When a nerd—who has no concept of life outside of the classroom—is mistaken for a thug—that has no concept of life inside of a classroom…things can get very interesting.

Class Act—an urban spin on the classic fairy tale “The Prince and The Pauper”—stars 90’s rap duo Kid ‘n Play as they take on the roles of Duncan Pinderhughes (Christopher “Kid” Reid) and Michael “Blade” Brown (Christopher “Play” Martin). Through a series of unlikely twists and turns the unlikely pair form a strong bond through hip hop music, dance, and circumstance.

Kid-N-Play have paved the way for hip-hop and rap artist to take on the big screen, whether it’s creating music for the soundtrack or starring in the flick. So we want to know: Do you think that rappers should act?  Sound off on our twitter page or on our facebook page. Also…

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Tune in for the Flick Centric showing of Class Act at 3PM EST only on Centric

In the Black community there is a trend of single motherhood and heightened focus on how those mothers affect the development and success of their children. While women raising a family on her own is met with praise, the absent father is bashed and considered a dead-beat. But what about the single fathers? There are “Mr. Moms” out there that deserve just as much recognition for supporting their children and taking on the role of both mom and dad.

Even now in 2010, the concept of single fatherhood is still something that flies under the radar and is rarely discussed.  Recently on Essence.com, Greg Johnson—a single father and widower—shared his story about life as a single parent. Having to step up and raise his two daughters solo has changed his life forever.

To see one single father try to raise and fight for his only son—no matter what the cost—tune in today at 3PM EST for Waist Deep starring Tyrese, Meagan Good, and Larenz Tate only on Centric.

Heavily underrated, yet extremely accomplished actress Kimberly Elise is someone that can evoke an emotional response the moment she’s seen on the silver screen.

After receiving her B.A. in Mass Communications from the University of Minnesota, Kimberly Elise pursued acting.  Her first starring role was playing the bad girl with a soft side in “Set it Off” alongside of Black Hollywood royalty Queen Latifah, Vivica A. Fox, and Jada Pinkett-Smith.  Although Elise was noticed in the film, her breakout role was in the made-for-tv movie, “The Ditchdigger’s Daughters”.  She has also acted with and held her own on screen with Danny Glover and Oprah in “Beloved” and Denzel Washington in “John Q” and “The Manchurian Candidate”.

Elise is often compared to Cicely Tyson because of her supreme acting ability and their uncanny resemblance which was evident when they played mother and daughter in Tyler Perry’s “Diary of a Mad Black Woman” (the motion picture).  Although she played a woman scorned in “Diary of a Mad Black Woman”, her acting chops were tested and revealed when she played a sexually abused woman and drug addict stuck behind bars in Pastor T.D. Jakes’, “Woman Thou Art Loosed”.

Elise has re-joined Tyler Perry and is starring in the highly anticipated film adaptation of Ntozake Shange’s play, “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf” out November 5th (Elise left on set).

Tune in to catch Elise in the Flick Centric showing of “The DitchDiggers Daughters” at 3PM EST only on Centric.

The 2000 film Bait starring Jamie Foxx and David Morse—while not a major cinematic gem—was coupled with one of the best R&B and rap soundtracks from the year.  Comprised of songs from Fat Joe, Total, Nelly, and Jamie Foxx himself; the soundtrack did relatively well on the Billboard charts. But one song that caught major traction was “Free” sang by Grammy-award winning singer Mya.

http://www.dailymotion.com/videox7zqwr

A native of Washington, D.C., Mya ’s 1998 self-titled debut album went platinum and spawned the hit single “It’s All About Me” featuring Sisqo and “Movin’ On” featuring rapper Silkk The Shocker.  Her second album Fear of Flying spawned the hit “Case of the Ex” and her third album Moodring did fairly well with the sexy hit “My Love Is Like… Wo” and the radio friendly ballad, “Fallen.”

Since her last album the multitalented singer, dancer, producer, and songwriter has released a mixtape titled Beauty and The Street Vol. 1, competed on ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars,” and been heavily involved with philantropy related to AIDS research, breast cancer, disadvantaged youth, and relief efforts revolving around Haiti.

To hear Mya’s Retro Centric groove “Free” and see Jamie Foxx in Bait tune in today at 3PM EST.

Gang violence—as seen in today’s Flick Centric film, Doing Hard Time— is something that is devastating communities across the United States and there a

re very few programs out there to help youth stay away from gangs or even transition from the hard knock life—if they are already involved.  But Homeboy Industries is giving a second chance, and helping former gangbangers get back on the right track.

In 1988, Father Gregory Boyle founded “Jobs For A Future” (later renamed Homeboy Industries) to help at risk youth find jobs to keep them out of the streets, out of jail, and alive.  The motto of Homeboy Industries is “Nothing Stops A Bullet Like A Job,” and its proven to be successful in the Los Angeles community for the past 22 years.

Not immune to the harsh economic climate, Homeboy Industries laid off most of their employees earlier in the year, but yesterday Los Angeles County supervisors gave the innovative program a $1.3 million contract to keep their doors open.  This contract will allow Homeboy Industries to hire 20 new job trainees, mental health support, tattoo removal, and legal services to 665 people.

Tune in for Doing Hard Time starring Boris Kodjoe at 3:00PM EST only on Centric.

Motherhood is no easy task, but can you imagine juggling motherhood with celebrity?  It’s seems unfathomable. Parenting in the spotlight can prove daunting when trying to create a sense of normalcy for a child. The celebrities moms are successfully raising their children, while building their careers. ONCENTRIC has chosen five moms who are doing all of the above and more.

1. Solange Knowles- The blipsters idol. Knowles is a singer/songwriter/dj but most importantly she’s one hell of a mother.  The younger—more outspoken—Knowles sister gave birth to her son Juelz when she was still a teenager, but the birth of her son didn’t keep her from becoming  a successful artist in her own right, dishing out a unique brand of music that can move a crowd.

2. Jada Pinkett-Smith- This Baltimore around the way girl cum accomplished actress has been acting for over two decades. The wife of Will Smith, and mother of two (three if you count Will’s son from a previous relationship) has managed a starring role in TNT series Hawthorne, all the while cultivating her son Jaden’s acting career and daughter Willow’s music careers (she just signed to RocNation). Definite super mom right?

3. Christina Milian- Although her marriage to Producer Terius “The-Dream” Nash (the father of her child) was short lived, her role as a mother is definitely her priority.  This songbird turned actress has managed to keep her career moving as a songwriter while shielding her daughter Violet,  from the media madness surrounding her split from Nash.  Not an easy task, but she got through it seamlessly.

4.  Jessica Alba- She crept into our hearts on television’s “Dark Angel” , and has parlayed that into a successful career on the big screen. Her biggest role today has been that of mommy.  After giving birth to her daughter, Alba took a few years off and stayed clear of the spotlight, but she’s back in Machete and it’s looking like she’s back and better than ever.

5. Halle Berry- This Academy Award winner needs no introduction. Now a mother first and actress second, Berry doesn’t depend on nannies in the raising ofer daughter Nahla. Whereever she is, so is her daughter Nahla—and that says a lot.  

Want to catch Halle in Losing Isaiah? Tune in today at 3PM EST only on Centric.

The ladies love him, his looks are incredible, and his talent is undeniable.  LL Cool J has been a staple in music culture since 1985. In over two decades this Queens-bred rapper/actor/author and business man has managed to stay relevant and he isn’t showing any signs of slowing down. Did you hear about his new role on CBS’s NCIS: Los Angeles? If you’re a die hard fan, we’re sure you did. But we want to test your knowledge on all things LL…

1.  What is LL Cool J’s birth name?

a. Thomas Edward Smith  b.  James Thomas Smith  c. James Todd Smith

2. What year did LL Cool J release the album that spawned the hit single “Mama Said Knock You Out”?

a. 1987  b. 1990  c. 1992

3.  How many albums has LL Cool J made?

a. 10  b.  13  c. 16

4.  How many books has LL Cool J released?

a. 4  b. 2  c. 1

5.  What was LL Cool J’s character’s name in Deep Blue Sea?

a. Dre Ellis  b. Sherman “Preacher” Dudley  c. Ray Adams

Catch LL Cool J in Deep Blue Sea today at 2:30 PM EST only on Centric. Read the rest of this entry »

Kyla Pratt is a face and a voice that you’ve seen around and heard for the past 15 years, but you’re probably the most familiar with her from her roles in the Dr. Doolittle movie series, “One on One” and “The Proud Family.”  This 23 year-old has had a career that most adult actors and actresses dream of, and based on her track record Ms. Pratt shows no sign of slowing down or stopping any time soon.

With a career spanning two decades Kyla has been seen in more movies and television shows than you probably realize.  If that seems impossible, Centric will help you jog your memory and tell you eight places that you’ve seen Kyla Pratt over the years that you may have overlooked. Read the rest of this entry »

Waist Deep is a modern day spin on the classic film Bonnie and Clyde and it revolves around an ex-convict named O2 (played by Tyrese Gibson), a street vendor named Coco (played by Meagan Good), and some gangsters who don’t like being crossed.  When the gangster “Big Meat” believes that O2 has $100,000 from a heist that they were both involved in he has O2’s vehicle carjacked with his son in the backseat for ransom.  From that point forward O2 is on a mission to get his son back, but his mission is more difficult than he thinks.

Today at 3PM EST catch Waist Deep starring Tyrese Gibson, Meagan Good, and Larenz Tate only on Centric.

Every woman knows what it’s like to sit in the beauty salon for hours on a Saturday afternoon just to get the perfect hairstyle.  Even though a woman may complain about a day lost just for her hairstyle, deep down inside she loves it because of the camaraderie, conversation, and bonding that occurs once they enter the beauty shop.  Nora’s Hair Salon is no different.

Nora takes care of all of her employees like a mother hen and cares about all of her clients as any business owner should.  When Lilleana comes to work for Nora she is dealing with an abusive relationship that is holding her back personally and affecting her professionally, Nora helps rebuild her confidence letting her know her worth.  It was out of Lilleana’s strife that her bond with Nora turned from a teacher-student type of relationship to an unbreakable mother-daughter bond.

If you really want to see what goes down in the beauty shop tune into Nora’s Hair Salon starring, Jenifer Lewis, Tatyana Ali, Tamala Jones, Lil’ Kim and Bobby Brown today at 3PM EST only on Centric.