THIS IS THE CHRONICLES OF EFREM: The Daily Buzz For Mar 4 ☕📰☕

Adut Akech's Unveiled Beauty for i-D Magazine 2021!

Star model Adut Akech is styled by Agata Belcen in an all Kenzo fashion story. Senta Simond [IG] is in the studio for Utopia in Dystopia Issue no. 362 of i-D Spring 2021. / Makeup by Siddhartha Simone; hair by Soichi Inagaki

#RHOA: Cynthia Bailey Thinks a ‘Real Housewives’ Mashup Series Is a ‘Brilliant’ Idea: and she’d ‘Love the Opportunity’ to Star!

All in favor! Cynthia Bailey said that she supports the idea of a Real Housewives crossover series.

“I cannot tell you that much about it. Bravo has not officially released that information yet, but I can say that I think it’s a brilliant idea,” the Real Housewives of Atlanta star, 54, told Us. “I think the fans have been waiting for something like this for a long time. … For someone who’s been on the show for so long, I kind of know what to expect when I go in a house with these ladies, but I would have no idea what to expect if I had ladies from different franchises that I had to go into a house with. So, I think it’s a great idea. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens.”

Bailey continued, “I think the fans have been waiting for something like this for a long time. You know, even with me being bicoastal, I often get my fans [saying], ‘Oh, we want you to go to Beverly Hills and play with them,’ but they still want me to be in Atlanta. So, I always thought it’d be kind of great to crossover anyway and shoot sometimes with Beverly Hills ‘cause I am in a bicoastal relationship and marriage, definitely.”

Rumors of a potential Real Housewives all-star series began swirling late last month. On Friday, February 26, the New York Post’s Page Six reported that the show would be titled Real Housewives Mash-up and would air on NBCUniversal’s Peacock streaming service. Ladies from different Housewives franchises including Bailey, RHOBH’s Lisa Rinna and New York’s Sonja Morgan are reportedly linked to the project, according to the news outlet.

“it’s just them filming a fun show and getting the ladies together from different franchises” but “some Housewives favorites couldn’t be a part of it” due to COVID-19.

Bailey, who has starred on RHOA since 2010, dished on which Housewives stars she would want to be stuck in a house with for the project. dished on which Housewives stars she would want to be stuck in a house with for the project.

“I’m actually friends with a few of the ladies like Luann [de Lesseps] and Melissa Gorga. I love Teresa [Giudice]. I love Erica Jayne, I think she would be a hoot to film with because I’m kinda, like, low-key obsessed with her Instagram — totally. I’ve known Garcelle [Beauvais] for years, we definitely talk,” she explained. “I love Kyle [Richards]. We worked together a lot. I think Ramona [Singer] would be really interesting to be in a house with because you know good and well, like … she’s just funny to me and she definitely brings her own share of just drama. I guess she cracks me up.”

The Bravo personality added, “We’ll see what happens. I would love the opportunity to be a part of something like that again because I think it’s something that the fans have been looking forward to seeing.”

In the meantime, Bailey is focusing her energy on her many business ventures. The entrepreneur runs The Bailey Agency School of Fashion, The Bailey Wine Cellar and The Bailey Room event space. Following the success of her Peach Bellini drink with Seagram’s Escapes, she teamed up with the beverage company again to help support Black-owned businesses.

Fans can also catch Bailey on season 13 of Real Housewives of Atlanta, which airs on Bravo Sundays at 8 p.m. ET.

#NewMusic from Tony Momrelle ‘Escape’!

With his new single "Escape," UK singer/songwriter and former Incognito front man Tony Momrelle sends a message to those battling the blues that often come with prolonged isolation. With its lively energy and inspiring lyrics, the track offers an audible retreat from the monotony of our days. He says, “‎This song is all about lockdown – it was written and recorded in the thick of 2020. It’s about escaping ‎your surroundings; finding that place mentally that helps you to keep your sanity in the midst of all the ‎madness.”‎

Momrelle sought the assistance of his faithful following. Through the magic of technology and virtual backdrops, he was able to transport himself from his crib to Time Square and beyond. The video's “Worldwide Lockdown Camera” induced an instant smile as we watched fans sing and dance along to this infectious tune. Momrelle explains, “‎Fans from all over the world, from the UK to Japan to Brazil, came together to record bits of the track. ‎We can’t all be in the same room right now, but music always brings people together.

”‎“Escape” with Tony Momrelle BELOW

Also, Keep an eye out for his forthcoming EP Lockdown Acoustic Sessions, which is set to drop in April.

#HipHopNews: Big Sean Says He Contemplated Suicide with Gun in His Hand!

Big Sean has admitted in the past that he went through a tough phase of depression.

“I don’t feel like this currently, but I had never gone through wanting to kill myself, give up on my life until the past few years and I didn’t realize how important it was to embrace the ups n downs of life and enjoy taking active steps to better it,” Sean wrote on Twitter at the time of release of his latest album Detroit 2. “it’s the Journey!”

Sean revealed previously in 2019 after a hiatus from the public eye that he went through a difficult period the year before that around his 30th birthday. “I wasn’t feeling like myself and I couldn’t figure out why,” he said on Instagram. “I just felt lost – and I don’t know how I got there.”

Now in a new interview with Dr. Michael Eric Dyson for his new series premiering on Facebook Watch called One Question, One Mike, the Detroit rapper further went into details about how deep he was into the dark place. He said that he contemplated suicide many times, often with guns in his hands.

“I for sure contemplated suicide many times, having guns in my hands and really just… feeling it, for real,” he told Dr. Dyson. “Not even trying to be dramatic. Planning it out to the point where I said, ‘If I do kill myself, at least my family will get this amount of money. I’d have done this already.’ All these things. Because I just was stressed out and not happy and I realized that I need to stop everything I’m doing and figure this out or Ima self-destruct.”

He previously insinuated the same on his song ‘Deep Reverence’ featuring Nipsey Hussle from Detroit 2.

Will Smith Says He'll Consider Running for Political Office in the Future!

Will Smith stopped by Crooked Media’s Pod Save America podcast where he once again floated the idea of running for political office one day.

“I think for now I’ll let that office get cleaned up a little bit and then I’ll consider that at some point down the line,” Smith said. “I absolutely have an opinion, I’m optimistic, I’m hopeful, I believe in understanding between people and I believe in the possibility of harmony. I will certainly do my part, whether it remains artistic or, at some point, ventures into the political arena.”

Back in 2015, Smith said on CBS’ Sunday Morning that he felt compelled to run for President in light of Donald Trump’s racist rhetoric during his presidential campaign, but didn’t mention him by name. “If people keep saying all the crazy kinds of stuff they’ve been saying on the news lately about walls and Muslims, they’re going to force me into the political arena,” he said.

Those remarks came after Smith appeared on The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast and used somewhat similar phrasing to discuss a potential future in politics. “And, you know, as I look at the political landscape, I think that there might be a future out there for me,” he said. “They might need me out there. This is the first year that I’ve been incensed to a level that I can’t sleep, you know? So I’m feeling that at some point, in the near future, I will have to lend my voice to the conversation in a somewhat different way.”

On the Pod Save America podcast, Smith was asked about dealing with racism and how those experiences have shaped his worldview. “I’ve been called [n-word] to my face probably five or six times. And fortunately for my psyche, I’ve never been called [n-word] by a smart person,” he said. “I grew up with the impression that racists and racism were stupid, and they were easy to get around. I just had to be smarter now while they were very dangerous. I had never looked into the eyes of a racist and saw anything that I perceived as intellect.”

The topics of politics and racism were also touched upon in his 2016 appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. In regards to the latter issue, Smith was optimistic at the time, clinging to the old saying that it’s always darkest before the dawn. While he might have been incorrect about his assessment of where the country was headed, he did deliver a meaningful quote that is sadly still relevant nearly five years later, saying, “Racism is not getting worse, it’s getting filmed.”

‘Degrassi’ Actor Jahmil French Dies at 29!

Jahmil French, who played Dave Turner on “Degrassi: The Next Generation,” died on Monday, his agent Gabrielle Kachman confirmed to Variety. He was 29.

“It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the passing of a dear friend and client Jahmil French,” she said in a statement. “He will be remembered by many for his passion for the arts, his commitment to his craft, and his vibrant personality. I ask that you keep his family and friends in your thoughts and prayers at this difficult time.”

A cause of death has not yet been confirmed.

Producer Joshua Safran tweeted about French’s death on Tuesday morning. “I can confirm my good friend, co-worker, and all around inspiration, Jahmil French, passed away yesterday,” he wrote. “Right now we’re all just processing this devastating news.”

Safran worked with French on the short-lived Netflix series “Soundtrack,” a musical drama set in Los Angeles where French played Dante Mendoza, who works to adjust to life outside of prison.

French is best known for his role as Dave, who first entered the “Degrassi” universe in 2009 as a new student intent on achieving popularity. He stayed on the show until 2013 and, during that time, earned a Canadian Screen Award nomination.

Stefan Brogren, who played Snake on “Degrassi: Next Class” and served as a series producer, paid tribute to French on Twitter. “He performed Dave with such sensitivity and thoughtfulness and could make me laugh so easily,” Brogren wrote. “It was a pleasure to work with him and he will be missed. This is a real loss. Rest In Peace.”

“Degrassi” co-star Melinda Shankar, who played French’s primary love interest, Alli Bhandari, reflected on their time together: “So grateful for memories and deep convos with you, beautiful angel. Blessed that we got to be part of a big dysfunctional family together. Thank you for sharing your gift with the world. I just hope you knew how loved you were.”

On Instagram, Annie Clark, who portrayed Fiona Coyne in the teen drama, wrote about her first memory of French.

“We started on ‘Degrassi’ the same year and I’ll never forget the day I met him. Jahmil was so full of energy and absolute joy to be around.”

Texas And Mississippi To Lift Mask Mandates And Roll Back COVID Restrictions!

Gov. Greg Abbott said Texas would be back open "100 percent" by March 10, and Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said his state's mask mandate would end Wednesday.

The governors of Texas and Mississippi both announced on Tuesday they would be lifting their states' mask mandates and rolling back many of their Covid-19 health mandates, just one day after the CDC warned against complacency in the face of emerging coronavirus variants.

"It is now time to open Texas 100 percent," Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Tuesday afternoon at Montelongo's Mexican Restaurant in Lubbock.

"Covid has not suddenly disappeared," he said, "but state mandates are no longer needed."

Shortly after Abbott's announcement, Gov. Tate Reeves announced that he would end Mississippi's statewide mask mandate, effective Wednesday of this week.

"Our hospitalizations and case numbers have plummeted, and the vaccine is being rapidly distributed," Reeves tweeted. "It is time!"

On Monday, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky strongly cautioned against the very rollbacks that Abbott and Reeves were about to implement.

"I am really worried about reports that more states are rolling back the exact public health measures we have recommended to protect people from Covid-19," Walensky said at the daily White House Covid-19 briefing.

"Please hear me clearly," Walensky said. "At this level of cases with variants spreading, we stand to completely lose the hard earned ground we have gained."

President Joe Biden echoed those concerns Tuesday, even as he announced the U.S. will have enough Covid-19 vaccine doses for every adult by the end of May.

"This fight is far from over," Biden said. "Though we celebrate the news ... I urge all Americans, please keep washing your hands, stay socially distanced, wear masks."

Abbott said his new executive order would rescind "most" of his prior Covid-19 executive orders, and that all businesses would be allowed to open "100 percent," effective March 10.

The end of the mask mandate makes Texas, population 29 million, the largest state to end a rule aimed to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

In a speech championing Texas’ economic prowess, Abbott said that “too many Texans were sidelined from employment opportunities” while businesses operated at reduced capacity because of coronavirus restrictions.

Abbott said the Lone Star State is today in a "completely different position” than it was when Abbott first issued a coronavirus executive order in March 2020.

“We now have vaccines,” Abbott said, adding that Texas set a one-day record of vaccine administration on Tuesday and is now averaging 1 million vaccine dose administrations per week.

Abbott also claimed that the millions of Texans who caught and recovered from Covid mean that millions “have the proven ability to beat this disease."

“Covid still exists,” Abbott said, "but it is clear from the recoveries, from the vaccinations, from the reduced hospitalizations, and from the safe practices that Texans are using, that state mandates are no longer needed.”

In subsequent tweets, Reeves said that Mississippi was "rewarded" for keeping its businesses mostly open "with more jobs and economic recovery."

"Executive orders that interfered with peoples’ lives were the worst, but the only possible, intervention for much of the last year," Reeves said. "Now, we are putting our focus towards rapid vaccine distribution. We are getting out of the business of telling people what they can and cannot do."

R.I.P. Vernon Jordan, Civil Rights Leader And Former Presidential Advisor Has Died at 85!

Vernon Jordan, civil rights activist and former advisor to President Bill Clinton, has died...

From CNN

Vernon Jordan, a civil rights leader and close adviser to former President Bill Clinton, died Monday evening, multiple sources close to the family tell CNN. He was 85.

A cause of death was not immediately released.

The former president of the National Urban League rose to prominence as a civil rights activist with close connections in all corners of American politics, though he was closest with Democrats, including presidents from Lyndon Johnson to Barack Obama. He also worked with Republican Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush.

Mo’Nique Struts and Poses In the ICY PARK Collection!

Many people are manifestation advocates, and they believe that if you speak something into existence, it may happen for you in real life. But what about just dreaming something into existence? That’s what happened to comedian and actress Mo’Nique. On March 1, she uploaded an Instagram video revealing that she was gifted with some pieces from the latest clothing collection of adidas x IVY PARK.

The six-minute video begins with Mo’Nique watching the promo video for the collection while wearing a white robe. In the middle of watching the video, she stops and wonders why she never got a box this time. She then “falls asleep” in the video and dreams about wearing some of the outfits that are a part of the new line. She dances, struts and even works out a bit in her new pieces. While doing her workout, there appears to be a knock at the door, and she wakes up to open the door and find that she got an ICY PARK box. The video ends with her smiling and repeatedly saying “I got my box.”

“I GOT MY BOX❤️. Hey my sweet babies. My baby @dwightholtjr is so AMAZING & CREATIVE. Here we GO🥰,” she wrote. Her creative video received plenty of expressions of approval in the comments section.

One person said, “Auntie👏🏽You👏🏾Better👏🏿Serve the Children!!! You look TF Goodt and that hair is EVERYTHING.”

Someone else wrote, “This was so freakin creative!!!! So all we gotta do is dream about getting our box? Ok cool… stay tuned until tomorrow 😍.”

Another person said, “A whole movie! I do want to spend my money on @weareivypark just because of this concept. Mo is money and real business.”

Last November, Mo’Nique received a box from the brand’s second collection and did a promo video for that as well. She modeled the various pieces outside, giving her audience a clear view of how everything looked on her.

HOORAY Changing the name of JOLENE! Dolly Parton Gets The Vaccine!

Dolly Parton has written hundreds of songs over her decades-long career and it turns out her tune “Jolene” is the just right one for getting her COVID-19 vaccine.

“I even changed one of my songs to fit the occasion. It goes, ‘Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, I’m begging of you please don’t hesitate,’” the actor, singer and humanitarian sang in a social media post on Tuesday, just before receiving her shot.

The Grammy-winning legend turned 75 this year. In 2020, she donated $1 million to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, for coronavirus research.

Parton had earlier told The Associated Press that she was going to wait until it became more widely available because she didn’t want to look like she was jumping the line.

Parton wore a purple shirt with shoulder cutouts just for the occasion and a matching purple mask. She put on a typical show, laughing, cracking jokes with the doctor and making sure her hair was looking good.

“That didn’t hurt. Just stung a little bit,” she said afterward. Then she smiled at the camera saying, “I did it! I did it!”

Serena Williams & Daughter Olympia Star In First Fashion Campaign Together!

Serena Williams and her 3-year-old daughter Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr.'s first-ever fashion campaign has arrived!

On Tuesday (March 2), the mommy-daughter duo unveiled the spring 2021 Stuart Weitzman campaign, fittingly titled "Footsteps to Follow."

"The adventures of Serena and Olympia continue... this time with @stuartweitzman!" Serena said of the new campaign on Instagram.

For the campaign, the 23-time Grand Slam champion and her mini-me model Stuart Weitzman's spring 2021 collection, which features ankle boots, heeled sandals, and more, and was created with "high-fashion" and "high-function" in mind.

“it’s a special campaign," Serena told Women's Wear Daily. "I just felt like it was an opportunity because Olympia and I have been spending so much time together. Olympia is trying on my shoes all the time, it’s so fun — she loves to try them on and we play in them. I have a red pair of Stuart Weitzman shoes that she loves and there is the new Lyla style with a toe ring in leopard print that’s one of her favorites.”

The campaign also features a cute video of Serena and Olympia that shows the twinning in white dresses and black catsuits while Serena talks about motherhood and having her daughter follow in her famous footsteps. "I would definitely call Olympia my mini-me," the proud mom says in the clip. "She is mini Serena. She's so cute, and she's so fun."

"I don't know if I hope if Olympia follows in my footsteps," she adds. "I want her to do whatever she wants to do and what's best for her."

"Hope and optimism are central to every SW x SW campaign, and showcasing the powerful bond between mother and daughter in Footsteps to Follow highlights how every generation can inspire any generation — be it parents to children or vice versa — to step into each other’s shoes and step into new worlds," Stuart Weitzman said in statement. "In our new campaign, Serena wears our latest high-fashion, high-function essentials designed to shine in the modern woman’s perfectly-curated wardrobe, including the artful LYLA 75 SANDAL, seen here. Discover the campaign and shop our new Spring 2021 Collection now on stuartweitzman.com."

Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall Reveal Paramount Forced Them To Cast A White Person In The First Coming To America!

Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall are known for their classic all-Black comedies – but the actors revealed that they were forced to cast a white person in the original Coming to America.

The actors made the revelation on Jimmy Kimmel Live on Monday night while promoting Coming 2 America, which is out this week.

Kimmel asked the stars how Louie Anderson became apart of the original 1988 film.

That’s when they said Louie’s role of Maurice was actually pushed on them by Paramount Studios and their demand to hire a white actor for the film.

Arsenio said, “I love Louie but I think we were forced to put Louie in it. No, I think we were forced to put a white person.”

Eddie Murphy said, “Yeah, Paramount was like -because the whole cast was Black and this was back in the 80s – so it was like ‘We have to have a white person, there has to be a white person in the movie!’”

Murphy added, “So, who is the funniest white guy around right now? And then Louie, we knew him and was cool with him, so that’s how Louie got in the movie.”

“It was official,” Arsenio said. “I had a list. They gave me a list with three white guys. They said, ‘Who would you rather work with?’ I said Louie.”

#RIP: Reggae Legend Bunny Wailer Has Died At 73!

Reggae icon Bunny Wailer, born Neville O’Riley Livingston, has passed at the age of 73. The last founding member of The Wailers, alongside Peter Tosh and Bob Marley, Wailer leaves behind a storied musical legacy that popularized Rastafarian culture across the globe.

“He died about 8:00 this morning. I’m still right here with him,” his manager Maxine Stowe said in a confirmation of his passing, per the Jamaican Observer. Wailer passed at the Medical Associates Hospital in Kingston, Jamaica. Although no cause of death has been released, local newspapers report that Wailer had been in and out of the hospital since suffering a stroke.

Forming the legendary reggae in band the early 60s with Tosh and Marley, Wailer was known for his percussion in vocals. Their hit classic Simmer Down topped the Jamaican charts in 1964 and from there, the group’s international acclaim skyrocketed. The original founding crew disbanded in 1974 as Wailer left to go solo because touring in the US at “freak clubs” would go against his Rastafarian faith.

Winning three Grammy awards for Best Reggae Album in the ’90s for Time Will Tell: A Tribute to Bob Marley, Crucial! Roots Classics, and Hall of Fame: A Tribute to Bob Marley’s 50th Anniversary, Wailer solidified his place among the giants of the genre. He was awarded the Order of Jamaica in 2014 and Order of Merit in 2017 by the Jamaican government. These are the country’s fifth and fourth highest honors. The government also recognized Wailer for his contributions to Jamaican music and the culture in February 2019 with a Reggae Gold Award.

Wailer was the last surviving member of The Wailers. In 1981, Bob Marley passed from cancer and in 1987, Peter Tosh was murdered during a robbery at his home.

The Game Blasted For Allegedly Scamming Aspiring Rappers!

The Game is being put on blast for allegedly scamming aspiring rappers out of loads of money.

The allegations first surfaced via Instagram from @thefoocommunity, which reported that the Game has allegedly been contacting several up-and-coming artists, reportedly offering them a “$500-$1000 slot on one of his SoundCloud mixtapes.”

However, once the aspiring artists pay the fee, the “Hate It Or Love It” musician reportedly doesn’t hold up his end of the bargain.

According to the account, the Born 2 Rap artist “doesn’t upload on his verified SoundCloud account, he uploads on a separate account with only 266 followers. In addition, he doesn’t market it on Instagram or Facebook, nor makes an appearance on any [of] the songs.”

What's more, the page also indicates that when the Game dropped seven compilation mixtapes in December 2020 — a combined 241 tracks — barely any of the tracks reached no more than 250, for the most part. The most a single song drove was 1,200 views, allegedly.

Per the post, “Rappers are angry because the game tells them he will work with them on a song, but claim that it’s all cap so you can purchase a slot on one of his tapes. They’re upset because he gives them a false sense of hope that maybe one day they can collab together.

The Game’s alleged victims also suspect that he's resorted to this after losing a lawsuit that has him owing a $7.1 million judgment.

At the time of this writing, The Game has not issued a response to these allegations.

Dr. Seuss Enterprises Will Stop Publishing Six Books Due To Racist Images!

After months of debate, Dr. Seuss Enterprises will stop publishing six of its beloved books due to insensitive and racist imagery.

The company announced on Tuesday. The news came on the late author’s birthday, known as “Read Across America Day.” The books that will be pulled are “The Cat’s Quizzer,” “And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street,” “If I Ran the Zoo,” “McElligot’s Pool,” “On Beyond Zebra!,” and “Scrambled Eggs Super!.”

In a statement to the Associated Press, the company explained, “these books portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong.” They went on to add, “ceasing sales of these books is only part of our commitment and our broader plan to ensure Dr. Seuss Enterprises’ catalog represents and supports all communities and families.”

Dr. Seuss Enterprises decided to cease publishing and licensing the texts last year after reviewing claims about its books. The company says that it listened to readers, teachers, and other specialists’ feedback as part of its review process. They also consulted with experts to review the titles within their lineup of children’s publications.

In recent years, Dr. Seuss’s books have come under fire for problematic imagery. Several school districts across the U.S. no longer promote Dr. Seuss’s books on “Read Across America Day.” This includes Loudon County, Virginia district. They said that “research in recent years has revealed strong racial undertones in many books written/illustrated by Dr. Seuss.”

President Joe Biden refrained from mentioning Dr. Seuss during his “Read Across America Day” proclamation, steering away from the late author who many presidents have mentioned on the day promoting literature.

Azealia Banks Calls Off Engagement Then Changes Her Mind!

Last week Harlem rapper Azealia Banks announced her engagement to conceptual artist Ryder Ripps

AB calls off her engagement for few hours, then changes her mind again...

Yesterday Azealia Banks announced on Instagram that she dumped Ryder Ripps, was keeping his family heirloom menorah ring and implied he was an insecure attention whore, before deciding to take him back