Academy Award-winning actor, Chadwick Boseman, passed away on Friday, August 28, 2020, from cancer.

“It is with immeasurable grief that we confirm the passing of Chadwick Boseman,” said a statement posted to his Twitter feed.

Boseman had battled colon cancer since 2016 and died at home with his family and wife by his side. He was 43.

Boseman made his mark as an actor playing historical figures such as Jackie Robinson in 4, James Brown in Get on Up, Supreme Court Justice, Thurgood Marshall, in Marshall, and he will always be remembered as King T'Challa, in Black Panther.

“It was the honor of his life to bring King T’Challa to life in ‘Black Panther.'”

With all of his talents and accomplishments, I will remember Boseman as a Howard University who came back to his Alma Mater to give a commencement speech and visiting children at St. Jude's Hospital even though he himself was fighting cancer.

Boseman was a regular guy who loved people.

Here is a quick interview Boseman gave one of my reporters, Crystal Henderson, during the NBA All-Star Weekend in NYC.

VIDEO: Chadwick Boseman Speaks with What's The 411 Correspondent, Crystal Lynn, at NBA All-Star in New York City

Chadwick Boseman, you were one of the great ones, and you are gone way too soon, but thank you for leaving us a legacy that we can revisit over and over again.

RIP.

Irving Louis Burgie, who was professionally known as "Lord Burgess," passed away yesterday. Lord Burgess was an American musician and songwriter, and best known as the songwriter of Harry Belafonte’s hit song, Day O.

Mr. Burgie was born in Brooklyn, NY to a Bajan aka Barbadian mother, and an American father from Virginia, on July 28, 1924. Like many black men during his time, Burgie joined the army during World War II, and served in Asia. After the war, Burgie made use of the GI bill, like many veterans of his day, and attended Julliard to perfect his musical skills. He met Harry Belafonte through writer William Attaway. From there, the collaboration between Belafonte and Burgie formed and so did the album, Calypso, which contained the song, Day O.  

Burgie is also credited with writing the Barbados National Anthem, In Plenty and In Time of Need. He was also astute enough to create his own publishing company. And, by the time he was in his early 30s, he had gotten enough money from the more than 30 songs that he had written for Belafonte that he was considered wealthy.

When What’s The 411 spoke with Mr. Burgie in 2014, at a HealthFirst Black History Month event, he was delighted to know that people still liked his songs. He also wasn’t planning to write any new songs. Lord Burgess jokingly, but seriously stated, he is “getting ready to retire.”

As for any recent contact with Harry Belafonte, at the time, Lord Burgess stated, “oh, we pass each other in the night.”

Irving Burgie aka Lord Burgess, the songwriter of the song, Day O, made famous by Harry Belafonte, spoke with What's The 411TV host, Glenn Gilliam, at a HealthFirst Black History Month celebration on February 27, 2014.

Born in Brooklyn, NY to a Bajan aka Barbadian mother, and an American father from Virginia, Lord Burgess, who will be turning 90 years-old in July is delighted that people still like his songs. Although people still like his songs, don’t expect Lord Burgess to write any new songs. Lord Burgess jokingly, but seriously stated, he is “getting ready to retire.”

As for any recent contact with Harry Belafonte, Lord Burgess stated, “oh, we pass each other in the night.”

UPDATE: Irving Burgess aka Lord Burgess passed away on November 29, 2019.

Tiger Woods will be putting it all on the line with his memoir, BACK

Right now, most golf aficionados would say that Tiger Woods is the second-best golfer of all time, right behind Jack Nicklaus, who has won a record 18 major championships, three more than Tiger Woods. But, Woods, being right behind Nicklaus in the championship hunt, has more fans and is more famous than Nicklaus and Woods would probably be number one on more lists of golf fans and casual observers lists for the Mount Rushmore of Golf.

Additionally, most golf fans would probably say there is not much they don’t know about Tiger. But, apparently, not, as publisher HarperCollins has acquired world rights to a new book, BACK, the first-ever memoir authored by Tiger Woods.

According to Tiger Woods’ camp, BACK is a candid and intimate narrative of an outsize American life: from growing up a celebrated golfing prodigy to shattering centuries-old racial barriers as a young pro; from rising to unprecedented fame and global icon status to battling devastating injuries and personal issues; from enduring years of physical anguish to mounting an astonishing comeback at 43 years old, culminating with the 2019 Masters, where his thrillingly impossible victory captured the imagination and hearts of people around the world.

Woods said, “I’ve been in the spotlight for a long time, and because of that, there have been books and articles and TV shows about me, most filled with errors, speculative and wrong. This book is my definitive story. It’s in my words and expresses my thoughts. It describes how I feel and what’s happened in my life. I’ve been working at it steadily, and I’m looking forward to continuing the process and creating a book that people will want to read.”

This memoir is the first and only account directly from Woods, with the full cooperation of his friends, family, and inner circle.

The deal was negotiated by Executive Editor Shannon Welch at HarperOne and Judith Curr, President and Publisher, HarperOne Group. The book will be published across all HarperCollins locations worldwide.

“We are thrilled and proud to work with Tiger on what I believe will be the publishing event of the decade,” said Curr. “Tiger will reclaim his own story and legacy and it’s a story for the world over.”

Welch, who will edit the book, said, “Meeting with Tiger, speaking with him at length about the process of writing a memoir, I was delighted to discover how much he has to say, and how ready, how eager, he is to say it. He’s at a place in his career and his life where he’s thinking deeply about his story, the highs and the lows, and how it all relates and connects. I think the result will be extraordinary.”

At press time, there was no confirmed release date for BACK.