Janelle Monáe for V Magazine - Winter 2020!
The Thought Leaders Issue: Janelle Monáe. The actor and artist on Black Lives Matter, systemic racism, and the killing of Breonna Taylor.
“This country is on life support. The current administration is not even lending an ear to the people: Black people, women, the LGBTQIA+ community...The people I love. I grew up in one of the poorest counties in Kansas City. My grandmother was a sharecropper in Aberdeen, Mississippi, who migrated to Kansas for a better life. She had 12 children and worked as a cook at the county jail for 25 years. This is someone who was alive when women couldn’t vote and lived through the [passage of] the Civil Rights Act. It was deep for her: She lost friends and family members, saw her brothers and sisters killed, for trying to integrate. She encouraged us to vote in their honor.
“As I got older, I understood that [with] local elections the [elected officials] are the ones enabling the president’s decisions. It’s the local elections that give the fuel to the fire. If you’re upset with how the current president is abusing his power, he’s not doing it by himself. [There are] elected officials on the local level who support him. When we’re screaming, ‘Abolish the police,’ it is because we understand that the police were not built to protect and serve us. I didn’t know this, but I do now: The first policing institutions in the South, during the civil war, hunted down runaway slaves and killed them. They killed anybody who was trying to revolt. There is still no justice for Breonna Taylor, or for my cousin, who was murdered by the police.
“The reason why I will be voting is to vote against racist policies that have continued to oppress and traumatize Black people. I have been gerrymandered. Before the election of [Atlanta mayor] Keisha Lance Bottoms, my county was redistricted, meaning her name was not on my ballot. After the election, they went back to the original counties. That happened to me. Then the [gubernatorial] election was stolen from Stacey Abrams. When [Abrams] reached out to me about her documentary, All In, I knew that I had to be a part of it. We’re in the middle of a revolution and what’s a revolution without a song? I will be voting for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, and I’m excited to hold [them] accountable. And when Stacey Abrams does [eventually] run for president, I will be voting for her. She is the real deal.”
#RHOA: It’s Official, Cynthia Bailey Marries Mike Hill in Georgia Wedding Ceremony!
Cynthia Bailey is married! The Real Housewives of Atlanta star, 53, said "I do" to fiancé Mike Hill on Saturday during a lavish wedding ceremony at the Governors Towne Club in Acworth, Georgia,
"Mike and I are elated that today has finally come! 10/10/20 is and always will be our perfect date. We are not perfect, but, are perfect for each other," "We are living in a very different time, and now more than ever we realize that life is too short, and to never take anything for granted. We are so grateful to have found each other. Love with the help of God conquers all."
The bride wore a gown by Nneka C. Alexander of Brides by Nona along with Badgley Mischka shoes and a headpiece by Bridal Styles Boutique. The couple exchanged rings from Rockford Collection and Beverly Diamonds during the celebratory event, put together by wedding planner Courtney Ajinça.
Ahead of the big day, Bailey said she was excited to marry her "best friend."
"This is not our first rodeo. Both Mike and I have been married before — but we are ready to ride!" she said.
And after self-isolating together for several months due to COVID-19, Hill, 50, said they are more than ready to start their life together. "If we could survive that, we can survive anything together," he said. "We're happy, we're ready to go."
The couple exchanged vows in front of 250 guests, including Bailey's reality show costars Kandi Burruss, Kenya Moore and former RHOA castmate Eva Marcille, who served as bridesmaids.
"I couldn't imagine my day without them," Bailey said.
And due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Bailey and Hill put "strict" precautions in place to ensure the safety of their guests. Ahead of the wedding, Bailey and Hill hired a team to come and deep clean to the venue. And before entering the ceremony, guests were required to undergo temperature checks and asked to wash their hands. Once inside, they will be spaced out according to social-distancing guidelines.
"Everyone has to wash their hands before coming inside and we will have hand sanitizing stations throughout the venue," said the reality star. "And everyone must be wearing a mask at all times, it's not optional."
"We want to make people feel comfortable and not look irresponsible," added Hill. "We're doing everything we possibly can."
Bailey and Hill got engaged in July 2019 after 14 months of dating.
Hill proposed with a gorgeous 5-carat princess cut solitaire ring in Atlanta at the grand opening of her new business, The Bailey Wine Cellar.
This is the second marriage for both Bailey and Hill, who currently works at Fox Sports 1 out of Los Angeles.
She was previously married to Peter Thomas from 2010 to 2017.
Bailey is currently filming season 13 of RHOA.
#NewMusic: LaToya London – Forever!
American Idol Finalist LaToya London has released her new single “Forever”. You may remember her name as she participated in the same season as Jennifer Hudson and Fantasia.
LISTEN HERE
The smooth record “Forever” showcases LaToya’s vocals and serves a preview to what we can expect from her in 2021 as she will be dropping a new project then.
#HipHopNews: Offset Surprises Cardi B With A Billboard For Her Birthday!
Offset still has love for Cardi B. While they may be separated, that didn’t stop the Migos rapper from surprising his estranged wife with a lavish gift ahead of her 28th birthday on Sunday. Offset splurged on a billboard wishing Cardi for her birthday from her daughter Kulture.
Cardi pulled up to check out her b-day gift, which has a prime spot on L.A.’s famed Sunset Blvd. and features a photo of her and Kulture in matching pink outfits. “Happy Birthday Mommy Love, Kulture,” it reads.
Cardi was overwhelmed by the thoughtful gift. “Oh my goodness, oh my God!” she said before thanking Offset in her caption. “Thank you sir 😏😏😏I love it,” she wrote.
The “WAP” rapper filed for divorce from Offset last month after three years of marriage. “I didn’t wait until he cheated on me again,” she told fans. “I didn’t wait [for] another controversy with him being involved. I decided to leave. If I wanted to stay, I could have stayed. I decided to leave.”
Despite their breakup, she won’t tolerate any disrespect towards the father of her child. In a series of since-deleted tweets, she defended him against fans. “He a dumbass not a bad man,” she wrote. “I don’t give a f**k if you don’t like him. I don’t talk to him but you not going to disrespect my child father. I will slap the shit out of you in curtesy of Kulture.”
While Cardi is happy being single, Offset is seemingly not over his ex. A fan recently said he looked “stressed out” in a photo, to which he replied, “I am I miss MRS.WAP…call her for her me but private.”
Chrissy Teigen Quietly Returns to Social Media After Pregnancy Loss!
Chrissy Teigen is back on Instagram.The 34-year-old cookbook author has been on a break from social media for the past few weeks after announcing that she and husband John Legend had lost their third child due to pregnancy complications.
Chrissy made a quiet return on Saturday (October 10), commenting on a post shared on the Betches Instagram account.
The account shared a tweet from Kara Morehart, where she wrote, “Just booked an eyebrow waxing appointment and I’m excited I’ll be wearing a mask so I don’t have to hear ‘mustache too?’”
Chrissy commented on the post, writing, “Finally, a giggle. Thank you.”
Chrissy and the 41-year-old singer announced at the end of September that they had sadly lost their unborn baby, a boy they were planning on naming Jack.
Stripper Bolo From Cynthia Bailey’s Bachelorette Party Claims There Was No Threesome With Porsha Williams And Tanya Sam!
Reports about the ladies of Real Housewives of Atlanta ran rampant this week after it was revealed things got hot and heavy between the ladies and a stripper hired for Cynthia Bailey’s bachelorette party. Now, the stripper in question is speaking up about the rumors.
B. Scott alleged that Tanya Sam and Porsha Williams took the stripper to bed where they were reportedly heard moaning and groaning on hot mics after escaping the cameras.
However, it’s believed that some of the ladies want the footage cut by producers.
While the other castmates have only stated that they were ‘not involved’ in multiple social media posts, Porsha has played coy on social media stating that girls just wanna have fun.
The stripper in question is very well-known and goes by the name of Bolo. He’s been on the Wendy Williams Show before and takes his career very seriously.
Bolo took to social media to put the rumors to rest.
‘To whom this may concern. I’m not just a stripper. I’m the stripper. I built an entire brand on professionalism, and it don’t just stop here y’all. I got fans, followers and supporters that’s been around for years that can attest to that.’
Michael Bolwaire went on to say: ‘The rumors and allegations that’s going around right now, straight bulls**t. Although I’m flattered to be in the same conversation as those beautiful women, nothing happened. I don’t need any unnecessary mileage on my d***. Again, nothing happened. Y’all be cool.’
Porsha is single. The problem comes down to whether Tanya, who is engaged to Paul Judge, cheated on her fiance.
Fans are wary of scandals like the Brandi Glanville/Denise Richards storyline and production doesn’t want a repeat of the season 9 sex dungeon debacle.
So, it seems that viewers will just have to wait until the episodes air.
New Edition to reunite for DJ Cassidy’s ‘Pass the Mic’!
New Edition will reunite for DJ Cassidy’s next “Pass the Mic” virtual event.
We hear Cassidy is bringing together all six members — including Bobby Brown — for his DJ set on Tuesday.
“This one is going to be the biggest one yet and have the most songs and artists,” he told us. Teddy Riley, who produced Brown’s “My Prerogative,” will also appear with other special guests of the era.
Cassidy brought New Edition back together in 2011 for his 30th birthday, which was held on the Intrepid.
Simon Cowell Reportedly Facing 6 More Months of Bed Rest After Back Injury!
America's Got Talent judge Simon Cowell needs more bed rest to fully recover from the dangerous bike accident he suffered during the summer. Cowell will reportedly be in bed for six more months to recover from the back surgery and needs a full-time nurse at his home in Malibu. Cowell will not be able to return to his native U.K. until next spring and is reportedly too unwell to even record a message for this weekend's Britain's Got Talent finale.
The 61-year-old Cowell has been through a "rough few weeks," a source told The Sun Friday. "Simon’s a fighter and fairly gung-ho. Naturally, he thought he’d be out of action for a few weeks and then, if not doing iron man contests, at least be back on the showbiz circuit," the source said, explaining Cowell had a "setback" from the surgery "to fuse two vertebrae and it has proven more complicated than a standard break." In addition to the live-in maid, Cowell's longtime girlfriend Lauren Silverman and their 6-year-old son Eric are keeping him company.
Cowell was hospitalized in early August after breaking his back in three places during an accident at his home with a new electronic bike. Although he missed the America's Got Talent live shows, there were several optimistic reports about his recovery in August and September. In late September, an insider told PEOPLE he was "swimming as much as possible" and working to "build the strength in his back since the surgery."
However, The Sun's new report confirms things are not going as well as hoped. His team thought he could at least film a message for the Britain's Got Talent finale, but he still is not well enough for that. He is reportedly using "extremely strong painkillers" and needs to wear a special back brace. He is also spending most of his time in bed and the surgery is "not healing" as well as hoped. Cowell has also not been seen in public since he was photographed in a car on Aug. 24.
“Simon is joking and in decent spirits," a source told The Sun. "But he’s also quite vain and the idea of going on national TV with no studio make-up, and while on heavy-duty medication, didn’t appeal. So, unfortunately, he had to decline producers’ requests.” Cowell reportedly stopped following a vegetarian diet to build his strength. He is also using an iPad to email friends and family but is not using a phone.
Cowell's accident happened while America's Got Talent was still on hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic. When the show returned, NBC brought in Kelly Clarkson and Kenan Thompson as guest judges for live episodes in Los Angeles. The final episodes did not have guest judges, leaving Howie Mandel, Sofia Vergara and Heidi Klum as the remaining judges. Spoken word poet Brandon Leake won the season.
Tory Lanez Speaks Out On Charges In Megan Thee Stallion Shooting!
Tory Lanez claims the “truth” will come out after he was charged Thursday with shooting Megan Thee Stallion in the foot this summer.
“[Time] will [tell],” Lanez tweeted on Friday using emojis. “And the truth will come to the light … I have all faith in God to show that … love to all my fans and people that have stayed true to me & know my heart.”
The 28-year-old “LUV” rapper reminded fans that a “charge is not a conviction,” and added, “If you have supported me or meg thru this, I genuinely appreciate u.”
The Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office announced Thursday that Lanez, whose real name is Daystar Peterson, faces one felony count each of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and carrying a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle.
Megan, 25, has not spoken out about the charges, and a rep for the “WAP” rapper declined to comment.
However, she has been vocal on social media, alleging that Lanez was the person who shot her.
“Yes, this n—a Tory shot me,” Megan claimed in a video in August. “You shot me, and you got your publicist and your people going to these blogs lyin’ and s–t. Stop lyin’. Why lie?”
The “Savage” rapper also posted photos of her stitches getting removed after the alleged shooting.
Meanwhile, Lanez denied that he shot Megan through his new album, “Daystar,” which was met with a lot of criticism. Fans accused the “Money Over Fallouts” rapper of trying to “capitalize” on the scandal.
Lanez is scheduled to be arraigned Oct. 13 in Los Angeles County Superior Court. If convicted, he could face up to 22 years in prison.
Mariah Carey Says Her 9-year-Old Son Was Bullied By A White Supremacist: ‘This Is The World We Live In’!
Mariah Carey says a white supremacist bullied her son. In Trump’s America, it seems like everything goes – especially if you’re racist. And no matter whether you’re a celebrity, politician, or any other person of status, if you’re Black, then you’re Black, and you will be treated as such by racist America. According to PEOPLE, that was the circumstance for Carey and her 9-year-old son Moroccan, who she says a white supremacist bullied him.
During an appearance on “Watch What Happens Live!” Carey opened up about the traumatic incident. “Rocky just got bullied the other day by a white supremacist person that he thought was his friend,” said Carey to talk show host Andy Cohen. “It’s like, insane. This is the world we live in.” Carey just finished her memoir, The Meaning of Mariah Carey, and it the singer talks about the #BlackLivesMatter. However, Carey had written the memoir prior to the movement. While coincidental, Carey says the memoir ended up being “so timely.”
Talking to your children about race at an early age is a move most Black homes are used to. Carey, who is reading the portions of her memoir that involve racism to her children, says her home is no different. “I’m reading chapters to them that are helping to illustrate my encounters with racism, and how they can then have a greater understanding, and ultimately a greater reservoir with which to deal with the situation itself,” Carey said.
The singer then opened up about a time when she experienced racism from her teacher in school. She says she was traumatized after her teacher insisted that she was using the wrong color in a drawing of her father, who is Black. She also said that a friend of hers “burst into tears” after meeting her father. “It’s been a struggle for me since I was aware that there was such a thing as race,” she said. “And the only reason I was aware so early on was because it became a subject of humiliation for me as a child.”
Carey says that when she read a portion of her memoir to her daughter that included a “traumatic moment,” her daughter responded in support of the singer. “I let her hear that, and it was really sweet, she goes, ‘Mommy, those girls, they feel so bad now. I bet they wish they could be your friend,’” Carey said.
Monique Samuels Reflects On Brawl With Candiace Dillard Says, “She Didn’t Deserve All That”!
Real Housewives of Potomac star Monique Samuels realizes that her brawl with co-star Candiace Dillard went too far.
According to People, Samuels now believes the fight represented issues deeper than just the end of their friendship.
“She took a beating for 36 years of built-up frustration,” the 37-year-old Samuels told the publication.
The shocking brawl that aired earlier this season, saw Samuels appearing to grab Dillard by her hair and repeatedly hit her in the head.
Samuels said that after watching the incident back, she feels “absolutely remorseful” and “completely foolish.”
“It wasn’t just about [Candiace] that night,” Monique explained. “Once it became physical, my response was that of defending myself, but also that pounding was for every person that has ever done anything to me.”
While Samuels still believes she was provoked to attack her castmate claiming she was “egged on,” but she does admit Dillard didn’t deserve what she got.
“For that, I just felt like, ‘Wow, [Candiace] didn’t deserve all of that,’ ” says Samuels, who adds: “I do not excuse my actions. I take full ownership of my part in the altercation.”
Logic Drops $226,000 On A Rare Pokémon Card!
The rapper, formerly known as Logic, has dropped some major coins on a very rare Pokémon card.
According to TMZ, Logic spends a little more than a quarter of a million on a super-rare, first edition Charizard, which broke Nintendo collectibles’ record.
According to collectors, the Charizard card is rare because it’s shadowless … meaning it doesn’t have the typical shadow on the right side.
Pokemon trading cards have skyrocketed in value over the last few years. Back in 1999, when Pokemon first became popular, the cards had almost no value … now celebrities like Logan Paul are dropping six figures to own the trading cards.
Suspect William ‘Roddie’ Bryan Involved In Ahmaud Arbery Murder Sent Racial Slurs In Texts, His Attorney Claims He’s Not Racist!
Racist texts were found on the phone of one of the men responsible for Ahmaud Arbery’s murder.
William “Roddie” Bryan filmed the tragic killing of Arbery, a Black man who was stalked and followed while on a jog. Arbery was hunted down by Bryan, Travis McMichael, and McMichael’s son Gregory. Travis fatally shot Arbery after a struggle. Now, new reports show that Bryan had racist tests on his phone. However, his attorney claims Bryan doesn’t have a “hateful bone in his body.”
During an interview with “48 Hours,” Bryan’s attorney, Kevin Gough, says Bryan was “minding his own business” at home when he saw a truck he recognized chasing a man that he didn’t know, CBS News reports. Gough says that’s when Bryan got into his truck and began following as “any other patriotic American would have done under the same circumstances.”
“Why did he record it?” Omar Villafranca of “48 Hours” asked. “Why not?” Gough responded. The lawyer claims that Bryan “has never been more than a witness to this shooting.” However, prosecutor #JesseEvans, who also spoke with “48 Hours, says he thinks Bryan was “an active participant.” Evans says Bryan couldn’t have been merely “minding his own business” because Bryan tried to box Arbery in with his truck. Authorities say Arbery’s palm print was found near a dent on the truck, suggesting that Bryan hit Arbery. But Gough says that’s a lie.
“The jury’s gonna look at the facts of this case and they’re gonna conclude that whether Ahmaud Arbery was white, Black or Martian, that Roddie Bryan wouldn’t have acted any differently on the day in question,” Gough says. The gag is, two weeks ago, prosecutors let the court know that they intend on using past racial slurs investigators found in Bryan’s phone as evidence. Bryan sent a text that read: “I bet ya’ll are truly having a Monkey Parade over there.” Gough claims those texts were taken out of context. But, how Sway?
“I’ve got multiple pages of him using the N-word. And that doesn’t make him a racist?” Villafranca asked. “No, sir,” said Gough. “Do you use that word?” Villafranca questioned. “I mean, feel free to use it on national TV right now, Kevin. If you think, ‘Eh, it can be put– it can be used in a proper context.'” “It’s not a word I would use,” Gough responded. “But I’m not Roddie Bryan.”
Bryan has pleaded not guilty to charges of felony murder and criminal attempt o commit false imprisonment in the death of Ahmaud Arbery. The McMichaels have pleaded not guilty to felony murder and aggravated assault, PEOPLE reports.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
‘SKIRTING THE ISSUE’
Is it a short skirt? Is it a long shirt? Is it the beginning of a porno? Yes to all of them I think.
HAVE A GREAT WEEK AHEAD ALL!!!
EFREM
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