T.H.U.G✊🏿

Where a teenage girl is constantly switching between two worlds... Speaking on the act of code-switching, which is when you're turning 'it' on and turning it 'off'... referring to one's blackness.

It is a film inspired by the book 'The Hate U Give' written by Angie Thomas. She happens to be a huge fan of rapper, Tupac as well. While writing this book Thomas was able to find a connection with the term "THUG LIFE" and events taking place in today's society such as: gang violence, black on black crime, white crime, police brutality and a 'corrupt' system.

When attending #NABJ18 in Detroit, #MelodicallyInTune sat in on the Arts and Entertainment Taskforce, 20th Century Fox Presents a Clips & Conversation Reception where director of the film, George Tillman Jr. spoke with moderator Roland Martin and fellow journalists and other professionals about the movie schedule to hit all theaters on October 19.

The main character, Starr Carter played by Amandla Stenberg is constantly reassured that her father Maverick Carter (Russell Hornsby) did not name her Starr for no reason and that not everyone was giving the same superpowers.

The Carter's (Regina Hall, wife/mother), growing up in Garden Heights only wants a better life for their family. Starr and her siblings Seven (Starr's half brother) and Sekani were all given unique names with a special meaning. None of them attended their "neighborhood school" because the only thing people do there is either get jumped, high or pregnant. Starr's parents sent them off to a predominantly white private school called Williamson.

"Our live is here [Garden Heights] because our people are here."

Garden Heights was one world but the school they actually attended was another. For instance, talking slang makes white people seem cool but for Starr it would only make her hood.

"We have not been trained to be unapologetically black"

-Roland Martin, NABJ18 Convention

The director Tillman Jr. faces these same experiences until this very day.

In the movie he wanted to display that Starr could have a white boyfriend, black best friend and still live the best of both worlds. He continues on to say "be who you are, don't be afraid of being who you are!"

We must have conversations about black and white people so that things can keep getting better and we can keep moving forward.

It's a movie displaying that "where you live does not define who you are." At one point within the movie, Starr feels as if she has to be quiet so she don't seem like a poor girl from the hood who just now saw her friend get killed.

At a point within the movie, Starr's uncle Carlos (Common) plays the role of a cop and states how the views of police officers are different and that we live in a complicated world. After being given two different scenarios, most people as in white people when dealing with blacks being pulled versus dealing with someone else white they "don't see it as a crime but another traffic stop gone wrong."

One of the incidents Tillman used as motivation amongst completing this film was the Philando Castile, who was a 32 year old man at the time who got pulled over in Falcon Heights, Minnesota and shot to death by a cop.

Within the movie it shows how it's "Just US for justice." Us meaning black people... Starr has to deal with the fact that her second life of people doesn't understand the seriousness of what happened to her best friend Khalil (Algee Smith) and being black in America.

"Violence brutality, it's the same story just a different name."

"Division is how they win unity is how they crumble."

The concept of acting black but still keeping the same white privilege isn't an option for black people.

Director Tillman Jr. presented this film to 20th Century Fox Pictures by telling them it's not only about the things that are happening right now today in society geared towards police brutality but also displays personal growth, love, respect, relationships amongst others and yourself...

Watch the official trailer of The Hate U Give.

The entire movie is heartfelt and had us in tears drowning in our feeling with a remarkable ending.

CBS series 'The Neighborhood' premiere Monday, October 1st.

Here's a comedy about what happens when the friendliest guy in the Midwest moves his family (the Johnson's) to a neighborhood in Los Angeles where not everyone looks like him -- or appreciates his extreme neighborliness. Cedric the Entertainer starring as Calvin Butler, the Johnson's opinionated next-door neighbor. Calvin, who is wary of the newcomers, and certain that the Johnson's will disrupt the culture on the block. Culture in terms of the blackness that's within the neighborhood.

The new CBS series, also stars Tichina Arnold who plays the role of Tina Butler, the wife and mother. She has worked with many well known comedians such as Martin Lawerence, Terry Crews, Chris Rock and more. However, this is her first time ever working with the well-known comedian Cedric the Entertainer.

New comedy series will air on CBS Monday, October 1 at 10PM.

#NABJ18 got a special preview the new series followed by a Q&A with Tichina Arnold.

Melodically In Tune will be sure to let you know how the chat went while attending the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) national convention in Detroit.

Shared Success: Chris Brown, Khalid and Bryson Tiller hit a billion streams on Spotify

Chris Brown is one of three black men to hit a billion streams on Spotify with a soul album.

He is also one of the most accomplished men overall within the music industry although he may not get the respect he deserves.

#TeamBreezy will always be there to remind Brown of how much he has changed the game. He has various talents and has picked up many along the way. His latest album, Heartbreak on a Full Moon which consist of 45 songs and because of that it enabled him to have an abundance of streams online.

The album HBOAFM takes a lot of attention to get through within one sit-down but his fans enjoyed every second of every track.

Streams have hit one billion on Spotify, along with Drake and XXXTentacion who have also met the goal this year as well but since Brown is in a different genre on Spotify he is joined by to more heavy hitters within the industry.

He writes that he, Khalid, and Bryson Tiller are the only three black men to hit a billion streams on Spotify with a soul record. Khalid is a relative newcomer but he's made a name for himself becoming a feature king and wowing crowds with his American Teen album. As for Tiller, we all know just how big T R A P S O U L project was.

Perhaps one day will see a project together from the three? While all are working on their own music hopefully a collaboration will make surface within the process.