Music, Television, and Film Drops Look Promising in 2018

We have finally neared the end of another decade in 2018. The next two years will send us off into the 2020’s with a bang. What will the world of media and entertainment look like? We will have a world without Olivia Pope, a more matured Issa Rae, Blue Ivy’s preteen years, Migos’ fourth, fifth and maybe sixth studio albums and more. The faces of popular culture will change but the world will remain the same. A lot can happen in two years but we have a lot to look forward to in just this year alone.

Music

Azealia Banks’ “Fantasea II”

After six years, Azealia Banks promised the world and her remaining fans a follow-up to her 2012 mixtape Fantasea. Fantasea II: The Second Wave will hopefully evoke some of the fond feelings we had about Banks six years ago back into 2018. Banks spent the end of last year on her fourth headlining tour and first full North American tour. Fantasea II: The Second Wave is expected to drop in March.

 

Cardi B’s Debut Studio Album

Cardi B undoubtedly gave the United States one of the biggest come up stories in 2017. Almost everyone, whether they care for her or not, has heard her story- from the Amish market to the strip club, from the strip club to Instagram, from Instagram to Love and Hip Hop, from Love and Hip Hop to the Billboard charts. 2018 will be freshman album season and hopefully touring season later for our new social media favorite Belcalis Almanzar. After dropping the “Finesse (Remix)” with Bruno Mars just last week, we know she will promise us more hits.

 

Rae Sremmurd’s “SremmLife 3”

The internet had a lot of fun with “Black Beetles” in 2016. Rae Sremmurd had entire audiences do the mannequin challenge at their concerts but the duo is due for another album.  Last year, Slim Jxmmi and  Swae Lee announced to the world SremmLife 3 would drop sometime January. Well, January is finally here and so far Swae Lee has had solo success on features with French Montana and as a songwriter for Beyoncé’s “Formation.” Since 2016, all we’ve seen from the duo was “Perplexing Pegasus” back in August so SremmLife3 should be refreshing.

 

Television

CW’s “Black Lightning”

Black Lightning will come out of retirement and join CW’s roster of superheroes this upcoming Tuesday. Based on the DC comics by the same name, the scripted television superhero series will not only be the first black superhero to have his own show on the network but the second show front lining a black family since Everybody Hates Chris’ cancellation in 2009.

 

FX’s “Atlanta” Season 2

Earn (Donald Glover) left us hopeful about him and Paper Boi’s success last season. The end of Atlanta Season One showed us a more responsible Earn being financially for his girlfriend-ish/ baby mama Van (Zazie Beetz) and finally getting the respect from his rapper cousin. The second season, titled “Atlanta Robbin” Season, will premiere on Mar. 1 on FX.

 

Showtimes’ “The Chi”

Showtime’s The Chi, created by producer Lena Waithe (Masters of None) kicked off the first episode with a climatic story arc. Produced in collaboration with Common, the show follows the lives of a particular set of individuals living in a fictionalized neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago. The first episode ignites many emotions including fear, joy and hope. The Chi captures both tragedy and love, a lot of great dramatic storytelling. The first season will have seven episodes.

 

Film

Walt Disney’s “A Wrinkle in Time”

A Wrinkle in Time will welcome audiences into the world of Madeleine L’Engle’s novel of the same name but through the eyes of famed director Ava DuVernay. Who could imagine a science fantasy adventure film starring Oprah Winfrey, Mindy Kaling, and Reese Witherspoon as three astral travelers to help save the universe from evil? Walt Disney released a television film of the same name in 2003 but the theoretical film adaptation will is scheduled to be released on Mar. 9 in Real D 3D and IMAX 3D.

 

Disney/ Marvel’s “Black Panther”

Black Panther needs no explanation. The blockbuster superhero film, the eighteenth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, will feature an all-star black cast comprised of Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Forest Whitaker, Angela Bassett and more. Black Panther will be shown in all theatres across the United States Feb. 16. The film will follow the events of Captain America: Civil War but occur in the African nation of Wakanda. King T’Challa, Black Panther himself, will fight to defeat the enemies that conspire to bring the kingdom down.

 

Warner Brothers’ “Ocean’s 8”

Remember Ocean’s 11? Well, Danny Ocean’s sister Debbie, played by Sandra Bullock plans to pull a heist at New York’s Met Gala alongside an all-star crew. The heist comedy, planned to premiere in theatres June 8 will feature Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, and Rihanna in her first major Hollywood film role since Valérian and the City of a Thousand Planets.