A young musician, tormented by an abusive situation at home, must contend with a rival singer, a burgeoning romance, and his own dissatisfied band, as his star begins to rise. Rouben Mamoulian 19,176 A chronicle of the lives of several teenagers who attend a New York high school for students gifted in the performing arts. Olga Karlatos, Votes: Harry Belafonte, Comedy, Drama, Music.

| Bill Robinson,

Three sisters form a singing group in 1950s Harlem, but success threatens to ruin their relationship forever. It is called a black musical because of the African American cast, even though neither the music or plot is of the “Negro inspiration” like the creators proclaim.

This earnest 1991 Robert Townsend production portrays the dramatic career trajectory of a fictitious vocal group from inception to fame and fortune, and the subsequent drug- and alcohol-fueled breakup of the original lineup. Spike Lee Nipsey Russell, The Blacker the Content the Sweeter the Truth, Marine Layer Diver Dave Button Down Shirt, Melting Antarctic Ice Exposes 800-Year-Old Penguins That Still Look Fresh, Secretly Recorded Tapes of Melania Trump Reveal Her Frustration At Criticism Over Immigration Policies, U-Haul's Motorcycle Trailer Is Really Good But You Can't Ever Own One, YouTube TV Is Losing Regional Sports Channels Because Cordcutting Is No Better Than Cable, Report: Warner Bros. Games President Says Transphobe J. K. Rowling Has "The Right To Hold Her Opinions", Whitney Houston and Jordin Sparks-led remake of 1976's, first African American nominated for the Best Actress Academy Award, Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. The relationship between an aspiring dancer and a popular songstress provides a retrospective of the great African American entertainers of the early 1900s. The soundtrack has sold more than 13 million copies in America alone. (We decided not to include straightforward biopics like Ray or Bird.) Bill Condon

This Prohibition-era movie stars Andre Benjamin and Antwan Patton, members of the Atlanta hip-hop duo OutKast. Jordin Sparks portrays a woman named Sparkle, and the film documents three sisters who grow up in the '60s and try to make it in the music industry. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io, BTS Delivers A "Dynamite" Disco-Pop Summer Song, The True Story that Inspired a Taylor Swift Song, The 11 Best Blackpink Songs To Have On Repeat, Add These New Songs to Your Summer Playlist, How to Watch iHeartRadio's Can't Cancel Pride. A trio of black female soul singers cross over to the pop charts in the early 1960s, facing their own personal struggles along the way.

The film stars Irene Cara, Philip Michael Thomas, Lonette McKee, Dwan Smith, Mary Alice, and Dorian Harewood. (It included classics like the slinky anthem "Something He Can Feel.") Drama, Music, Musical. Stars: Kyme, Votes: 2,789 Beyoncé recreated some of the scenes for her April 2018 Coachella performance. Directors: Director: But by the time the adaptation of the 1935 Gershwin opera was made into a film, it came stocked with black Hollywood legends Sidney Poitier (whose singing voice was dubbed by pop singer Bobby McFerrin's dad, Robert), Dorothy Dandridge, Sammy Davis Jr., Diahann Carroll and Pearl Bailey.

But all changes when greed, fame and murder threaten to destroy them and the joint. Dreamgirls was also the first live-action film to earn three separate nominations for Best Song. 67,841 6,719 Long before Dreamgirls chronicled the Motown era and the success of the Supremes, there was Sparkle.

107 min Still riding high on the massive crossover success of the Speakerboxx/The Love Below album, Outkast took an unexpected turn with this period piece set in 1930s Georgia. The plot of this romantic comedy is based around Gooding's character fulfilling his late mother's request to lead his childhood church's choir to victory in a singing competition, and features cameos from gospel stars Mary Mary, Yolanda Adams, Donnie McClurkin and Shirley Caesar. Proof that it's timeless? Sammy Davis Jr., $21.05M, Passed Comedy, Family, Music. |

the most important election of our lifetime. 1,395 121 min Olga James, Not Rated It tells the story of Simone (Michaela Coel), a single mother living in London who becomes romantically involved with a man named Raymond (Arinzé Kene), who has just been released from prison. The bombastic title track sung by Irene Cara went on to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song. | ", Spike Lee dove headfirst into the world of sorority and fraternity life on black college campuses with this 1988 release. | | A compulsive gambler dies during a shooting, but he'll receive a second chance to reform himself and to make up with his worried wife. Though it wasn't filmed in Technicolor, Stormy Weather is one of best showcases of '40s Black excellence—only bested by Cabin in the Sky. 5,177

| Prince,

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Robert Townsend The best part? Director: The film finally saw DVD release in 2007 after years of being out of print. Stars: "Porgy and Bess marked the nadir in the history of black musical comedy, symbolizing the end of tradition and experimentation in black musical theater on Broadway". Loosely based on Russell Simmons and the early days of Def Jam Records, this celebration of the glossy side of hip-hop and R&B circa 1985 features Run-DMC, the Fat Boys, Kurtis Blow, the Beastie Boys, New Edition and Sheila E in big production performances. | The soundtrack also features turns from Patti LaBelle, Andraé Crouch and After 7. Bill Duke Sister Act was also the opportunity to showcase high-octane gospel performances, like "Hail Holy Queen" and "My Girl," rewritten as "My God." | Leon, Nigel Washington, Votes: | But it was American Idol runner-up Jennifer Hudson who stole the show, taking home the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress out of a slew of nominations for the film, including Best Supporting Actor for Murphy. Stars: School Daze. Katherine Dunham and Her Troupe, Passed It's not just you and your show tune-obsessed friends. Starring Lena Horne, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, Cab Calloway, and Fats Waller, the musical chronicles the semi-autobiographical story of Robinson, who goes by Bill Williamson in the movie. It was such a smash that Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit wasn't far behind in December of 1993, featuring a young and luminous Lauryn Hill, pre-Fugees, and Aretha Franklin's hit "Deeper Love. | ", The gospel-powered release from 2003 boasts an ensemble cast featuring Cuba Gooding Jr., Beyoncé, Mike Epps and Faith Evans. Comedy, Drama, Music. | 13,562

Paula Patton plays the singing love interest of Benjamin, Angel Davenport.

Vincente Minnelli, $14.55M, R | As film audiences look forward to a Whitney Houston and Jordin Sparks-led remake of 1976's Sparkle hitting theaters on Aug. 17, we've taken the opportunity to look back at some of the other memorable black movie musicals. Director: | Complete with booze, swinging, and big bands, it's reminiscent of New York City's famous speakeasy bars. Director: The Fugees frontwoman stars alongside Whoopi Goldberg, who plays both a lounge singer named Deloris Van Cartier and Sister Mary Clarence, a nun and Catholic school teacher. Michael Jackson, | | While many considered Diana Ross too old for the role of Dorothy and the movie went on to be a box-office flop, few will argue that it was a breakout moment for Michael Jackson, who owned his portrayal of the Scarecrow. Darryl McDaniels,

| Famously based on the real-life story of Motown girl-group superstars, this big-budget 2006 release, starring a resurgent Eddie Murphy and Jamie Foxx, was poised to be a breakout role for Beyoncé.