The Weeknd for Esquire - September 2020!
Esquire links up with The Weeknd for its September 2020 cover story. Jerald D. Johnson photographs the artist for the cover, capturing him in black and white. The Weekend sports a fall-winter 2020 look from Celine. Inside the magazine, the singer, aka, Abel Tesfaye, discusses his most recent album, “After Hours,” which dropped on March 20, 2020. Allison P. Davis interviews The Weeknd for a feature entitled, “Pop Star for the Demon Hours.” Davis frames “After Hours” as the perfect soundtrack for a hellish year, exacerbated by the global pandemic.
Connecting with Esquire, The Weeknd talks about his single, “Blinding Lights.” Explaining the song’s meaning, he shares, “‘Blinding Lights’ [is about] how you want to see someone at night, and you’re intoxicated, and you’re driving to this person, and you’re just blinded by streetlights, but nothing could stop you from trying to go see that person, because you’re so lonely.” The Weeknd continues, “I don’t want to ever promote drunk driving, but that’s what the dark undertone is.”
When it comes to The Weeknd, the artist, versus Abel Tesfaye, the person, there’s a difference. “It’s definitely a character,” says The Weeknd. “When you hear some of the drastic stuff, you can tell. I mean, that’s why it’s tricky because it is me singing the words; it is my writing. It’s like you want people to feel a certain way. You want them to feel angry. You want them to feel sad. You want them to feel. It’s never, like, my intent to offend anybody.”
#RHOA: Cynthia Bailey Says She Lost 20 Pounds Through Intermittent Fasting!
Quarantine Life has been rough on pretty much every aspect of living, and apparently reality stars are slogging through it, too. Real Housewives of Atlanta star Cynthia Bailey just shared that she gained 20 pounds since the pandemic started—and then she turned around and lost it all.
Cynthia opened up about the experience while playing a game with Us Weekly called “I Can Explain,” where she talked about what was going on BTS in some of her most popular Instagram photos. This one in particular sparked a convo about her weight:
“This was after I came back from Los Angeles and honestly you can’t tell so much in there, but I actually gained 20 pounds from the quarantine and my wedding dress designers were not happy about that because now I can’t fit [in] my dress,” she said. (ICYMI: Cynthia got engaged to her boyfriend Mike Hill last July.)
Cynthia said she lost the weight once she was back in her Atlanta home.
“I was here at Lake Bailey by myself, so I was able to, kind of, control what’s in the refrigerator,” she said. “I was able to be healthy. I was able to like, you know, start exercising again and just get control over my diet and my eating.”
Here's how more of Bravo's Housewives stay fit:
Cynthia said she wasn’t “super strict” about what she ate, but she did do intermittent fasting. “I wouldn’t eat anything until, like, maybe four or five in the afternoon and I’d eat maybe one or two things,” she said. “And as you can see, it worked!”
Cynthia also did social distancing treadmill workouts at the gym, along with Mike. “We’re being careful, but at the same time, you have to get back to your life,” she said.”We need to work out … all we do is eat and work so we need it for our mental sanity.”
According to Cynthia, this bikini pic was her way of celebrating. “Of course I had celebrate and bless the world and post a little thirst trap picture of me in my two-piece because I was happy that I actually looked like how I wanted to look,” she said. “I haven’t seen a flat stomach in a long time since the quarantine.”
#NewMusic from PJ Morton He Releases New Album “Gospel According to PJ”!
PJ Morton proves once again why he is one of the hardest working artists in R&B. This time he takes it back to his roots in the church for a new album called “Gospel According to PJ”.
The new album features guest appearances form the likes of Yolanda Adams, Kim Burrell, The Clark Sisters, Commissioned, Kirk Franklin, Mary Mary, and more.
STREAM IT HERE
You may not have realized that PJ Morton grew up in the church playing organ as the son of a preacher in New Orleans. He also earned his first paycheck writing a Men of Standard song at the young age of 15.
#HipHopNews: Ty Dolla $Ign Drops ‘Expensive’ Single With Nicki Minaj!
After linking with Kanye West, the L.A. hitmaker teams up with Nicki Minaj on his new single “Expensive.” On the flashy banger, Ty shares his love for the finer things, while the Queen flexes on her pricey verse. “Tom Ford heels with the locket / A ni**a get me, he better lock it,” Mrs. Petty raps.
Along with the song, he has debuted a lavish video. A fashionable Ty caters to his girl (played by his real-life girlfriend Zalia) and her expensive taste at his lavish house in the hills, while a pregnant Nicki makes a cameo from the waist up.
“‘Expensive’ is all about showing your girl that she deserves only the finest things in life,” Ty explained. “I wanted to put a female on the song and Nicki was the only voice I could hear on it. So when I sent her the record and she sent her verse right back, I knew we had a hit on our hands. Love to the Queen for blessing this song with another iconic verse!”
WATCH HERE
“Expensive” is the latest offering from Ty’s upcoming third album, Dream House. Last month, he dropped his single “Ego Death” featuring Kanye West, FKA Twigs, and Skrillex.
“My new album is done and it’s coming very soon,” he said of the follow-up to 2017’s Beach House 3. “Shout to my fans for being patient while I made sure it was perfect, it’s worth the wait…it’s my best work yet. I can’t wait for y’all to hear it!”
Before his Untimely Death Chadwick Boseman Married Longtime Girlfriend Taylor Simone Ledward!
As the world still reels from the shocking death of award-winning actor Chadwick Boseman, new reports have claimed that he got married while receiving chemotherapy treatments as he battled colon cancer.
He reportedly proposed to Taylor Simone Ledward in October 2019, during his four-year battle with the condition. They are said to have gotten married in a private ceremony before his cancer unfortunately progressed. She was reportedly by his side when he passed away at his home in Los Angeles.
The two were dating for roughly a year when he was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2016. He shared a special message for her while accepting the Outstanding Actor award at the 50th NAACP Image Awards last year. He said:
“Simone, you’re with me every day. I have to acknowledge you… I love you.”
A statement on his Instagram page confirmed the news of his passing Friday night (Aug. 29th).
“It is with immeasurable grief that we confirm the passing of Chadwick Boseman.
Chadwick was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer in 2016, and battled with it these last 4 years as it progressed to stage IV.
A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all, and brought you many of the films you have come to love so much. From Marshall to Da 5 Bloods, August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and several more, all were filmed during and between countless surgeries and chemotherapy.
It was the honor of his career to bring King T’Challa to life in Black Panther.
He died in his home, with his wife and family by his side. The family thanks you for your love and prayers, and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time. “
From Jackie Robinson to James Brown, Chadwick Boseman portrayed several great legends throughout his career. One of his most notable roles was for Marvel’s The Black Panther, which grossed $1.3 billion worldwide, making it the ninth highest grossing film of all time, and third highest in the U.S.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Chadwick Boseman’s family and loved ones.
Chadwick Boseman’s Final Tweet Is Twitter’s Most-Liked Post of All Time!
The final tweet posted to Chadwick Boseman’s Twitter account is now the most-liked post in Twitter history.
The social media company made the announcement on Saturday afternoon, following the shocking death of Boseman on Friday night due to colon cancer.
“Fans are coming together on Twitter to celebrate the life of Chadwick Boseman, and the tweet sent from his account last night is now the most liked tweet of all time on Twitter,” the company said in a statement.
Twitter also reinstated the “Black Panther” hashtag emoji in the wake of the star’s death.
“Fans are also working to organize ‘Black Panther’ Twitter watch parties using #BlackPanther and #WakandaForever, so Twitter has turned the original #BlackPanther emoji back on so fans can watch and talk about his legacy together,” Twitter said.
Monica Discusses Former Feud with Brandy Ahead of Their 'Verzuz' Battle!
Monica and Brandy are getting ready to reunite! The singers, who teamed up for the iconic “The Boy Is Mine” duet in 1998, will be facing off in the next Verzuz battle on Monday, August 31.
Monica revealed in a new interview that she and Brandy might discuss their former feud during their reunion.
“When we did the song, we didn’t overthink it,” Monica shared with ET. “The Boy Is Mine” is about two women fighting over the same man.
After the song was released, the industry and media said that Monica and Brandy were feuding in real life, which lead to a lot of tensions between the singers.
“It was not something that I would say was anyone’s fault,” Monica says now. “We all added to it and after a while it became real.”
Now that they’re older, Monica says “it gets a little bit frustrating for both she and I when it becomes, ‘No, I like her better. Well, I like her better.’”
Monica hopes that their Verzuz battle will finally show people that their feud has been put to rest.
“We’ve long removed ourselves from the dramatics of it but we’re gonna have a very in-depth conversation that may possibly be shared even with the audience because there’s a lot that happens, the fans have no idea what really took place, what really caused the initial friction,” Monica said.
As for their battle, Monica wants people to see that she and Brandy have grown up since releasing their duet.
“We share a lot in common. And then at the same time, we’re completely different,” Monica said. “We’re different in the way that we dress and the things that we’ve experienced and where we grew up and I think those differences are what made ‘The Boys Is Mine’ so special.”
Keri Hilson Forced to Create Fake Beef With Beyonce by Her Label!
Reflecting on the public scrutiny she faced for allegedly dissing Queen Bey in her song ‘Turnin Me On’, the ‘Knock You Down’ songstress claims it wasn’t the decision that she made and she didn’t even write the lyrics.
Keri Hilson enjoyed a rise of fame in early 2010s with her hits such as “Knock You Down” and “Pretty Girl Rock”, but it came to an abrupt end after she’s accused of trashing Beyonce Knowles in the remix of her song “Turnin Me On”. Now, years after she was canceled by public for the alleged diss song, the singer has blamed her label for the backlash that she’s dealing with and the sudden setback to her musical career.
In an interview with Claudia Jordan on “Fox Soul” on Wednesday night, August 26, the 37-year-old singer said that she was forced to create the fake beef with Beyonce by her label. Noting that she was so young, in her early 20s at the time, the Georgia-born star said, “I really didn’t feel like I had a choice” than to follow the order.
As the result, Keri admitted she had to face “public scrutiny” and was “crucified” for the decisions that she didn’t make. She said that she didn’t even write the lyrics in the song in question. However, as time goes by, she said she has “learned to fight harder” for what she wants.
Claiming that she is against playing dirty and talking trash, the R&B artist realized, “No one could compare to Beyonce and that was never my aim either.” She stressed, “It was framed that way,” but she had to pay the penalty.
Terry Crews Walks Back Call for Magic City Boycott!
Yesterday actor Terry Crews inexplicably called for the boycott of Atlanta strip club Magic City.
Terry clarifies is motives....
Just SHUT UP!
Marques Houston Ties the Knot!
Earlier this year Marques Houston was forced to address rumors that he began a relationship with his 19-year-old fiancée while she was underage
This week they tied the knot...
Thoughts?
Toni Braxton Regrets Not Having More Sex When She Was Younger!
Singer Toni Braxton has one regret — not partying and fooling around more when she was younger.
“I regret not having more sex when I was younger,” Braxton told The Guardian. “I should have drank more. I should have partied more. Smoked more, even. I think my religious upbringing stopped me doing a lot of things that I should have done. It’s not a good look at the age I am now. The way it works is you do that stuff in your 20s and 30s and then in your 40s you’ve earned enough to pay for the therapy.”
Braxton grew up in several religions — all of which looked down on premarital sex.
“When I was seven, my family became very religious,” Braxton told the paper. “We were Jehovah’s Witnesses; we were Catholic — we tried everything before settling on United Methodist. I asked my mum once what they were searching for and she just replied: ‘It was the ’70s.’ The ’70s were a very religious era. I think a lot of people were looking for the right path.”
The singer doesn’t subscribe to any religion now but adds, “I wouldn’t say I was religious, but I am spiritual. I believe in a greater force.”
In the interview, Braxton described the unbelievable way she was discovered as a talent.
“I was in college and one day I was at the gas station, singing to myself while I filled the car,” Braxton, who’s latest album “Spell My Name” is out now, said. “The attendant [William E. Pettaway Jr., writer of “Girl You Know It’s True,” by Milli Vanilli] comes up to me and tells me he likes my voice and that he’d like to do some demos with me. I thought it was just a line, but I went with it and here I am. He went on to buy the gas station!”
Braxton realizes the story sounds like a Hollywood myth.
“Nobody believes how I was discovered,” she said. “They think it’s a story for publicity, but it’s absolutely true.
Ousted ‘RHONY’ Star Dorinda Medley Calls Out Ramona Singer’s ‘Bad Facelift’!
Dorinda Medley fired from 'RHONY' for being a 'mean drunk'
The “Real Housewives of New York” may be saying goodbye to Dorinda Medley, but the reality star is going out with a bang, blacking out on co-star Ramona Singer during the show’s Season 12 reunion.
“Go with your loser friends, they’re a PSA statement for a bad facelift, like yours,” Dorinda, 55, told Ramona, 63, in an Us Weekly exclusive teaser for the upcoming three-part reunion. She also went on to accuse Ramona of drinking too much.
Ironically, sources revealed to Page Six that Medley was ultimately let go due to her own drinking, becoming an excessively aggressive “mean drunk” whenever under the influence.
Dorinda announced her departure earlier this month in a message to fans via social media.
“What a journey this has been. I have laughed and cried and tried to Make it Nice. But all things must come to an end,” she wrote via Instagram. “This was a great outlet for me to heal when my late husband Richard passed away. I have met so many interesting people and learned so much about myself, about life and about women along the way. Thank you to Bravo and NBC for the incredible ride and to my cast mates for constant stimulation and entertainment. I wish you all health, happiness and success.”
The cast filmed the “RHONY” Season 12 in-person reunion at Oheka Castle on Long Island.
The structure was notably featured as the location for Kevin and Danielle Jonas’ 2009 wedding and Taylor Swift’s “Blank Space” music video. Liam Payne and Rita Ora filmed the music video for their song, “For You,” at the estate.
“Gossip Girl,” “Royal Pains,” “Succession” and other TV shows have also shot scenes on the premises.
Activist Shaun King Accused of Profiting off Chadwick Boseman's Death!
Activist Shaun King is under fire on Twitter after screenshots of his latest email went viral. The email mentioned the passing of Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman before promoting King's book.
King's name was the number two trending topic on the social media platform Saturday with more than 23,000 tweets about him, after Twitter account @VeryWhiteGuy surfaced screenshots of King's email.
"I hope you are hanging in there. Yesterday I sent an email checking in on everybody - and just a few hours later we learned of the death of Chadwick Boseman. Life is so very fragile. Tomorrow is not promised," King wrote.
"Over the past 6 years of the Black Lives Matter Movement I have traveled to 47 states - teaching organizing, learning, and leading. And for all 6 years, everywhere I go, people ask me, 'Shaun, how do I actually use my life, my skills, my time, my energy to impact and change the world?'" he continued. "My book, MAKE CHANGE, is a 272 page answer to that question."
As of publication, the tweet has over 14,000 likes, plus another 6,600 retweets. This doesn't include tweets that share the screenshots of the email without retweeting him. For example, Rewire.News editor Imani Gandy, a frequent critic of King, did a similar tweet, citing @VeryWhiteGuy's screenshots, which has received nearly 15,000 likes and 6,100 retweets.
"Shaun King is using the death of Chadwick Boseman to sell his book and it is GROTESQUE. What is wrong with him? What is wrong with YOU THAT YOU KEEP SUPPORTING HIM?" Gandy wrote.
King addressed the controversy on his own Twitter account, denying that he was using Boseman's death to promote his book.
"I literally do not make a penny off of sales for my book. Nothing. Got paid a year ago to write it. I had a mass email pre-scheduled to go out this morning about my book. I updated the email to also mention the death of Chadwick. And I don't regret it. At all. There's that," King wrote.
Tinashe Opens Up About Her Bisexuality!
Tinashe is getting candid about her sexuality.The “Rascal” singer covers the Autumn 2020 issue of GAY TIMES where she opens up about being bisexual. While she has shied away from labeling herself in the past, she is now comfortable enough now to call herself bi.
“It’s not that I don’t like putting a label on it,” she told the U.K. magazine. “But when you say you’re bisexual, a lot of people think… they just have a lack of understanding about what it is. And I tend to shy away from terms—I guess this is the theme of my life—that make people want to categorize me or put me in a box.”
She added, “I don’t like that shit. But—but—I can still give you a general sense of yeah, I’m bisexual. I’m somewhere on the spectrum. You know?”
She also addressed the misconceptions and stereotypes around bisexuality. “It’s not like all bisexual people like men and women equally—or like all bisexual people are a certain type of person,” she said. “Human beings are so versatile. I don’t understand why we’re so obsessed with categorizing each other.”
She continued, “I never wanted people to think that I used it for attention. There are so many fucking stereotypes about being bisexual that made me want to shy away from talking about it. I’m much more open to having those discussions now.”
This is not the first time Tinashe has spoken about being a part of the LGBTQ+ community. In 2011, the “2 On” singer tweeted about how she likes both boys and girls.
“I like boys. and I like girls. I just got so much love love loveeeeee to give #sueme,” tweeted Nashe.
According to Pride.com, she also addressed the topic in a since-deleted Tumblr post in 2012. “I don’t necessarily want to put a title on it, ’cause as soon as you put a title on it, people, you know, put it into a category where it has to be 50/50,” she wrote. “But I definitely know that I have an attraction to everyone and I love everybody.”
In addition to embracing her sexuality, Tinashe continues to release new music.
Love & Hip Hop Star Masika Kalysha Gets Fired From TV Show ‘Double Cross’ After Posting Kidnapping Stunt!
After receiving a lot of backlash from her fake kidnapping video, Love & Hip Hop star Masika Kalysha took another blow when she was fired from the hit series ‘Double Cross.’
Earlier this week, the reality tv star faked her own kidnapping while on the set of the show.
According to the Blast, immediately after Masika posted the video on her Instagram account, the creator of the show, Christel Gibson, was bombarded with phone calls from people outside the set describing what Masika had done.
The stunt portrayed her crying and begging her followers to join her OnlyFans account and ‘tip’ her so that the kidnappers could take the money and free her.
The weird video was all fake, and many thought Masika was just doing it for attention. But she claims the only attention she was trying to get was for sex trafficking, the subject that ironically the show ‘Double Cross’ covers. She also said she wanted to help raise money.
UMC Executives, who stream the series, did not take the stunt well; therefore, she was let go.
She has since issued the following statement, “While on set fully immersed in my character, for season two of Double Crossed, a show that bravely displays the reality and tragedy of human trafficking, I got caught up in the excitement of the moment and chose to use my platform to bring an essential topic to light by displaying my efforts to support the end of human trafficking. It is imperative that you understand the public’s safety and the victims are paramount to my actions. I made no money, nor was it ever my intent. With that being said, I am aware that the way I went about it was distasteful, and I apologize to anyone whom I have offended or hurt with my delivery. However, I am incredibly grateful that we now have an open dialogue to refocus our attention on what matters most. I urge everyone to join me in my efforts to bring awareness to this awful reality. But most importantly, I urge everyone to help put an end to human trafficking.”
This Confederate Statue Was Going To Stay Put After A Vote – But Hurricane Laura Had Other Plans!
We've seen Confederate statues toppled by protesters in recent months, but one found lying on the ground in Louisiana was pushed by another force: Hurricane Laura. Watch what happened.
Just days ago, officials in Louisiana's Calcasieu Parish voted not to move a Confederate statue from its prominent place in front of the courthouse. Then Hurricane Laura came along and toppled it.
The South's Defenders Monument was knocked off its pedestal as the Category 4 monster swept through the southwestern Louisiana parish. On Thursday morning it could be seen lying on its side next to its still-standing base - broken tree branches strewn on the grass around it - as a steady stream of onlookers took photos.
Dozens of similar statues are scattered across the United States, mostly in the South, and many are conspicuously located in front of courthouses or in the town square.
Residents against removal argue the monuments are pieces of Southern heritage that are historically educational and honor fallen relatives. But opponents insist they are brutal reminders of slavery and Black oppression.
Officials in many cities and states have decided to remove Confederate statues from places of honor over the past few months amid nationwide protests against racial inequality and police brutality. New Orleans took a similar step to remove four controversial monuments in 2017.
The statue in Lake Charles was dedicated on June 3, 1915, according to the American Press. The Calcasieu Parish Police Jury, the parish's governing body, voted Aug. 13 to keep the monument in its place after a sometimes heated public debate involving parish residents.
One of them, Lois Malveaux, spoke in favor of the statue's removal.
"The Confederate soldiers were in favor of slavery. Being a Black woman, the pain is real in my soul. God is destroying all evil symbols of hatred across the world," she told the jurors, according to the newspaper.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
‘IS THIS TRUE?’
Wish I could have been there for that…Not the fucking dogs part, but where you went to a print shop to show them your idea for the shirt you needed to make.
HAVE A GREAT WEEK AHEAD ALL!!!
EFREM
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