BV Entertainment Newswire Dec. 19: Chris Rock, Samuel L. Jackson

Rock On Rap

Jay Z may have graced the cover of the ‘Hip Hop Now’ issue of Rolling Stone magazine, but Chris Rock was tapped as resident expert. The Brooklyn born funnyman was asked to contribute a list of 'Rap's 25 Greatest Albums.'

Believe it or not, the 40-year-old Emmy Award winning funnyman isn’t too old to be a purveyor of hip-hop culture -- on the weekly sitcom ‘Everybody Hates Chris,’ which he created and produced, classic hip-hop music of the 1980’s is featured prominently. DJ Quik’s 1992 opus “Way 2 Fonky’ (#24) and OutKast’s 1999 ‘Aquemini’ (#21) made Rock’s list, along with Scarface’s 1991 ‘Mr. Scarface Is Back’ (#18) and Beastie Boys 1989 ‘Paul’s Boutique’ (#8). Eric B & Rakim’s 1988 ‘Follow the Leader’ came in at #12, while Pharcyde’s 1992 ‘Bizarre Ride II” notched at #5.

And the #1 Greatest Rap Album, according to last year’s Academy Awards host, is N.W.A.’s 1988 ‘Straight Outta Compton.’ “N.W.A is the most influential act of the last thirty years – bigger than Nirvana, Madonna or the Sex Pistols,” the ‘Madagascar’ star wrote. “Nothing has ever been the same since they came out. I remember I was in L.A. when I was a kid, and I brought ‘Straight Outta Compton’ back to New York. More people were coming over to my house to listen to N.W.A than were going across the street to the crack house. I had the real shit. It was kind of like the British Invasion for black people.”

Pryor Love

Black Entertainment Television will honor the memory of the late, great Richard Pryor in a celebrity-filled BET News special ‘Richard Pryor: The Funniest Man Dead or Alive’ premiering Dec. 19 at 7:30 pm (ET) with an encore showing at 11 pm (ET). The program is hosted by Jacque Reid and pop culture critic Toure and features exclusive commentary from beleaguered comedian Dave Chappelle, along with fellow joke masters Chris Tucker, Dick Gregory, Wanda Sykes, Paul Mooney, Mike Epps, Tracey Morgan, Mo’Nique, Charlie Murphy, Alex Thomas, Steve Harvey and ‘Saturday Night Live’ Executive Producer Lorne Michaels. Pryor’s wife Jennifer Lee Pryor, former wife Flynn Pryor, children Stephen Pryor and Kelsey Pryor and former bodyguard Rashon Khan will also share rare and personal anecdotes, along with special reflections by Rev. Jesse Jackson. BET will further extend its salute to Pryor with a showing of the autobiographical ‘Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life is Calling,’ which premieres Dec. 22 at 9 pm (ET).

More Pryor Love

Hazelle Goodman is also paying tribute to comic icon Richard Pryor. On Dec. 20, the ‘Deconstructing Harry’ actress will dedicate her critically acclaimed one-woman, multiple character stage show, ‘On Edge,’ to Pryor, who died on Dec. 10. “Richard Pryor was raped at 6, his mother was a prostitute, he was uneducated, set himself on fire, had MS and made white people laugh while he was cussing them out,” Goodman told Black Voices yesterday. “He lived a life on the edge and he made it to the top of his game. He parted the White Sea for all of us black folks being funny in America.” The show takes place at New York City’s HERE Arts Center and will be directed by Vernice Miller. “Me and my characters got to pay tribute,” the 46-year-old Trinidadian funny woman added, then continued, “Pryor gave me the courage to speak my truth. Because of him the world has gained a host of black comics pushing the edge!”

Jackson Has A Dream

Samuel L. Jackson will receive the Dream Keeper Award at the Los Angeles chapter of I Have A Dream Foundation’s eighth annual Gospel Brunch at the House of Blues in Los Angeles, Jan. 29. The Academy Award nominated actor, who turns 57 on Dec. 21, will be given the award by ‘Star Wars’ director George Lucas, confirms a spokesperson for the foundation. Jackson, who starred in ‘Star Wars’ episodes I, II, III and ‘Coach Carter,’ will also speak to students at a Pasadena middle school next month, encouraging them to stay in school. The national not-for-profit organization, inspired by the legendary civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr.’s signature speech, provides mentoring, tutoring and cultural programs for students in urban areas with high dropout rates.