Actor,  producer and DJ Idris Elba is the latest celebrity to join the growing list of stars opening his own bar in October.

The Parrot which is within the Waldorf Hilton hotel in London, will be turned into a cocktail bar and live music venue.

The bar will offer everything from a hidden cocktail menu and delicious small plates, to secret shows and exclusive events. The venue even has its very own chauffeur-driven car, so VIP guests can arrive and leave in luxury.

Nightly entertainment is also on offer, with a professional house band performing popular covers. The bar will also host secret shows and screenings.

It’s now common for celebrities to branch out into different business ventures. Idris Elba will open the  60-seater venue in partnership with twin brothers Lee and Nick Caulfield.

Prices are in GBP £

Ghana has been unveiled as the host country for the 5th edition of the All Africa Music Awards. The event will take place on November 21-24.

Speaking at the official launch at Kempinski hotel, on Tuesday, September 18, president of AFRIMA, Mr Mike Dada said the purpose of AFRIMA is to serve as a communication tool.

“We use the power of superstars to communicate the beauty, glamour, positive side of Africa continent to the rest of the world”, he said.

He continued that AFRIMA not only provides opportunities to the nominees but the host country as well.

“The AFRIMA program of events provides the opportunity for Ghana to showcase the unique artistic, tourism and economic potentials of her culturally dynamic and beautiful cities.

The program goes further to offer benefits that would help in raising the continental and international profile of the Host Country, including an opportunity to tap into the millions of participants and followers of the growing African music”, he added.

Ghana’s Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Hon. Catherine Afeku said Ghana is ready to take Africa by storm with a new narrative, and that is music.

“We are ready to take Africa by storm. The narrative of Africa must change, and changed through music. We can use music as a conduit for peace; we can use music to send a strong signal to the rest of the world… that our young people are talented, intelligent and the hope for the next generation”.

She further entreated the media, and the people of Ghana to be an advocate for Africa through music.

“Let us in November carry the message of the Ghana Beyond Aid message through music. I entreat each and every one of you to be an advocate of Africa… This is going to be the Independence of music”.

Present at the launch was the deputy minister of Toursim, Dr Ziblim Barri Iddi, Samini, King Promise, Stonebwoy, M.anifest, Feli Nuna, Jupitar, Kuami Eugene, Steve Bedi and many other dignitaries from all other countries.

The African Union Commission, AUC announced the Republic of Ghana as the Official Host Country for the 5th All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA, following receipt of the Letter of Intent to Host AFRIMA dated April 18, 2018, addressed to the Commissioner of Social Affairs, African Union Commission, Mrs. Amira Elfadil and signed by the Honourable Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Ghana, Honourable Catherine Afeku.

The 5th AFRIMA Host Country unveiling was conducted at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Thursday, September 6, 2018 by the African Union’s Acting Director for Social Affairs, Mariama Cisse Mohamed; Head of Culture, African Union, Ms. Angela Martins, and President and Executive Producer of AFRIMA, Mr.Mike Dada.

In her response letter dated September 13, 2018 with reference number DSA/CUL/16/341818 awarding Host Country right for the 5th edition of the annual continental awards event to the Republic of Ghana, Mrs. Amira Elfadil congratulated the West African country on overcoming the competition involved in hosting AFRIMA and winning the Host Country rights through a transparent process.

The Berlin Marathon set another history when Eliud Kipchoge set a new marathon world record.  The  record has now been broken at the Berlin Marathon seven times since 2003.

 Kipchoge becomes the fifth Kenyan to hold the world record in the long distance event, with the last four men to hold the record time hailing from Kenya.

The 26-mile course was ran in an incredible to 2 hours, one minute and 39 seconds. The amazing pace is one minute, 18 seconds faster than the previous world record held by fellow countryman Dennis Kimetto, former winner of the Tokyo and Chicago Marathons.

The 33-year-old said afterwards “I lack words to describe this day.”  He won gold in the marathon at the 2016 Olympics and has also won the London marathon three times.

TDE Rapper Schoolboy Q has put his album release on the back burner after the death of Mac Miller. During a recent concert, he said that he needs more time to deal with the tragic loss of his buddy Mac Miller and doesn’t feel right putting out his album.

He told the crowd at the event “Y’all know I only drop albums every two years, right? but in the process of dropping every two years, I ended up making four albums. But listen, with my ni**a gone right now, I just don’t feel right putting out an album. As y’all can tell, I’m not my real self right now. I shouldn’t even be here right now. But like I said, my ni**a Mac would not want me to be in the house sad. He would clown me for some weird shit. I’m here today because it’s no way he would allow me to sit in the house and be a little bitch. I’m not gonna be a little bitch.”

He did not reveal a release date, but assured fans that an album is still coming. “I’ma go back, and I’ma figure out when I’ma put this fucking album out, because y’all are gonna get this album,” he said. “I promise that. I’m just not ready to walk into the radio station and the first thing they ask me is, ‘So Mac Miller…’ I’m not ready to deal with those questions. So, right now, I’m not ready to put nothing out.”

Schoolboy Q and Mac Miller collaborated on tracks including 2012’s “Gees” and 2014’s “Friends.” In August, TDE CEO Anthony Tiffith announced that Q’s new album was “90 to 95 percent done.”

Miller died from an apparent overdose at his home in Studio City, Calif. on Sept. 7. He was 26. The L.A. County Coroner is waiting for toxicology results to determine the official cause of death.

Award-winning author Jason Reynolds’ book “Ghost” will be distributed to children in social underclassed communities through “Indie Bookstores. It takes place on November 24.

The campaign is known as “Give Back on Small Business Saturday” (#IndiesGiveBack).
Stores that participate in the giveaway will also be invited to enter to win one of two in-person visits from Reynolds in 2019.

Reynolds is the 2018 Indies First spokesperson, and to support his mission of providing children in low-income communities with access to books that reflect their own experiences.

The American Booksellers Association and American Express in conjunction with Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing to make available 20,000 special edition copies of Ghost, the first book in Reynolds’ New York Times bestselling Track series, this holiday season.

All books will ship free freight directly to stores and will arrive by November 15; the books are non-returnable, not for resale, and must be donated. This offer is available while supplies last.