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.

The adorable little girl in the above photo has touched the hearts of millions, with her performance in one of the most iconic Black films of all time. She’s also African royalty…literally! Many may either not know her name, or know how to properly pronounce her name…but that’s okay, because her face is all we need to see in order to know exactly who she is, and what she’s accomplished. If you think you’ve figured out who this precious baby grew up to be, get your scroll on and find out if your guess was good on this one…

Who’s That Girl…Or Shall We Say, Princess?

If you guessed that the young girl chillin’ on her mama’s lap is “Nettie” from “The Color Purple,” you’re right! If you didn’t choose her, then…well, you gotta step your game up fam,’ 😉.

“Nettie’s” real name is Akosua Busia and she is not only a real life princess, she also has a beautiful daughter with her famous ex-husband. Read on for the scoop on that.

Meet “Nettie’s” Royal Parents

Akosua was born in Accra, Ghana, into the Yenfri Royal family in Wenchi in the Brong-Ahafo Region of Ghana. Her father, Dr. Kofi Abrefa Busia, was a  royal prince, who later became the Prime Minister (the President) of Ghana, making Akosua and her sister 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.

Prior to becoming the 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…

 

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A post shared by Akosua Busia (@akosuabusia)

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

Akosua also paid homage to her beloved father:

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A post shared by Akosua Busia (@akosuabusia)

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A post shared by Akosua Busia (@akosuabusia)

The post She’s African Royalty Who Grew Up To Star In One Of The Most Iconic Black Movies Ever appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

Sure, the way “Old Mister” despised and ridiculed “Celie’s” (Whoopi Goldberg) appearance made us wanna hurl a fast flying object at the screen, but it was a necessary evil for the greater good of the film’s overall messages of oppression, colorism, and triumph. Mr. Caesar’s delivery in The Color Purple was unmatched, and he made us believe that his character was real. Simply put, he was one of those actors who didn’t just act out his lines, he became his character.

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

Adolph Caesar Sadly Passed Away While Filming…

Though he oftentimes played much older characters, Adolph Caesar just 52 years young when he died. He passed away on March 6, 1986, after suffering a major heart attack while he was on a Los Angeles movie set, filming 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.

Caesar was survived by his two daughters, who were teenagers at the time, his then one year old son, and his wife, Diane Caesar (pictured below).

We’ve heard all too often about celebrities who have died in the midst of doing what they love most. For instance, the legendary Redd Foxx 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 –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.

Here at ILOSM, we’re grateful that we can still learn from the iconic 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 most seasoned actors to have ever done it! May his legacy continue to live on.

The post Why Didn’t Mainstream Media Cover This? How “The Color Purple” Actor Suddenly Died Years Ago appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

True Old Schoolers remember actor, Ernest Harden Jr.,from his roles in various sitcoms and films back in the day, including “The Jeffersons,” the film “White Men Can’t Jump,” and many more. One of his most memorable roles was his guest appearance on “Good Times,” as J.J.’s art student, “Earl.” Remember that? That was the episode where “J.J.” decided to give art classes in their home in order to raise some extra money and “Earl’s” dad threatened to beat “Earl” to an oblivion for attending the classes.

Well, fast forward to decades later, and Ernest Harden Jr. dropped a bombshell revelation about his friends, Stevie Wonder and actress, Akosua Busia,  that most of us would not have expected.

The Details Revealed…

For decades, Stevie Wonder has kept this tidbit of info on the low, even though signs were there all along. But y’all know we’re truth gold diggers at ILOSM — always diggin’ for truth — and oh the things we learn around here when we do a lil’ diggin.’

 

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In an interview with Actors Entertainment (see video below, starts at 5:03 mark), Ernest revealed that his good friend/actress, Akosua Busia a.k.a. “Nettie” from “The Color Purple,” was in a serious relationship with Stevie Wonder back in the day. In fact, Ernest — a Detroit, MI native — says that’s how he became good friends with fellow Detroit native, Stevie.

They eventually became so cool, that Stevie would call him at 3 a.m.. sometimes. Why? Because Ernest explained that because Stevie is blind, he doesn’t necessarily have a concept of night and day, so whenever he’s up, he simply calls friends, or do what one may do at 12 noon, even if it’s the wee hours of the morning. Back to this whole “Nettie- Stevie coupled up thing though…

Now, remember we said the signs were there all along? Well, we’ve seen Stevie and Akosua out at red carpet events together, but the vibe they’d always given off was one of mentor and mentee. Matter of fact, as we previously reported, Stevie is the godparent of Akosua’s and the late director, John Singleton’s, now-24-year-old daughter, Hadar Busia-Singleton.

In addition to Stevie and Akosua frontin’ for the cameras back in the day (I joke…I joke, I kid I kid…but it’s still true), Stevie is still very close to the “Color Purple” star and Hadar. As we also reported, Akosua co-wrote the song, “Moon Blue,” with Stevie Wonder, for his album, “A Time 2 Love.”

Akosua also oftentimes pays homage to the music genius as the “god-daddy’ of her beautiful daughter. For example, for Stevie’s 70th birthday, Akosua paid tribute with the following photo and caption:

Happy 70th Birthday Stevland. Thank you for being such a loyal and faithful friend throughout the years. Thank you for being such a dedicated and loving God-daddy to my daughter,[Hadar]. Thank you for being such a gift. May God give you many more years in which to bless the world with your presence. Thank you #StevieWonder #music #legend #genius #humanitarian

In recent years, Stevie was visiting the mommy-daughter duo and took a moment to vibe with them, while singing and playing the piano, as seen in the post below…

 

 

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A post shared by Akosua Busia (@akosuabusia)

And there ya’ have it I Love Old School Music fam’…Ernest Harden Jr. has officially let the cat outta the bag about his two former-lovebird friends.

What Ernest Harden Jr. Does Now

Today, at 69 years young, Ernest is healthy and living life to the fullest. He has two adult children- a son and a daughter. He’s also still getting his acting on. A few years back, he starred in a one-man stage play titled, “Beethoven and The Misfortune Cookies,” which told an interesting true story of Beethoven through the eyes of the Black man that he actually was- unbeknownst to American history. Currently, Ernest Harden Jr. can be seen on TruTV’s “Laff Mobb’s Laff Tracks,” a half-hour comedy series, hosted by popular hip hop DJ/radio personality, Cipha Sounds.

The post “The Jeffersons” Actor Exposed Relationship Stevie Wonder Had With “Color Purple” Actress appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

As the iconic Patti LaBelle continues to shine well into her 70’s, she’s sharing words of wisdom she’s learned throughout the decades, after several trials and errors and in some cases, missed opportunities, of her own doing.

Patti: “I Was The Turn Down Queen”

During an interview with WWD, Patti discussed one the biggest lessons she’s learned, which is basically to be fearless, even when you might be fearful of the unknown. That lesson she discussed when the topic of a few acting roles and a major ’90s hit song- all of which she turned down.

Patti Rejected “The Color Purple” Role

Ms. Patti was actually offered the chance to be in one of the most classic, timeless ’80s films ever- The Color Purple, as the role of “Shug Avery.” Can you believe she turned it down? Ah well…we live and we learn.

Patti On Rejecting “Nobody’s Supposed To Be Here” Hit Song

Then came the ’90s classic jam, “Nobody’s Supposed To Be Here.” Yep, we’re talking about Deborah Cox’s song, which was written by “This Is How We Do It” singer, Montell Jordan. It was supposed to be Patti’s song first, but here’s what she said about rejecting it:

Via WWD: “I’m the turn-down queen,” [Patti LaBelle] says with a laugh. “Deborah Cox always thanks me for her career. Montell Jordan wrote ‘Nobody’s Supposed to Be Here’ for me, but I hated it. It just didn’t have something. She got it and whenever we see each other, she thanks me for giving her the hit.”

Having Second Thoughts On Refusing Popular Broadway Hit

Lastly, was the mega Broadway hit, “Hello Dolly,” which earns major bread every time it runs. Patti gave a ‘no thank you’ to that too, when the producers asked her to star in the Broadway play a few years ago. Legendary actress/singer, Bette Midler, is currently running with that role, but Ms. LaBelle has had a change of heart now:

“That was something else I said no to. Now [Bette Midler] is doing it. I’m going to check it out and I think I might do it when she leaves — I mean, I would like to.”

Patti On Lesson She Learned From Being The “Turn Down Queen”

Patti then explained the lesson she’s learned from allowing herself to miss those opportunities:

Via WWD: LaBelle raises her mile-long nails (yes, they’re real) to the sky with a gesture of affirmation. “There’s nothing you should say no to. Try it all and if you fail, you did try.”

On How She Feels About Aging Gracefully

Patti also touched on why she’s ‘feeling good from her head to her shoes’ these days:

“Honey, [age] is nothing but a number! The older I get, the happier I get. It’s not because I made the age day, but it seems that I’m seasoned. I’m like an antique and all good things are coming my way.”

Thanks Patti, lessons noted. Like we said earlier, we all live and we learn.

The post “I Was The Turn-Down Queen”: Patti Regrets Rejecting Major Role In A Classic Black Film appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

“The Color Purple” is a definitely cult classic film, that’ll always hold a special place in the hearts of millions. There were many memorable characters in the movie and one of the most memorable, was ‘young Celie’- the younger version of Whoopi Goldberg’s character. That role was played by the amazing actress, Desreta Jackson. During that time in 1985, she earned her title as a true force to be reckoned with in Hollywood game. Sadly, what this Queen endured in REAL life, after the film was released, brought us to tears. Shortly after ‘The Color Purple” was released Desreta was raped and the details she gave are heart-wrenching.

Background On Where She Was BEFORE The Tragedy & “Color Purple”

Desreta Jackson moved to the U.S. from her homeland, The Virgin Islands, with her Mother when she was 9 years old. They had no money and were living on the streets of Los Angeles, Ca. in a homeless section, called Skid Row.

Her Mom Did What Was Necessary To Make Ends Meet

Her Mom collected aluminum cans to make ends meet and after about two years on the street, her mother was eventually able to afford an apartment for them to live in.

Desreta Took Acting To Avoid Streets

Desreta took part in her school’s play and soon after that, her Mother decided to keep her out of getting involved with gang activity, by enrolling her in acting lessons. Soon after that, Desreta landed the part on The Color Purple and it was a huge success.

The Tragedy Happened Shortly After “Color Purple”

“I was still a kid, it was right after Color Purple came out. I was new to Hollywood and…new in a lot of ways and young. And…the rape was very traumatic, it was a very violent situation,” Desreta said through a cracked voice.

Her Post-Traumatic Stress Incidents: “I Was Discombobulated”

After being raped, Desreta was “discombobulated”:

“I was so messed up…just an example of how emotional it was for me- I would [take two buses to school] and I didn’t know that I didn’t have shoes on, or I never did my hair, or that I only put a shirt on that day [and no pants].”

Strangers On The Street Would Have To Help Her

Desreta continued:

“So I took two buses [to school] mesmerized, or something traumatic…and somebody would stop me and let me know like, ‘Hey…are you okay?!!’ I walked into school like THIS!”

“You’re Too Dark”

Despite her pain, Desreta auditioned for more acting roles, then faced ignorant rejection in Hollywood. She was told she was ‘too dark’ for the roles she wanted. That left her confused, because as a child she didn’t realize she would be seen as ‘different’ because of her ‘complexion.’ Then She Revealed Another Tragedy…

Molestation & More Rejection

Desreta wasn’t “processing” that Hollywood was “casting according to color” at that time. That rejection made her delve further into the emotional baggage of not only being raped, but she then revealed she was also molested.

‘My Mom Didn’t Know How To Handle It’

“My mother wasn’t quite the kind of mother that didn’t know how to handle things. So she kind of just ignored it. So when the rape happened….it was just me, as a child trying to figure out” how to deal with that type of trauma, says Desreta.

“I Quit Acting” But Found Something Else

Desreta says the emotional baggage from her rape and molestation combined with the rejection was too much to bear as a child. So she quit acting at that time, but then light began to shine for her….

Martial Arts & A Chance Meeting Saved Her

After being violated, Desreta stumbled across the founder of the Black Karate Federation at a local community center, who was teaching martial arts. Innately feeling the need to build her confidence and protect herself, she joined the organization

It’s A New Day!!!

Today Desreta is highly trained at martial arts and is still a part of the Black Karate Federation. She owns her own Black hair products line. She’s the mother of two beautiful children and happily married. She is also BACK in the acting game! Her talent is impeccable and we wish her the best!

The post “Color Purple” Actress Explains Devastating Ways Being Raped Later Affected Her Life 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…

 

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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.

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…

 

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A post shared by Akosua Busia (@akosuabusia)

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:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Akosua Busia (@akosuabusia)

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 67 year old big sister to Akosua…

Akosua Busia: “On this Mother’s Day I celebrated by being a Marshall at Rutgers’ 251st Commencement exercises. Here I am in front of the podium before the arrival of the platform party.”

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 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:

Akosua 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:

Abena Busia: I had the privilege of moderating this distinguished panel of speakers at the UN… We thank the UN for holding this remembrance every year.

If their parents were alive today, pretty sure they would be BEYOND proud of the life accomplishments their children have made. Thanks to Akosua, 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.

ILOSM fam’ we wanna share an interesting behind the scenes Old School fact that happened on the set of the 1985 cult classic, The Color Purple. This said fact comes by way of none other than ‘young Celie’ herself- actress, Desreta Jackson. We all remember her, right? She touched our hearts as we watched her character get psychologically and physically abused by her older husband, “Mister Albert” (Danny Glover). Well, little did we know at that time, Danny Glover made Desreta cry real tears in real life, during the filming of the movie and she broke it down for all of us…

Desreta Jackson Was Living With Struggles In Real Life & On Set

We Didn’t See This Coming And Apparently, Neither Did Desreta Jackson

In a lengthy online post, Desreta revealed that Danny Glover slapped the hell outta her while filming. She started with: “True [Film] Fact: Danny Glover slapped me for real in the scene where my sister, Nettie, was teaching me to spell.”

Her First Reaction To Danny Glover’s Slap Was Confusion, But Then

Desreta: “My reaction was laced with confusion because I didn’t know if I should stop or continue acting but then I remembered my training taught me to never stop the scene.”

Real Tears Started To Flow

Desreta’s confusion turned into sadness: “So I controlled my emotions and used it in the scene. Real tears started running down my face and I was really lost and sad as to why he would actually hit me.”

That’s when director, Steven Spielberg, jumped in…

Spielberg Yelled “Cut”…And Questioned Danny Glover

Desreta: “I carried on with the scene and when Steven [Spielberg]said cut he came up to Danny and asked him, “Did you hit her for real?”

Glover Sincerely Apologized To Desreta & Here’s Where They Are Now

DJ: “Yes, Danny [apologized]…I didn’t take it offensive it was part of the work and we are friends till this day.”

The post “Color Purple” Actress Reveals What Danny Glover Did To Her On Set That Made Her Cry appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

Anybody who’s ever seen The Color Purple would probably agree that there is no way we could ever forget that classic line ‘Sofia’ (Oprah Winfrey) said to ‘Celie’ (Whoopi Goldberg): “You told Harpo to beat me!” The year was 1985 when Oprah declared “All my life I’s had to fight. … I loves Harpo, Lawd knows i do, but I’ll KILL HIM dead ‘fo I let him beat me!”

After The Color Purple, actor, Willard E. Pugh had several roles in various films, including Toy Soldier, The Hills Have Eyes Part 2, Robo Cop II, Air Force One and many more. However, in between the acting gigs, his steady stream of income has been earned from his regular occupation. Therefore, one black eye (thanks to “Sofia”) and 35 years post-Color Purple, now 61 year old “Harpo” a.k.a Willard, lives a very different lifestyle these days. He’s no longer the juke-joint owning son of “Mister” (Danny Glover), nor is he still trying to be the dominant husband to “Squeaky” (Rae Dawn Chong)…

He Loves His Regular Job

As you can see, he hasn’t changed much. I’m almost willing to bet that this brotha can’t go anywhere without at least one person recognizing him and calling him “Harpo.” Hopefully he’s cool with that, because it’s actually difficult NOT to call him “Harpo.”

These days,Willard E. Pugh has added the title of Probation Officer to his name. In fact, P.O. has been his full time career for the past 29 years.Willard currently works and lives in California and he’s very proud of his job as a P.O., although he admits that he hates seeing so many African American men entering his workspace everyday, as they step through the prison doors to do their time. He’s also involved with non-profit organizations that are focused on helping people within his community.

Don’t get it twisted though, Pugh is still getting his acting on. He also had a lot to say recently, about the prison system, racial views in Hollywood and actors with criminal pasts.

Watch Hilarious Video Of Willard E. Pugh Roasting Former Co-Star, Margaret “Shug”Avery

Willard Pugh Gives His Views On “White America”

In a prior interview with ‘We All Be TV,’ Willard talked about his job as a probation officer and his thoughts on actors with criminal backgrounds, like Samuel Jackson and Charles S. Dutton (The Roc actor). Check out what Willard said below..

Pugh On The Jail System vs. Slavery

“Jail is just a new form of slavery…when they couldn’t keep selling cotton and doing all the other things they were doing, then they moved us to the prisons. […]  I’m a probation officer, that’s my full time job when I’m not acting. … So I see ‘em coming and going, and it’s a very high volume, money making business. The more they lock up, the more money we make. And I always tell my boys [the prisoners] ‘Put me out of business, make me have to find another job. That’s what I want you to do. Because if you’re not going to jail, I’ve got nobody to lock up…nobody to supervise.'”

On Hollywood Wanting Black Actors With Criminal Records

When asked his thoughts on the exceptions to the rule with African American actors – like Charles S. Dutton and Samuel Jackson- who were once convicted criminals and later changed their lives and became superstars, Willard had this to say:

“That’s another story too. That’s a twist on White America. They’ll take a guy who ..murdered somebody and make him a star. I never committed a crime and can’t get arrested, LOL. They [America and Hollywood] don’t like positive, they like negative, LOL.”

“I love Samuel Jackson, but guess what? Sam was a drug addict. And now look what they took him to the level of. I never did drugs a day in my life. A lot of people never did ‘em and we can’t get arrested, LOL. So now you’re telling me living a clean life and doing the right thing and being God fearing…what good does that bring you? See what I mean? That’s the message that they’re [America] sending.”

These days, Willard is still acting and is set to star in an upcoming independent film by Avondale Pictures, titled The Faith Club. Keep doing your thing Willard E. Pugh! We see you!

The post We’ve Found “Harpo” And The Regular Job He’s Happily Held For Two Decades appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

Sure, the way “Old Mister” despised and ridiculed “Celie’s” (Whoopi Goldberg) appearance made us wanna hurl a fast flying object at the screen, but it was a necessary evil for the greater good of the film’s overall messages of oppression, colorism, and triumph. Mr. Caesar’s delivery in The Color Purple was unmatched, and he made us believe that his character was real. Simply put, he was one of those actors who didn’t just act out his lines, he became his character.

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

Adolph Caesar Sadly Passed Away While Filming…

Though he oftentimes played much older characters, Adolph Caesar just 52 years young when he died. He passed away on March 6, 1986, after suffering a major heart attack while he was on a Los Angeles movie set, filming 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.

Caesar was survived by his two daughters, who were teenagers at the time, his then one year old son, and his wife, Diane Caesar (pictured below).

We’ve heard all too often about celebrities who have died in the midst of doing what they love most. For instance, the legendary Redd Foxx 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 –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.

Here at ILOSM, we’re grateful that we can still learn from the iconic 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 most seasoned actors to have ever done it! May his legacy continue to live on.

The post Why Didn’t Mainstream Media Cover This? How “The Color Purple” Actor Suddenly Died Years Ago appeared first on I Love Old School Music.