Alicia Keys Opens Up About What Inspired Her To Go Makeup Free
Alicia Keys is readying the release of her sixth studio album, and as she debuted the lead single for the LP – “In Common” – she also unveiled a makeup free photo as the song’s artwork.
In an essay for Lenny Letter, she shares that the #nomakeup movement serves as inspiration for her new LP. She says that before hitting the studio to cook up new music for the album, she wrote a list of things she was sick of.
“And one was how much women are brainwashed into feeling like we have to be skinny, or sexy, or desirable, or perfect,” explains the songstress.
Every time I left the house, I would be worried if I didn’t put on makeup: What if someone wanted a picture?? What if they POSTED it??? These were the insecure, superficial, but honest thoughts I was thinking. And all of it, one way or another, was based too much on what other people thought of me.
Alicia reveals that once the photo she took with Paola came out as the artwork for her new song “In Common” – “It was that truth that resonated with others who posted #nomakeup selfies in response to this real and raw me.”
“I hope to God it’s a revolution,” she adds. “Cause I don’t want to cover up anymore. Not my face, not my mind, not my soul, not my thoughts, not my dreams, not my struggles, not my emotional growth. Nothing.”
Additionally.. A. Keys is a fresh-faced beauty in a snapshot her husband, Swizz Beatz, shared from her Vanity Fair photoshoot. “You look 19 without make up,” he captioned the photo. “My fav pic #vanityfair.. the fact that this is a new pic.”
Read Alicia’s full essay at Lenny Letter, to find out what she shared about a song she wrote, entitled “When a Girl Can’t Be Herself,” how her makeup free shoot with Paolo came about and more.
#RHOA: Kenya Moore Possibly Shuts Down Pregnancy Rumors?
She might have just set the record straight on rumors that she is pregnant.
While Kenya Moore has remained coy about speculation that she is pregnant with her first child, it looks like she has possibly quieted the rumors without saying a word.
Instead, she posted a photo of her in a bikini over Memorial Day weekend that could shut down the rumors that she is pregnant.
Even though the picture features Moore from an angle that doesn’t show her complete belly, it doesn’t look like she’s hiding one either.
She added the caption, “Peace of mind is everything.”
Interestingly enough, Moore has also been flaunting more body hugging dresses as opposed to the loose fitted clothes she has been sporting in the past few months. She donned a white, adorable dress that fit closely around her belly, which doesn’t seem to have left room for much of baby bump, at the WeTV Match Made in Heaven premiere last week.
While it still isn’t clear if Moore is pregnant, she and her longtime boyfriend Matt Jordan are still going strong months after their relationship premiered on the hit reality show, The Real Housewives of Atlanta.
He accompanied her to the red carpet premiere and the two snapped a selfie together.
Moore revealed back in December that she would be undergoing IVF treatments in hopes of having her first child.
“I actually have an appointment set up for early next year,” Moore said.
She added that she didn’t really want to be pregnant during taping. So this would be the perfect time for her to have a child
So is she or isn’t she and will more importantly will she?
#EMPIRE: ‘Empire’ cast channels Their ‘inner Cookie’
Our favorite show, “Empire,” may be on hiatus, but that isn’t stopping the cast from channeling their favorite character, played by Taraji P. Henson. They call it their inner Cookie, and she’s all all about fame and fortune.
FOX’s “Empire” centers on a strong-willed music family led by ruthless patriarch Lucious Lyon, played by Terrence Howard, and his smart and sassy ex-wife Cookie Lyon, played by Taraji P. Henson.
Cookie’s style, attitude and confidence have helped her become one of the show’s fan-favorite characters, and earned Henson a Golden Globe for best actress in a television drama.
Even the “Empire” cast loves them some Cookie.
Gabourey Sidibe: “I have had to go all Cookie on people every now and then. It’s really, really good to have that in your back pocket. And the thing is, like, it’s not that people get scared of you. They are just too tired to argue with you. People are too tired to argue with Cookie because she’s relentless, and so that’s the power of Cookie.”
In fact, channeling the fun and fiery character is hard to resist for most of the cast.
Ta’Rhonda Jones: “Oh, yeah. I think everybody has a little bit of Cookie in them. One thing I can say, I kind of picked up on is Cookie’s fashion. Like, I’m always making sure I’m on point.”
Cookie attitude is key.
Grace Gealey: “You know what’s funny? Now, you probably won’t see me being very forward with a lot of people in public just because of our position and stuff, but there are times when I kind of have to shut some people down because they can’t separate character and person.”
The guys disagree. Hmm. Maybe it’s a woman thing.
Actor Trai Byers says he can’t get away with that kind of drama.
Trai Byers: “Like, back in the day when, I was young. I’m not a kid anymore.”
While the show’s on hiatus, one thing’s for sure: It seems fans and the fab cast can’t resist a little Cookie in real life.
#DIGGIN In The Classics Of R&B: El DeBarge – “Love Always”
Often we hear so much about the downside of 80’s R&B being adult-focused music. Adjectives like sleepy, tired and lame abound and yes there were definitely those types of productions in the marketplace but there were also some real gems. Our offering today I consider a real gem. Culled from El’s first solo outing and written by Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager, “Love Always” was a staple of quiet storm programming and late night video offerings on BET upon its release some thirty years ago. Even though some may have thought that this music was a little too old for us teenagers at the time, I believe that it was just the type of soundtrack that we needed as we embarked on learning the finer points of relationships and romance.
There’s definitely something to be said for the love letter as opposed to the DM, but that’s another blog for another day. Enjoy the flash back of El DeBarge!
LISTEN HERE:
New Hip Hop: Young Thug – ‘Gangster S**T’
The Atlanta rapper is back on some “Gangster Shit” on his latest release, which comes with its own Chuckie-inspired artwork. The song, which premiered on Beats 1, features more slick rhymes from the Slime Season MC.
“I can put you down on some gangster shit,” raps Thug….
LISTEN HERE
He is currently readying his next mixtape, I Came From Nothing 4, as well as his long-awaited debut Hy!£UN35.
OH DEAR? HAS TAMAR BEEN DROPPED FROM HER RECORD LABEL?
HipHollywood is reporting that Epic records has dropped narcissistic, Tamar “bad attitude” Braxton due to poor sales of her last album. The Daily Mail Online is also reporting the news saying:
Unfortunately, Tamar’s solo music career is also looking bleak. Her most recent CD ‘Calling All Lovers’ has only sold a fraction of the sales of her previous effort, ‘Love and War,’ and her record company Epic Records had quietly dropped her from its roster.
‘Sadly, there’s no solo career to concentrate on. After being previously dropped from five record labels prior to landing at Epic, she’s now been dropped a sixth time and will have to start all over again,’ the source revealed.
Braxton still appears on Epic’s website roster. HipHollywood reached out to reps at the label, as well as Braxton’s personal publicist, but have not gotten a response. #StayTuned.
Drake Had A Pool Party & It Turned Into The Bad Girls Club Cops Called!
Foolery ensued yesterday at Drake's Memorial Day pool party. Girl fights, cops and all. Drake said his pool parties are like Mardi Gras, and apparently he wasn't lying.
However, cops were called to his mansion in the posh Hidden Hills neighborhood of L.A. It was all thanks to plenty of fights that broke out and noise complaints.
According to reports, cops were called mostly during 9p-10:30 due to excessive loudness. By the time cops got there, things were calmer, so they left.\
Neighbors tell media that paramedics also were called to the scene, but the circumstances surrounding that are unclear.
What IS clear is that girls were arriving all day and all night by the busload. So it's not shocking that tons of girl fights erupted.
Peep the video HERE
Celebs like Romeo Miller, ballers Brandon Jennings and Demar Derozen, and more were all there too. More pics and videos of Drizzy in his Jordan jersey and Nike Presto Vans and more below:
BEYONCE’ CONTROVERSY #100: Swedish Choreographer Blasts Beyonce
Swedish choreographer Alexander Ekman puts Beyonce on blast for stealing his choreograhgy for her Formation World Tour...
Alexander Ekman tells SVT.se
"I saw a clip on Youtube. It was a strange feeling. As to see my own ideas in a huge forum before a huge audience, [and not be] part of it."
"I know that they have received inspiration from Swan Lake. Her team works in this way. It is common to communicate that they want to take part in a 'mood board', but it ends up taking instead of "copy but make it better."
"It's not like I have the exclusive right to dance in the water, but in this case I know that it is my choreography."
"At first I was flattered, but have since become a little angry. They earn so much money on this."
It is not the first time this happens either. I talked to a friend of mine, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, they had twisted his scenography outright. He had been in touch with her team, but had received no reply. I think this is an interesting discussion. What do I have as an artist to put against this giant artist? For her play this matter. Her team protect her against even having to confront something like this."
WATCH HERE
NOT AGAIN!
Khloe Kardashian & Odell Beckham Jr Get Cozy At Drake’s Memorial Day Party
Khloe Kardashian and Odell Beckham, Jr. set the internet abuzz with dating rumors, after the two were spotted getting cozy at Drake‘s Memorial Day pool party.
Sources inside the party tell TMZ Sports that the duo was “definitely into each other” and that they “looked like a couple.” Photos from inside the party show Odell sitting, while Khloe leans in on him as she stands between his legs.
“By the way, in case there was any doubt the woman in the pics is Khloe,” adds TMZ, “we found video of KK wearing the same exact dress and Yeezy shoes at a different pool party earlier that day.”
Such s SL*T!
Rihanna Flosses On The Sidewalk Catwalk And Dines With Naomi Campbell
Yesterday around Soho, Rihanna was spotted heading into Emilio's Ballato to wine and dine. What took her away from her usual fave Da Silvano?
The "Needed Me" singer donned a breezy silk caftan from Dolce & Gabbana‘s Spring/Summer 2016 collection to brave the heat. And she rocked a colorful Vanda purse from the same collection and a matching design with a snakeskin handle. The creepers lover rocked platform Stella McCartney sneakers to top it all off.
Loving her look! We can only imagine what those two chatted about....
Actor Michael Jace convicted of 2nd-degree murder
Actor Michael Jace, 53, who once played Michael Jordan in the 1999 TV movie “Michael Jordan: An American Hero” andofficer Julian Lowe on “The Shield,” reportedly and sadly killed his wife April on May 19, 2014 at their Hyde Park, California home. He shot her three times.
According to media reports, during the 911 call to police, Jace admitted, “I killed my wife.”
His attorneys argued he should be convicted of voluntary manslaughter because the acts wasn’t premeditated.
The couple’s children were home at the time; their sons were ages 5 and 8, they witnessed the shooting. April, 40, had an adult son from a previous relationship. They were married for 10 years and she wanted a divorce.
Jace shot her in the back, taunted her and then shot her in each of her legs.
Jace’s 10-year-old son testified that he heard his father say, “‘If you like running, then run to heaven,'” before firing the second time.
He claims he didn’t intend for her to die, he just wanted her to be in pain.
April was an American masters track and field athlete who competed in sprinting competitions. She was the 2011 world champion in the women’s over-35 4×100 meters relay.
At the time of her death, April’s family sought donations to cover funeral expenses. They wrote in part:
“April was a vibrant, beautiful woman and an incredibly dedicated mother. We will all miss her contagious laughter, vivacious personality and her radiant smile.”
“Now, her youngest sons are left without a mother or a father to care for them. As the press dies down, these precious young boys will be left with ongoing reminders of their utterly tragic loss.”
“We cannot reverse the senseless violence that resulted in April’s death but we can invest in the lives of her innocent children that are paying the price for it.”
Today, Tuesday, May 31, 2016, a jury finds Jace guilty of second-degree murder. The verdict was decided by a jury of six men and six women after a weeklong trial. According to FOX, “The actor bit his bottom lip when the verdict was read but showed no other emotion.”
With this conviction, he faces 40 years in prison.
Mark Salling Dismissed From “Gods And Secrets” Due To Child Porn Indictment
He’s facing up to 20 years in prison for possession of/receiving child pornography and now Mark Salling has been fired from his role on Adi Shankar’s “Gods and Secrets.”
The “Glee” star was arrested back in December and indicted this past Friday ahead of his arraignment later this week.
Shenkar told press, “The innocence of our planet’s children is something that must be protected at all costs. As entertainers, our role is to be the ‘conscience of humanity,’ striving to make the world better for future generations. Sadly, we live in a country where statistically at least 1 in 5 women will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime, 80,000 children are reportedly sexually abused every year, and at least 1 in 6 boys and 1 in 4 girls are sexually abused before the age of 18. According to available data, every two minutes, an American is sexually assaulted. Even more troubling, exponentially more cases go unreported as in most situations, authority figures are ill equipped to help. The aforementioned statistics are nauseating, reminiscent of a third world country, and until very recently, kept out of the limelight. Child abuse is a cultural cancer whose tentacles penetrate far deeper than a single celebrity caught with illicit images on his computer, just as date rape is a is a far more prominent issue than the repeated transgressions of one mediocre entertainer from the 1970s. Child abuse is a democratic disease existing across socioeconomic lines affecting every walk of life. It affects all of us, and more importantly, its existence needs to cece [sic] to exist. Period.”
There’s a Bid On Zac Efron’s Used Jock Strap
Ladies, Ever wanted to touch Zac Efron’s junk? If so, this is probably the closest you’ll ever get to it. The hornet jock strap he wore in Dirty Grandpa is now up for auction.
The description for the strap states it “shows assorted stains from use during production but remains in good condition.” Ummm, exactly what kind of stains are they talking about? I’d like to know. As of right now, the current bid is $50. Very affordable still.
If you’re more of a Robert De Niro kind of guy, there’s plenty of items worn by him as well. There are roughly 100 items up for auction. For more, head over to Prop Store.
#EGGPLANT NATION Meet Papi Chulo Juan!
Meet Papi Chulo Juan. Say no more just GO HERE TO SEE THE PICS! And remember they’re NSWF!
DISCLAIMER: WE DO NOT OWN any images posted on this blog. All images are found online or submitted.
ENJOY!
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES?
‘SOME ADDED ZEST’
I was wondering what Scottish people do on vacation. Turns out they just rock kilt bathing suits. Suns out, guns out. Those cannons are gonna look so good all tanned on those bagpipes.
HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!!!
EFREM
