Alicia Keys Gives Advice To Her Younger Self & Talks Activism In Glamour's March Issue
Since dropping her first album, Songs in A Minor, 16 years ago, Alicia Keys has remained pretty badass. Between starting a no-makeup movement and passionately fronting a revolution — all in less than a year the woman really is...on fire. (Sorry, couldn't resist).
The singer and Voice judge graces the cover for Glamour's March 2017 activist-themed issue. In the interview with writer Kimberly Drew, the 36-year-old artist delivered some choice bits of wisdom, here are a few highlights.
What does Keys wish she could tell her younger self?
“There is this fallacy about how women are catty, that we’re all in competition with each other. I’d say: As opposed to getting swept up in jealousy, use that pang to give you an indication of what you are looking for. Actually, there is this awesome performer Lilly Singh [IISuperwomanII on YouTube], who always does this thing: ‘Shout out another girl and tell her what you love about her.’ Even doing that is such a good practice. I don’t know if we tell women great news about themselves enough. You’d be surprised how often a young woman doesn’t hear positive things about herself—not in her home, not at school. It’s hard to create a beautiful image for yourself when you’ve never seen it or heard it.”
How does she feel her art and activism relate to one another?
"They totally go together. You see it in the way Bob Marley spoke, how he chose his words through music. Nina Simone was so blatantly courageous. Even John Lennon wrote these songs about love that were so simple, timeless, and powerful. For a while, I thought the two things were separate because people told me they should be separate. But I think conveying the emotion of the collective ‘we,’ something those artists were able to do, is pretty incredible. Especially in tumultuous times like we are in now.”
How does she feel about motherhood?
“I love being a mom. And I think what I love the most is the way it makes me think about what’s important and what’s not important. What to fight for and what to just be cool with. What it is that I’m teaching through example and what it is that I was taught that I don’t want to teach. You can be very fulfilled as a mother, but that can’t be the only way you are fulfilled. What about being a woman? What about being yourself? Your awareness of what’s happening in the world? It lives altogether in a way that makes a whole. I guess I’d say I’m the wholest I’ve ever been.”
#RHoA: Shamea and Porsha Are Advising Putting Jade Eggs Up the Vagina, but Doctors Warn Against It
Goop has gone a little too far. Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle blog recommended that women put jade eggs up their vaginas to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles and improve sex life. The jade eggs, a.k.a. yoni eggs, garnered even more attention when Porsha Williams and Shamea Morton tried them out on a recent episode of Real Housewives of Atlanta (watch it in the clip above!), but doctors say no, you shouldn't put a rock in your lady parts.
The bizarre trend began when Goop posted an article earlier this month called "Better Sex: Jade Eggs for Your Yoni," in which actress and beauty blogger Shiva Rose answered questions about the practice. She claims that the yoni eggs (yoni means womb or “sacred place”) are a "strictly guarded secret of Chinese royalty" and that "fans say regular use increases chi, orgasms, vaginal muscle tone, hormonal balance and feminine energy in general."
WATCH
The article says that women of any age, once sexually active, can benefit from the egg and that the "key is regular, daily practice." It even points out that some women prefer to sleep with the egg in. To use them, Rose said she first boils her egg to make sure it’s clean and also performs several spiritual rituals — including putting it out under the light of a full moon or burning sage — because the egg absorbs energy. Once inserted, it has "incredible clearing, cleansing powers,” she says. Goop even added the jade eggs to its store for $55 - $66, and they quickly sold out.
However, women's health experts have advised people to steer clear of the eggs for several reasons. "The stones are really porous, so I'm not sure how it could be cleaned or sterilized between uses," San Francisco–based OB-GYN Jen Gunter told CNN, adding that the gems could carry bacteria and potentially cause infections. "That's especially an issue when one of the recommended ways to use it is sleeping with it in."
Plus, Dr. Gunter warns there’s always the risk the egg could get stuck and says using a heavy rock is not the best way to strengthen muscles anyway. "You want to contract and relax, not have [your muscles] contract continually," she said. "Contracting constantly is like doing half of a bicep curl and not finishing it — that’s not how you work on a muscle."
LOL……NOW GURLS!
Jussie Smollett and Issa Rae Are Blessing Us With A New YouTube Series
As we eagerly await new episodes of “Insecure” and “Empire,” Issa Rae and Jussie Smollett are giving us a new show to watch. And it looks like it will be a damn good one.
The duo have teamed up to executive produce a web-series scripted drama called “Giants.” The show, to be released via Rae’s production company, depicts the story and struggle of three black millennials ― Malachi, Journee and Ade ― who are nearing 30 and having a hard time getting it together.
Rae has dozens of production credits under her belt, extending before her “The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl” web-series in 2011. Smollett has also executive produced titles, including the short drama “Sacred Heart” and the series “Smollett Eats.”
“Giants” explores themes of mental health, sexuality, police brutality and more. It’s created, written, directed by and starring James Bland, who appeared in the Rae’s web-series “First.” It also stars Vanessa Baden, William Catlett and others.
In a press release, Bland said the show “explores social issues that are either ignored or stigmatized by the black community.” He added, “And regardless of race, these characters’ experiences are relatable to almost anyone because they learn the hard way that when life kicks your a**, you either lie down or fight back.”
According to the show’s successful Indiegogo campaign page, the crew shot six 20-minute episodes. “Giants” will premiere January 25 at 8 p.m. EST. Watch the trailer HERE
New Music Video: Sevyn Streeter feat. Ty Dolla $ign & Cam Wallace – ‘Fallen’
After debuting the song last week, Sevyn Streeter turns up the heat in the provocative video for “Fallen” featuring Ty Dolla $ign and Cam Wallace.
Inspired by New Edition’s classic “If It Isn’t Love,” the seductive song gets a steamy visual to match. Donning cutout white lingerie while laying in a bed of roses, Sevyn celebrates Valentine’s Day early in the Mike Ho-directed clip, playing a seductress while Ty falls for her irresistible charm.
Under red lights, Sevyn entices her man with her sexy body and moves between imagery of a burning rose and falling snow.
“‘Fallen’ is the perfect description of attraction so intense, it’s intoxicating,” Sevyn tells Rap-Up. “The moment right in between falling in love and being in lust. That rare space where your emotions are still under control, but not for too much longer. You just can’t get enough of that person, and falling for them seems inevitable.”
“Fallen” is the latest release from Sevyn’s much-anticipated debut album Girl Disrupted, which is due out this spring. The album has already spawned the Gucci Mane-assisted “Prolly,” “My Love for You,” “D4L” featuring The-Dream, and “Before I Do.”
Check out the video HERE
Hip Hop News: Migos’ ‘Culture’ Set to Debut at No. 1
After earning their first No. 1 on the Hot 100 with “Bad and Boujee,” Migos might get their first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 with Culture.
Early predictions show that the trio’s sophomore album, released Jan. 27 via 300 Entertainment and Quality Control, will sell between 100,000 and 120,000 equivalent album units for the week ending Feb. 2. If all goes as planned, it would likely be enough to make it No. 1 on the coveted chart.
Streaming is an important part of the equation here. A large part of this projection is due to “Bad and Boujee’s” viral success. However, some of it can also be attributed to “T-Shirt,” which has 8.9 million on-demand streams this week.
Culture will definitely be the group’s highest-charting LP to date. Their debut, 2015’s Yung Rich Nation, peaked at No. 17, selling 18,000 units in its first week. Prognosticators clearly feel Culture will surpass that easily.
Migos’ competition on the Billboard 200 includes Brantley Gilbert’s The Devil Don’t Sleep. The country LP is expected to sell 70,000-80,000 units, far fewer than Culture’s anticipated figures.
Recently, Offset talked about why this album is about more than sales. “It’s time to let the culture be known,” he said. “It’s time to claim it. And it’s time to claim that we are the Migos, and for people to understand that this is what we did. We did a lot for music. Migos is the culture. Seriously.”
Beyoncé is pregnant with TWINS!
Bey is having twins. The superstar singer posted a photo with her baby bump on Instagram Wednesday to announce the joyful news.
"We would like to share our love and happiness. We have been blessed two times over. We are incredibly grateful that our family will be growing by two, and we thank you for your well wishes. The Carters, " she posted.
Beyoncé and her superstar husband Jay Z are parents to five-year-old daughter, Blue Ivy.
The couple married in 2008.
The family's news set social media on fire with the Beyhive (as her diehard fans are known) buzzing about the new heir and spare. Twitter reported more than half a million tweets about Beyoncé in the first hour after her big reveal.
Beyoncé is nominated for nine 2017 Grammy Awards and is expected to attend the ceremony on February 12. She is also scheduled to headline the Coachella music festival in April.
Lady Gaga is the new face of Tiffany & Co.
Lady Gaga is a style chameleon for modern times, sporting a cowgirl hat and leather skirt get-up one moment then channeling old Hollywood glamour in a silk gown the next. But images released today announcing her as the star of a new campaign for Tiffany & co. show the singer in some of her most pared-back and elegant looks to date.
In one image, Gaga perches on a director's chair holding Asia, one of her beloved French bulldogs, and wearing just a neat pair of black cigarette trousers, black heels and a cream shirt. In another snapshot, she resembles Audrey Hepburn- surely no mistake, given she's another icon whose name is forever linked to the Tiffany brand- in a black polo neck framed by a pair of sculptural drop earrings.
This chic new look is all part of Lady Gaga's new role as the face of 'Tiffany City Hardwear', the first new collection from the iconic American jeweler since 2014. Today's images are just a teaser, with Tiffany & co. announcing plans for a 60-second film to be premiered during this Sunday night's Super Bowl, the most anticipated sporting and TV event of the year in America. Her appointment is a bold statement from Tiffany & co which has traditionally shied away from working with big celebrity names on its advertising campaigns.
“In New York, you're born knowing that Tiffany is the best, and that it is where the magic happens. The brand is definitive and iconic, yet continues to push and evolve with the times,” says Lady Gaga, who is also set to perform at the Super Bowl, of her new partnership. “To me, Tiffany represents timeless American jewelery.”
The new Tiffany City HardWear collection is described as embodying "the strength and spirit of the modern woman, imbued with the soul of New York" and marks a fresh approach by Tiffany in adding its voice to a jewellery market which has been transformed in recent years by new names and changing attitudes as women increasingly buy jewelery for themselves and seek out unusual yet wearable designs. Tiffany City HardWear draws its inspiration from a 1971 unisex bracelet in the jeweler's archive and promises to be "urban and elegant, as strong as the woman who wears it."
“For more than 180 years, the world’s chicest women have chosen Tiffany jewelery as a powerful expression of who they are,” adds Caroline Naggiar, chief brand officer of Tiffany & Co. “This campaign celebrates Tiffany’s rich legacy and the modernity of Tiffany style. Lady Gaga, and her originality, creativity and courage, reflects the spirit of this collection.”
American Vogue creative director-at-large Grace Coddington has masterminded the atmospheric black and white images of Lady Gaga as part of her ongoing role as a creative partner at Tiffany while the campaign was shot by fashion photographer David Sims.
The campaign and new collection come just weeks after Tiffany announced that Reed Krakoff would be replacing Francesca Amfitheatrof as creative director. The stylish and well-connected Amfitheatrof had been hailed as the woman with the power to make Tiffany cool again, and had introduced the much-lusted after 'T' collection in 2014. Nevertheless, Krakoff has form in that department too, having turned around Coach, the heritage American accessory label.
With Lady Gaga on board, a 60 second-slot at the Super Bowl and a cool-factor boosting new collection, 2017 could be a fascinating year for Tiffany & co.
Queen Latifah And Jada Pinkett Set It Off In New ‘Girls Trip’ Featuring Regina Hall, Tiffany Haddish.
Queen Latifah and Jada Pinkett Smith reunite in new movie ‘Girls Trip’. No the ladies will not be robbing banks. This is a little different.
Universal has unveiled an announcement teaser trailer for the upcoming summer comedy Girls Trip, directed by Malcolm D. Lee (director of last year’s Barbershop: The Next Cut). This wild comedy stars Regina Hall, Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith and Tiffany Haddish as a group of friends who decide to take a “girls trip” together.
WATCH HERE
When four lifelong friends – Regina Hall, Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith and Tiffany Haddish – travel to New Orleans for the annual Essence Festival, sisterhoods are rekindled, wild sides are rediscovered, and there’s enough dancing, drinking, brawling and romancing to make the Big Easy blush.
Are ya’ll watching or nah?
Joe Jackson’s Alleged Secret Daughter Writing Tell-All
Joe Jackson’s alleged secret child, JonVonnie Jackson, is speaking out. This week, she announced that she’s writing an autobiography. Sharing a photo of her with Joe Jackson, she wrote:
"My Mother is Cheryle Terrell. My Father is Joseph Jackson. This is my autobiography."
Back in 2009, she made similar claims, remaining adamant that she was the secret sister to Michael Jackson and the other famous siblings. She stated that she never got to meet Michael until she was 29 and was not allowed to attend the late singer’s funeral. She said:
"I feel rejected by some of my family. It’s upsetting and hurtful."
JohVonnie says she was born in 1974 and is the product of a 25-year affair between Jackson family patriarch Joe and her mother Cheryle Terrell. She claims that Joe would visit them frequently and shower his love child with gifts. In her early 20s, JohVonnie says they even moved in with Joe in Las Vegas when he lived away from the family home. She says that Joe’s wife Katherine knew of the affair but her devotion to the Jehovah’s Witness faith led her to forgive him and accept JohVonnie.
La Toya Jackson allegedly claimed in her memoirs Growing Up In The Jackson Family that Katherine referred to JohVonnie as a “bastard child”.
JohVonnie says she is also “ very, very close” to Rebbie. However, her relationship with the rest of her famous brothers and sisters is very different. She said:
"I met Janet when I was 15. I saw her that one time and it was clear she never wanted to have a relationship with me. I couldn’t really understand why. She was staring at me and checking me out and as soon as she heard me call Joseph ‘Daddy’, she switched off, turned her back and never spoke to me again."
For years JohVonnie looked up to her famous siblings and even went to dozens of Janet and Michael’s shows – but could never talk to them.
"Through Daddy I would get tickets to all the concerts. I was amazed at Michael’s talent. I remember thinking as a little girl, ‘He looked at me, he saw me’. I would sometimes go to see them back stage but I could never get to talk to them. You could not get close at all. It was frustrating. I also didn’t have any access to telephone numbers. I didn’t want to go through my father’s things and it wasn’t really something that was talked about."
No addition details about her book have yet been released.
BET’s “The New Editon Story” brought in 29 Million Total Viewers During Its Premiere Week!
Bet and the miniseries dominated digitally. The #1 Most Social Television Network and #1 Most Social Episodes for three consecutive nights. The New Edition Story Rocked The Music Industry as the Band Catapulted Up iTunes charts and drove shazam interactions.
LOS ANGELES, CA –BET’s buzzy 3-part biopic, “THE NEW EDITION STORY”, is a bona fide phenomenon, attracting 29 Million Total Viewers P2+ to the miniseries during premiere week (including premiere telecasts and encores, across BET and Centric). On BET alone, the miniseries grossed 15.7MM viewers 18-49 and 28.4MM total viewers P2+ in its full premiere week (Live + Same Day viewing).
Premiere and Finale episodes of the special each drew 2.5MM viewers P18-49, and 4.2MM total viewers P2+ on BET alone for premiere telecasts (Live +Same Day viewing). In time-shifted viewing, “THE NEW EDITION STORY” 3-part average increased its audience by +33% (+844K P18-49 viewers) on Live +3, with a 3.87 (3.4MM P18-49) EDAC rating across BET and Centric. Viewership was remarkably steady with each premiere telecast drawing the following in Live +3 viewing:
· Part One: 3.3MM viewers P18-49, and 5.5MM total viewers P2+ on BET alone for the premiere telecast
· Part Two: 3.1MM P18-49, and 5.3MM total viewers P2+ on BET alone for the premiere telecast
· Part Three: 3.3MM viewers P18-49, and 5.6MM total viewers P2+ on BET alone for the premiere telecast (Preliminary Live +3 on Day 3)
On BET alone, “THE NEW EDITION STORY” (Parts One and Three) were the highest rated and most watched telecasts in five years, since 2012 with the Season 5 premiere of “The Game” (excluding tentpoles), which launched the miniseries to be BET’s #1 Week in recent history (excluding BET Awards week). “THE NEW EDITION STORY” aired three consecutive nights, premiering Tuesday, January 24th, Wednesday, January 25th, and wrapping Thursday, January 26th. The widely-lauded miniseries also racked up the following #1 designations:
· #1 Cable Telecast in Prime of FY17 among African Americans (P18-49)
· #1 and #2 Weeknight Telecasts of FY17 on ALL Cable (P18-49), excluding News & Sports
· #1 Cable Program in its Premiere Week (P18-49), excluding sports
· #1 Cable Telecast for 3 consecutive days (P18-49)
· #1 Most Social TV program for the 3rd consecutive days, with premiere telecasts totaling 6MM Social Media Interactions
Congrats to them!
Tank Announces Engagement To Longtime Girlfriend Zena Foster
If you were hoping to shoot your shot with singer Tank, born Durrell Babbs, it looks like you’ve missed your chance. The 41-year-old recently popped the question to longtime girlfriend Zena Foster.
The singer shared the good news on social media, announcing that the pair got engaged on January 16.
Tank and Foster have reportedly been together since 2005 and she is the mother of his daughter Zoe and son Zion. (Tank has three other children, Ryen, Jordan and Durrell Jr., from previous relationships).
The singer has always been very protective of Foster, lashing out at social media followers who try and make less than pleasant comments about her. He’s even caught heat for calling people out on their issues with colorism when they attack her. But overall, the singer has been very open with his love and admiration for Foster.
Pharrell Williams & Wife Helen Welcome Triplets
Pharrell Williams and wife, Helen Lasichanh, have welcomed their 2nd, 3rd and 4th child into the world. Vanity Fair reveals that the couple gave birth to triplets earlier this month. Though a rep declined to reveal the sexes and names of the newborns, they did confirm that both mommy and babies are “healthy and happy.” The three little ones join older brother, 8-year-old Rocket Ayer Williams.
It’s been a pretty amazing year for Skateboard P. In December he walked Karl Lagerfeld’s Chanel fashion show. It was also announced that he’d be the first-ever male to model in a Chanel handbag campaign. Fashion aside, as a producer of Hidden Figures, Pharrell has racked up several award nominations and wins.
Congrats to Pharrell and Helen on their new bundles of joy.
Trayvon Martin’s Parents Consider Running For Public Office
Nearly five years after the death of their son, Trayvon Martin’s parents are considering making a change from within the government.
In an interview with USA Today, Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin say they fear that Trump’s presidency may reverse what little progress and awareness has been made following their son’s death. So to “be part of the change,” they’re considering running for office.
“Since Trayvon’s death, we saw how divided the country is on these issues and we saw how the country can come together,” Tracy Martin, Trayvon’s father, told USA Today. “You have those that are for uniting the country and you have those that want to be apart. And what this new presidency does, it takes those that want to be apart and it puts them right in the position where they can say, ‘We’ll change the laws, and we’ll make it tougher.'”
Martin says that he is concerned the new administration will make it easier for law enforcement officials and citizens to justify violence against minorities. Having never considered politics in the past, Sybrina Fulton, Trayvon’s mother, says things have changed.
“Before I was just comfortable with my average life, but now I feel like I’m just obligated to be part of the change,” Fulton said. “The only way we can be part of the change is if we start with local government and we work our way up.”
“It could go all the way to the White House,” she declared, though it would begin with a bid for, say, city or county commission.
“There’s no limitations,” Martin agreed. “I think once you embark on a journey, you don’t minimize your goal; you want to maximize your goals. So you start on the local level and then you work your way up and hopefully it will take us to a place where we can help more than just local, more than just state. National. That would be the focus.”
You can read their entire interview HERE.
Former LA Lakers star Derek Fisher robbed of championship rings
Professional athletes take pride in their hard-won championship rings and now Derek Fisher has lost them all. The former Los Angeles Lakers star was the victim of a home robbery in which his home was ransacked. According to police, it seems that the thieves were able to gain access to the home through an unlocked side door. Fisher discovered the burglary on Monday morning after he left the home at 7:30 a.m. and returned three hours later; it was clear someone had been inside.
According to police reports, at least $300K in jewelry that included all five of his championship rings won with the Lakers in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009 and 2010. So far, police have announced no leads or suspects in the case and Fisher has not publically responded.
Fisher retired from playing pro-basketball in 2014 and took a turn at coaching a team. It was then that he took over as head coach with the New York Knicks to try to turn around the fortunes of the struggling team. However, he was unsuccessful and was fired in Feb. 2016 after a career record as coach of 40-96. After leaving the game, he then became a Lakers sports commentator with a Los Angeles media outlet. In 2015, he began a controversial and heated relationship with Gloria Govan, the ex-wife of former Lakers teammate Matt Barnes.
The result led to a violent confrontation with Barnes at the home of Govan in Oct. 2015. He discovered that Fisher was sleeping at the home with his ex-wife and children and became enraged and stormed into the house with his children present. Barnes was later suspended for two games and fined $35K by the NBA for his actions and comments to the media. Barnes is now also supposed to turn himself into the New York Police Department on assault charges following his alleged role in a nightclub assault.
The result led to a violent confrontation with Barnes at the home of Govan in Oct. 2015. He discovered that Fisher was sleeping at the home with his ex-wife and children and became enraged and stormed into the house with his children present. Barnes was later suspended for two games and fined $35K by the NBA for his actions and comments to the media. Barnes is now also supposed to turn himself into the New York Police Department on assault charges following his alleged role in a nightclub assault.
EGGPLANT NATION: Meet Reynaldo
Ladies and others meet Reynaldo! So you know what to do to see them goods. CLICK HERE TO SEE THE PICS and remember they’re NSFW!
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AND FINALLY FROM THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART FILES
‘You Mad Bro?’
HAVE A GREAT DAY EVERYBODY!!!
EFREM
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