Courtesy photo
By Bill Vaughan
Entertainment Writer
MGM+ is jolting its programming April 13 with season four of “Godfather of Harlem” starring Academy Award-winning actor Forest Whitaker as revered boss Bumpy Johnson alongside returnees Ilfenesh Hadera, Lucy Fry, Erik Palladino, Michael Raymond James, and particularly Erik LaRay Harvey (“Marvel’s Luke Cage”) and Elvis Nolasco (“American Crime”), who add depth to their roles as Johnson’s lieutenants.
New to the show is Daytime Emmy Award-winning actor and NBA Celebrity All-Star MVP Rome Flynn who comes after memorable turns on “Tyler Perry’s The Haves and the Have Nots” and “How to Get Away With Murder.”
In a charmingly steely performance, he portrays budding kingpin Frank Lucas, who was famously depicted on the big screen by Denzel Washington in “American Gangster.”
This season, Bumpy continues his bloody war for control of Harlem against New York’s Mafia families, while dealing with the aftermath of the assassination of his friend Malcolm X and grappling with his daughter Elise’s (Antionette Crowe-Legacy) involvement with the Black Panthers.
Also fresh to the storyline are cultural heroes such as renowned writer and social critic James Baldwin (Michael Benjamin Washington) and activist Afeni Shakur (Devin Kessler) aka the mother of rap icon Tupac Shakur.
Swizz Beatz returns as an executive producer of the soundtrack for the series with the first three seasons now available to stream on MGM+ and Hulu.
TASTY QUIP: “I’ve been dying to work with Denzel [Washington]. I’m hoping we can make that happen. I’ve got every intention of working with him on that movie. As long as he’s interested, man, it’s going to happen. He’s a living legend and a great mentor for so many of us. He’s all about looking out for us, now.” – Director RYAN COOGLER (“Black Panther” franchise and the upcoming “Sinners”) to Nightcap
CLIPPETTES: Salsa Meets Jazz presents A Tribute to Dizzy Gillespie with special guest (and former protégé) Jon Faddis for two nights beginning April 11 at Catalina Bar and Grill …
Also starting dual evening engagements: contemporary dance company A.I.M by Kyle Abraham presenting Andrea Miller’s latest work “Year” at the Wallis Annenberg Center, and Poncho Sanchez celebrating the release of his new live album at Catalina Jazz Club …
89-year-old legendary vocalist Johnny Mathis (“Chances Are” “Too Much, Too Little, Too Late” with Deniece Williams) announced his retirement from touring due to “memory issues” …
Record Store Day 2025 will be celebrated in shops nationwide April 12 with exclusive vinyl releases and reissues to include Sly & The Family Stone – “The First Family: Live at Winchester Cathedral 1967;” Charles Mingus – “In Argentina: The Buenos Aires Concerts;” The Meters – “Live at Great American Music Hall, San Francisco;” and Brittany Howard – “Live from Austin City Limits” …
Inner City Cultural Center II hosts “Gil Scott-Heron Bluesology,” a band of spoken word artists including the legend’s daughter Gia Scott-Heron, Father Amde Hamilton of The Watts Prophets and Victor Orlando of The Gap Band on April 12, 13, 18, 19, 20 …
April 12 also has Brian Stokes Mitchell performs at the La Mirada Theatre, the Robey Theatre Company presents “Last Night at Mikell’s” at the Los Angeles Theatre Center, and DJ Spinna commands the turntables at Catch One …
Stephen A. Smith shared on X that he’s changed his mind about running for U.S. president by writing: “Time to stop messing around. Life is great. Especially at ESPN/Disney. Hate the thought of being a politician. But sick of this mess. So I’m officially leaving all doors open.” …
The Bennie Maupin Quartet gives a free show the afternoon of April 13 for Sounds of LA: Celebrating the Jazz Legacy of Altadena at the Getty. Tickets are required for entrance in advance at www.getty.edu …
Additionally, comic Mo Amer’s El Oso Palestino Tour comes to The Wiltern, saxophonist Miguel Zenón (winner of the 2024 Grammy for Best Latin Jazz Album with “El Arte Del Bolero Vol. 2”) is at Santa Monica’s Moss Theater, and Greg Adams & East Bay Soul jam at Vibrato Grill & Jazz …
Seun Kuti and his father’s band Egypt 80 play The Roxy with special guests Los Mirlos on April 14. The youngest son of Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti will perform hits as well as selections from his new album, “Heavier Yet (Lays the Crownless Head)” …
GloRilla headlines April 15 at The Novo with Real Boston Richey and Queen Key …
The Dude abides on April 16, as Jeff Bridges comes to the Orpheum Theatre to follow a screening of “The Big Lebowski” with stories, pictures and more …
Later, the Eric Krasno Trio led by the Soulive and Lettuce co-founder jams at The Mint, Ozomatli has another 30th Anniversary Show at The Venice West, and Brooklyn-based rapper SAINt JHN drops bars with Jordan Hawkins at The Novo …
Emmy Award-winning composer/multi-instrumentalist/producer Adrian Younge makes his Soraya debut with a full orchestra on April 17, the evening before the release of the third album in his psychedelic soul trilogy “Something About April” via Jazz Is Dead. …
Meanwhile, The Improv has booked another “Ali Wong: Work In Progress” and Anaheim’s House of Blues presents a bill of Missing Persons, Bow Wow Wow, and The Motels …
Also, Gustavo Dudamel leads the world premiere of Carlos Simon’s groundbreaking “Good News Mass,” a celebratory homage to Black joy, spiritual discovery and the power of faith at Walt Disney Concert Hall on April 17 and 18. The transcendent musical experience merging gospel and classical traditions, spoken word, and visual art draws inspiration from African-American composers such as Mary Lou Williams and Florence Price.
TASTY QUIP: “When you approach a real man about his masculinity, you’re going to get a real reaction back. I’ve lost businesses because I don’t bend over in that way. I don’t compromise. I don’t play gay roles. I don’t kiss a man. I don’t do that s–t because the man card means everything.” – TERRENCE HOWARD on “The PBD Podcast”
TC ON TV: April 11 – “You’re Friends & Neighbors” (Apple TV+): A nine-episode series from creator Jonathan Tropper (“See,” “Warrior,” “Banshee”) and executive producer Jon Hamm (“Mad Men,” “Fargo”) who stars as a down on his luck hedge fund manager who resorts to robbing his affluent friends. With Olivia Munn and Amanda Peet. “Checkmate” (Tubi): Joyce Glenn, Dorien Wilson (“The Parkers”) and Andra Fuller star. A detective teams up with her estranged father, a chess master, to stop a serial killer who uses the game to select his victims. “Today Third Hour” (NBC): Walt Frazier “Sherri” (Syn): Jon B chats and performs “Natural Drug” from his new album, “Waiting on You.” “Tamron Hall” (Syn): Tamela & David Mann
April 12 – “Doctor Who” (Disney+) Ncuti Gatwa as the 15th doctor takes on a quest to get his new companion Belinda Chandra (portrayed by Varada Sethu) back to Earth. “Not My Family: The Monique Smith Story” (Lifetime): Yaya DaCosta (“The Lincoln Lawyer,” “Chicago Med”) stars in and executive produces this film about a woman who endured a horrific childhood only to discover that her family wasn’t actually hers. “#Somebody’s Son” (OWN): A dating journey derived from the popular hashtag that celebrates the search for Black love by having three charming, single and successful men getting advice from their mothers as they hope to find gold amongst a group of exceptional single women. “Saturday Night Live” (NBC): Jon Hamm, Lizzo
April 13 – “The Last of Us” (HBO/MAX): It took a while due to the strikes but now the second season of the gripping video game adaptation starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey is here with Jeffrey Wright and Rutina Wesley (“Queen Sugar”) joining the cast.
April 16 – “Government Cheese” (Apple TV+): David Oyelowo, who also serves as executive producer, stars with Simone Missick in this surrealist family comedy set in 1969 San Fernando Valley that tells the story of a quirky family pursuing lofty and seemingly impossible dreams, beautifully unfettered by the realities of the world. With Bokeem Woodbine and Adam Beach.
April 17 – “#1 Happy Family USA” (Prime): A provocative and comedic animated series on the Muslim-American experience, co-created by Ramy Youssef who adds his voice with Alia Shawkat, Mandy Moore and Chris Redd. “Law & Order: Organized Crime” (Peacock/NBC): Christopher Meloni’s Elliot Stabler is back for a fifth season of going undercover with returnees Danielle Moné Truitt, Dean Norris and Rick Gonzalez. “Savor The City” TV1): Chef Jenard Wells checks out some culinary offerings in “Sag Harbor & New York”
END QUOTE: “”I can’t think of anything worse, really, than to try to live up to someone else’s expectations of what you should be. You don’t make art by consensus.” – TRACY CHAPMAN
As featured in the Los Angeles Wave and Independent, Tasty Clips is one of the leading entertainment columns in the nation, serving nearly one million weekly readers. Bill Vaughan may be reached at tastyclips@yahoo.com, via Twitter @tastyclips, or Instagram @tasty_clips.
