren't packing on PDA.Holmes, 43, rocked red shades, an army green jacket over a black-and-white stripped shirt with blue pants and white shoes. Wooten, 33, donned dark glasses as well, along with a navy jacket over a teal sweatshirt and tan slacks.The pair looked adorably happy as they walked and later rode bikes together through the streets.After grabbing some food, the Holmes and Wooten spent some of their Mother's Day outing locking lips.The duo packed on the PDA on the street, under an awning, after grabbing some food together at a local eatery.Holmes was first spotted sharing a public kiss with Wooten in late April -- nearly one year after her split from Emilio Vitolo.During their April 27 NYC outing, the pair took the subway, visited the Guggenheim Museum and Central Park, and spent time with Holmes' mother, Kathy Holmes, who was spotted hugging Wooten.Holmes most recently dated Vitolo, but the actress and the chef called it quits in May 2021, after less than a year together.

In the past few weeks, everyone from late night hosts to country stars to comedians to many at the White House, including Vice President Kamala Harris, has contracted Covid. The uptick in boldfaced names testing positive is not a coincidence.

Fat Ham, playwright James Ijames’ comedy-drama reinvention of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, received the 2022 Pulitzer Prize for Drama today, just days before the acclaimed play is to make its New York debut at the Public Theater Off Broadway.

If you have not played Wordle today, the New York Times just released a statement about today’s word, and why your word might be different from other users who have already played.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorJust two weeks before the release of his “Harry’s House” third solo album, Harry Styles has announced the dates for “Love on Tour 2022.”Coming off of a sold out 42-date arena tour in 2021 and two special “One Night Only” shows in New York and London, the 2022 tour works the “Harry’s House” theme by turning arenas in New York, Los Angeles (10 nights each), Chicago, Austin (5 nights each) and Toronto (2 nights) into Harry’s de facto house.Produced by Live Nation, the tour kicks off on Monday, August 15th and Tuesday, August 16th at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON. Styles will continue his residencies in New York City for ten nights at Madison Square Garden, Austin for five nights at Moody Center, and Chicago for five nights at United Center, before wrapping up at Los Angeles’ Kia Forum for 10 night run concluding on Tuesday, November 15th.

“I am absolutely horrified by what the majority of Supreme Court of the United States plans to do to women’s rights in this country,” New York Governor Kathy Hochul said Tuesday.

A US nurse has crossed the pond and swapped life in New York for Glasgow's south side to be reunited with the person she loves.