When legendary director, John Singleton, passed away on April 29, 2019, following a massive stroke the week prior, countless celebrities paid homage to him and his legacy. One such celeb’ stands out though — his ex-wife.

John only married once in his 51 years and that was to The Color Purple actress, Akosua Busia, who played “Celie’s” sister, “Nettie,” in the 1985 classic. Though their marriage was brief (1996- 1997), they created a beautiful life…their now 25-year-old daughter, Hadar Busia-Singleton.

One day after their daughter paid homage to her Father, Akosua has now spoken out about her ex-husband as well. What the Ghanian actress revealed about their last moments with John, was as equally beautiful as it was heartbreaking.

Akosua also gave insight into the marital union she and John Singleton once shared.

Here’s What Akosua Busia Revealed About Singleton’s Last Words To Her

In an emotional online post, Akosua shared several photos to go along with her touching homage.

What Akosua Busia and Daughter Did After Singleton Took His Final Breathe

Akosia Busia- “John…once was a husband; through trials of life you never raised your voice at me, nor I to you. That peace and warmth was there when Hadar and I held your hand once more before your body left.”

John’s Final Words To Ex-Wife, Akosua, Was About Their Daughter

“On April 3rd when I sent you Hadar’s birthday photo and you wrote “Awwwww ‘so beautiful’ she’s on her way…” I never dreamed those would be your final words to me. Yes, our “baby” is on her way. You too… on your glorious journey ~ .” – Akosua Busia

Not one to typically speak publicly about her ex-husband, Akosua Busia’s beautiful homage to John sums up the love and respect she has for the man she once called ‘husband.’

May John Singleton continue to rest in peace and power, as his impactful legacy continues to live on.

The post John Singleton’s Ex-Wife/Color Purple Star Shared His Last Words To Her About Their Daughter appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

Most of us The Color Purple fans remember actress, Desreta Jackson, who played the ‘young Celie’ in the 1985 classic, which starred some of the biggest African American stars in the game. Desreta was only around 14 years old at that time and what we didn’t know was how much her co-star Oprah Winfrey (“Miss Sophia”) did for her behind the scenes.

During a recent interview with California Soul TV, Desreta was asked to share some of her favorite memories about being on set of the Color Purple. While she admitted that she had “several of them,” it was the memories and experiences she shared with Oprah Winfrey on and off the set that set her life and personal development on the right track.

‘Oprah Was Very Protective Of Me’

On The Color Purple set, Desreta was oftentimes the only child. So she says Oprah became “very protective” of her and also like a “mother figure” to her. Oprah would have Desreta tag along around the set, so she could witness and learn, as Oprah did day to day business as well.

“We shot [Color Purple] in North Carolina and literally…there [were] no kids around, just the adults. Oprah became like this mother figure. She would just kinda be like, ‘Come here, follow me around,’ and she would be very protective of me,” said Desreta.

She said Oprah would always make sure to shelter her from certain people on set and to shield her from ‘certain things being said’ to her, or in front of her, that children should not be told, nor hear.

“She was really that kind of person, and I would sometimes take part in like, the same room while she’s doing business.”

But Oprah Later Went Above And Beyond For Desreta AFTER The Movie

What Oprah did for Desreta Jackson once filming was wrapped…

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“She Didn’t Stop”

“When I finished The Color Purple, and I went back home, she didn’t stop. …She would fly me out [to Chicago, where she was filming her talk show] and I would stay with her. … I’d stay in the bed with her. I’d just kinda lay down while she takes care of business and work and talk.”

‘I Do Th Same With My Kids Now’

DJ: “That was really influential to me as a child, kind of in my developmental years, because…to this day…I do that with my kids. Like, I make them come with me when I go to business [meetings], I make them sit around when I’m talking…because I realized how much it (Oprah’s help) helped made me see a frame of thinking. It made me realize more about business, without subconsciously knowing it. And I don’t know if Oprah did that purposely…whether it was conscious, or not conscious, but it definitely framed and helped part of my development mentally.”

But WAIT…There’s More…See What Oprah Did That Made Desreta Flip Out

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Deresta Flipped Out When Oprah Bought Her An Expensive Nightgown

DJ: “I love that she (Oprah) bought my first nightgown. When I flew out to her, she would take me shopping. … I remember the first nightgown she bought me was like $300 dollars, LOL…and ya, know- talking about a lil’ girl from the hood, I was like ‘You know how much I could buy with that?!!'”

What the former Color Purple Star Does Now

After The Color Purple hype wore down, Desreta says she quickly learned about the brainwashed, jacked up views that often exist in Hollywood when it comes to casting talent. Desreta admitted, in a prior interview with Onyx Truth, that she fell into the constant ridicules that plague many actresses – you’re too Black, you’re too fat, your nose is too wide, your curves are too round. After growing tired of the Hollywood scene, she decided to step away from the acting game and do other things that she loved.

She went to school and rekindled her business, that she’d been in professionally since the age of nine, which was the hair braiding business. She also had two children along the way, and when we fast forward today, she’s now the CEO of her own successful hair products brand, Black Silk Products. Innovate Health & Technology Breakthroughs has also acknowledged Desreta for her many contributions to the improvement in the health of African American hair & she’s also been dubbed the new ‘Madame C.J. Walker of the millennium.’

The post “Color Purple” ‘Celie’ Actress Tells What Co-Star Oprah Winfrey Did For Her As A Child appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

It was years after “The Color Purple” released in 1985, that Akosua Busia, the actress who touched our souls as “Nettie,” was actually a real life African princess from a prominent royal African family. She hails from Accra, Ghana, West Africa and made her way to American superstardom through hard work and determination to be great, like her royal parents. As if that wasn’t already shocking enough, we’ve since learned that our girl, “Nettie,” has a sister, who’s been making major moves of her own across many continents.  Scroll down to see who Akosua’s sister is, as well as the greatness their parents accomplished…

https://www.instagram.com/p/BRtlCTjjFCl/

Who Are “Nettie’s” Royal Parents?

Akosua and her sister, Abena Busia, were born in Accra, Ghana, into the Yenfri Royal family in Wenchi in the Brong-Ahafo Region of Ghana. Their father, Dr. Kofi Abrefa Busia, was a  royal prince, who later became the Prime Minister (the President) of Ghana, making Abena and Akosua the first kids to the first family of Ghana from 1969 to 1972. Prime Minister Kofi Abrefa Busia was married to the Busia sisters’ mother, Naa Morkor Busia, up until the time of his passing. The former President Busia died from a heart attack in 1978 and his wife, Naa, passed away in 2010 from unknown causes.

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Prior to becoming President of Ghana, Dr. Busia earned many degrees and studied at several prestigious universities. He also made history, by becoming the first African student to attend England’s infamous Oxford University in the early 1940’s.

Mr. and Mrs. Busia’s life’s work and dedication toward making Ghana a better place for their people, left a lasting impact on their children that will never be forgotten. In fact, to honor her mother on Mother’s Day 2017, Akosua posted a rare television clip of them putting in work as the first fam’ of Ghana back then. Check out the clip below…

https://www.instagram.com/p/BUFq4lXDXaX/

By the way, not only was Abena and Akosua’s mother beautiful, she represented class, style, and elegance, with such poise.

Akosua also paid homage to her beloved father:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BPzWCosBgzc/

My father, His Excellency, Dr. Kofi Abrefa Busia, giving his inauguration speech as Head of State at Black Star Square in 1969 ~ Flashback 4 Instagram posts and see our new President, Nana, Akuffo-Addo, quote these exact words in his own Inauguration speech at Black Star Square in 2017! This footage is from the the documentary I directed: THE PROF. A MAN REMEMBERED.

Meet “Nettie’s” Sister

Now that we’ve covered who their royal parents are, let us introduce y’all to Akosua’s sister and the big moves she’s making in her career. Meet Abena Busia, the 64 year old big sister to Akosua…

https://www.instagram.com/p/BUGFYLdgfSe/

Abena chose a different path than her sister: she’s an professor, writer, poet, feminist, and lecturer, as well as a diplomat and ambassador for their country, Ghana. Following in her Pops’ footsteps, Abena has also studied at several universities, including Yale and Oxford. She’s currently a professor of Literature in English and women’s/gender studies at Rutger’s University in New Jersey.

In 2017, the current President of Ghana, Pres. Nana Akuffo-Addo, appointed Abena Busia as Ghana’s ambassador to Brazil. As of today, she helps to serve Ghana within several South American countries. Here is what her sis,’ Akosua, explained about that in an online tribute to Abena:

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bgadt1mFe3o/

Akosia Busia: To me, she is my Beloved Sister! To the world she is the renowned professor; Dr. Abena P. A. Busia, Ghana’s Ambassador to #Brazil, concurrently accredited and overseeing 11 other countries in South America: #Argentina, #Bolivia, #Chile, #Colombia, #Ecuador, #Guyana, #Paraguay, #Peru, #Suriname, #Uruguay and #Venezuela. She is a blessing; she is #blessed 🙏🏾

In addition to her work as an educator and ambassador for Ghana, Abena is grateful for the opportunities to bring awareness to societal issues, those titles allow her:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BSenLqAgmmF/

If their parents were alive today, pretty sure they would be BEYOND proud of the life accomplishments their children have made. Thanks to Akosia, Abena, and their parents for inspiring so many who will come after them.

The post Color Purple Star Proud That Her Rich Celebrity Parents & Sister Inspired Millions Of People appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

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The Argument:

According to TMZ, Avery is having problems with her “across-the-street neighbor.” It has been reported that the 6-foot-3 man “parks his and guests’ cars on her street and blocks access.” Apparently,  there’s very little consideration where the obstruction is concerned and the problem has been ongoing. The two have obviously had words about the situation and are unable to come to an agreement. Avery also described her nightmare neighbor as “intimidating” and “aggressive.” Since the two can’t seem to reach an agreement about the parking problem, Avery has taken things to another level. She’s filed court documents to get the job done.

Ain’t Playin’:

According to court documents obtained by the publication, Avery has had it with her neighbor. In the documents, the famed actress, who has had a recurring role on BET’s Being Mary Jane since 2013, recalled an altercation where things escalated to a point where she feared for her safety. The last straw was when her neighbor “came yelling about how the street was a public street and he could park wherever he wanted,” and then allegedly, “pointed his finger towards me, just a couple of feet from me in an aggressive manner.” Then to make matters worse, Avery isn’t the only person who’s fed up with the man. The actress revealed her man isn’t too pleased either and there’s another reason why the situation is getting out of hand. She went on to raise concerns about her live-in boyfriend, Arthur, and how the ongoing feud is affecting his health. “My boyfriend has a bad heart and he cannot handle the stress,” Avery reportedly said.

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‘I Just Want Peace’:

Like most people Avery’s age, she only has one request – peace. In the documents, she explained why she wanted a restraining order. The actress is hoping the court filing is taken seriously and that her neighbor gets the picture. The message is simple: she won’t be stepped on. “I just want to live in peace.  I want to send a strong message that he cannot bully me, I am entitled to live peacefully in my own house, which I’ve owned for 41 years.”

Request Granted:

It has been reported that Avery’s request has been granted by the courts. Her neighbor has reportedly been ordered to stay approximately 10 yards away from her home. The restraining order also requires him to refrain from engaging in harassment. The two are scheduled to appear in court next month. Maybe next time her neighbor will think twice before attempting to bully an old lady because Avery ain’t playin’.

The post ‘Color Purple’ Star Margaret Avery Terrorized By Nightmare Neighbor, Files For Restraining Order appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

The thing that never ceases to amaze us, is that Caesar is another legendary actor, who starred in one of the most iconic films in history, but yet when he passed away almost three decades ago, there wasn’t as much media coverage of his death that many probably would have expected for a man who contributed so much to the film industry. So that is what propelled us to shine some light on this brotha.

Here’s how Adolph Caesar died…

Adolph Caesar passed away on March 6, 1986 after suffering a major heart attack while he was on a Los Angeles movie set filming his scenes for the movie, Tough Guys. The paramedics were called and by the time he’d arrived to the Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, it was reported that he was in full cardiac arrest, ultimately dying just a few minutes after arriving to the hospital. He was just 52 years young.

Caesar was survived by his two daughters, who were teenagers at the time, his then one year old son, and his wife, Diane Caesar. (See pics of their children on page 3)

We’ve heard all too often about celebrities who have died in the midst of doing what they love most- we’ve heard about the legendary Redd Foxx who died in 1991 after suffering a heart attack on the set of his TV show, The Royal Family, and the list goes on and on.

The pressures that many celebs face while working on a project and having to constantly be ‘on,’ can lead to a very high level of anxiety and excitement, causing their bodies to just go into overload mode. The reality is that this can happen to any of us ILOSM family. We’re Old Schoolers and we’re not getting any younger in this game of life- we’re getting wiser, yes, but not younger- so if we’re not already doing so, let’s remember to do everything we can to stay on top of our health and manage our stress as well.

We here at ILOSM are grateful that we can still learn from these great old school entertainers we admire, even after they are long gone from this earth. There are valuable lessons they’ve taught us through their lives and legacies and there are also very valuable lessons they’re sometimes teaching us in their unfortunate deaths. We salute Adolph Caesar for being one of the baddest actors to have ever done it! May his legacy continue to live on.

SEE PICS OF ADOLPH CAESAR’S CHILDREN ON THE NEXT PAGE…

The post OMG! See How This Talented Color Purple Actor Suddenly Died Years Ago appeared first on I Love Old School Music.