As they travel the country for their 20th anniversary festival tour, Outkast made a stop in NYC for an intimate performance at Adult Swim’s Upfront event. Also, the director of the Nina Simone biopic is suing the production company for trying to cut her out of decision making for the film. Get the deets inside…
After rocking out the stage for an epic comeback at the 2014 Coachella Music & Arts Festival, Big Boi and Andre 3000 stormed the stage at New York's Terminal 5 for Adult Swim’s Annual Upfront event.
In between dates of their epic 20th anniversary festival tour, Outkast hit the stage to perform some of their classic tracks such as “B.O.B.,” "ATLiens," "So Fresh, So Clean," "Skew It on the Bar-B" and "Rosa Parks,” to name a few.
In front of a packed audience, the ATLiens also performed their solo sets including Andre’s “Prototype” and Big Boi’s “The Way You Move.” Celebs such as Mike Tyson, Nick Cannon, Questlove and Tyler the Creator were all there to rock out with the dynamic duo.
Tomorrow, Outkast will take the stage in Gulf Shores, AL to headline the Hangout Music Festival.
And in movie news...
Film director Cynthia Mort is taking legal action against the production company behind Nina Simone’s biopic. Zoe Saldana (above at this week's 'Grace of Monaco' Premiere during the 67th Annual Cannes Film Festival) will play the late jazz singer.
The Hollywood Reporterreports, Cynthia filed a lawsuit in the Los Angeles Superior Court alleging that Ealing Studios Enterprises Ltd. (the UK producer behind Nina) has breached the terms of her director deal. The film director decided to hit the production company with the lawsuit after claims that she was cut-out of the decision making process regarding the film.
According to legal documents,
"She worked tirelessly to prepare the Film for a wide and successful commercial release," says the lawsuit. "Yet, throughout the course of the Film's production and post-production, Defendants consistently acted to frustrate Mort's involvement in the Film, thereby breaching the Director Agreement. These breaches by the Defendants include, but are not limited to: taking complete control of editing the Film in June 2013 and failing to consult with Mort about subsequent cuts and changes; abandoning Mort's previous cuts of the Film; failing to disclose the Film's financials, finishing budget, and financing deals; and failing to keep Mort informed of other crucial creative and budgetary developments and decisions throughout production and post-production of the Film."
Today, a new photo (above) of Zoe made up to look like Nina Simone hit the net. You’ll recall, Zoe was ambushed with criticism after it was announced that she would be playing the late singer.
During an inteview with Hip Hollywood, Zoe spoke her piece about the criticism saying,
”What kept me from getting stressed and being hurt by the negative comments is that I’m doing it for my sisters and my brothers and I don’t care who tells me I’m not this or I’m not that. I know who I am and I know what Nina Simone means to me.”
“I did it all for love. Out of love for Nina, my people and who I am and my pride of being a Black woman and a Latina woman and an American woman. That’s my truth.”
Amidst all of the drama, the film will premiere today at a screening at the Cannes Film Festival. We’re interested in hearing the reactions to Zoe’s performance in the film. Because this is getting MESSY....
Photos: Wire/Getty/Twitter
