The drive across Pennsylvania—beginning in Pittsburgh and ending in Philadelphia—is notoriously dull if you adhere to the statewide Turnpike aka America’s Super Highway, built in 1940. The ride isn’t that long (just under five hours) but its design prohibits small businesses and sightseeing destinations from populating its path. When embarking on this trip, we suggest making a few stops in the beginning for breakfast and …
From three drive-in screenings (Be Water, The Forty-Year-Old Version and Miss Juneteenth) at Philadelphia’s Mann Center to the online presentation of more than 90 films and live panels, the BlackStar Film Festival returns for its ninth installment from 20 to 26 August. Founded by Maori Karmael Holmes as a platform for independent work by Black filmmakers, the festival does more than screen groundbreaking work from BIPOC …
Baltimore-born Naeem Juwan (who began as part of the duo Spank Rock, then retained the name Spank Rock as a solo artist, and now records as Naeem) never intended to shed his initial moniker. Spank Rock albums released in 2006 and 2011 and EPs in 2007, 2012, and 2014 established a specific style: raucous, club-influenced party rap. But, Naeem grew, and his interests shifted. Public perception, however, …
