Andra Day for L'Officiel Art - Spring 2021!
Growing Up Andra Daym On screen, the rising hitmaker introduced Billie Holiday to a whole new generation of fans. But the Golden Globe winner and L'OFFICIEL Art Spring 2021 global coverstar has other stories to tell.
Andra Day is not Billie Holiday, except when she wants to be. And lately, she’s wanted to be. Her leading role in Lee Daniels’ film The United States vs. Billie Holiday has kept her channeling the jazz singer all the way through awards season. Her song “Tigress & Tweed” was inspired by Holiday’s favorite perfumes. Her stage name is even borrowed from Holiday’s own nickname, Lady Day. She can sing like Holiday, bling like Holiday, and mouth off like her, too. And when she walks, as it were, in Holiday’s shoes, she makes Billie’s end seem a lot less blue.
Yet most of the time, Day is someone else. She’s a 36-year-old woman who answers to a different name and to a bracingly frank and loving family that is now peppered up and down the West Coast. Cassandra Monique Batie, as her father named her, is a green-eyed daughter of Southern California; a middle child who grew up quick-with-the-comebacks in southeast San Diego, where most of the city’s Black population lives. The Batie (pronounced BAY-tee) family, and others south of Interstate 8, moved there to work in or alongside the Navy’s massive Pacific Fleet. They are Navy people, as her Master Chief dad was, or Marines. And yet, their corner of San Diego is the farthest from the ocean and the closest to Tijuana, Mexico, which may be why she speaks good Spanish, memorizes taco menus, and recently appeared on the San Diego rapper Ryan Anthony’s album Barely See the Beach 3.
“What is Grace and Frankie?” asks Day, when she hears the name of the popular Netflix show starring Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin that takes place at a San Diego beach house, just north of where she grew up. She says some of the whiter and tonier parts of the city can feel remote and sometimes unwelcoming to kids from Paradise Hills. “I need to check that out.”
Day’s neighbors in San Diego, and farther south in Chula Vista, frequently turn southward for their aesthetic inspiration, toward cultures and tastes that resonate more deeply with the area’s robust Mexican and Mexican-American population. It’s no wonder that in 2015, Day arrived at her NPR Tiny Desk concert in Washington, D.C. looking like Rosie the Riveter done up as a barrio goddess. Bobby pins kept a yellow scarf wrapped around her bouffant, with the bow tied pleasingly up front, and a bright green hair clip held her coppery bangs in place. She wore giant, gold hoop earrings, lots of bangles and ring, after ring, after ring—as well as a leopard print scarf, a white sweater, and a patterned palazzo pantsuit that conjured images of piña coladas and tropical breezes.
Danny Barker, the New Orleans-born National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master, used to say that an audience listens first with its eyes. So the people on that day heard longer-than Barbra Streisand-polished nails, Eartha Kitt-ish eyeliner, and Sade-painted lips. In other words, they saw exactly what Day wanted them to see: a bona fide around-the-way-girl made good. “I do it for the hood girls,” she explains. “And it’s not just where I’m from. It’s a thing. It’s girl shit, as in, ‘All right, I might not have the money, I might be struggling with this, I might be emotionally dealing, but I’m about to make sure these edges are laid, and that this ponytail is straight, and these earrings are on, this makeup is bold, these lashes are long, the heels are popping—this outfit is fresh.’ Because it makes us feel good. Sometimes [that] can give you that little extra jolt of confidence.”
Day’s natural sound is dynamic and raspy, part torch singer, part anthem-belter, part come-from-behind-the-beat jazz vocalist. “There are a lot of parallels to Holiday in the amber quality of her tone,” says Howard Reich, the longtime jazz writer for the Chicago Tribune. He calls Day’s vocal flights “meaningful.” That she can slip into Holiday’s voice so easily may obscure the fact that she’s conversant in the other heavenly sisters of jazz, including Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Washington, Sarah Vaughan, Lena Horne, and Nina Simone—20th century women whose work any serious student of American music will encounter.
“In church they say, ‘Study, to show thyself approved,’” explains the singer Quiana Lynell, who won the 2017 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition. “In jazz, you have to show that you’ve done that work to get the vetting of everyone—the bookers, the agents, and the other musicians who would consider working with you. Instrumentalists can explore and explore. For vocalists, it’s harder.” That’s because, at some point, Fitzgerald, Washington, Vaughan, and the others need to be quiet. The most important hurdle for any singer, in fact, is to find a sound that’s unique. In her realm of jazz, R&B, pop, and hip hop, Andra Day must sound like Andra Day, or, more precisely, like Cassandra Batie.
Musical talent probably runs in the Batie family, but that’s a hard fact to verify outside of the First United Methodist Church in Chula Vista. That’s where the family worshipped and where Day’s mother, Delia—a.k.a. Missy—worked for many years as a janitor, then facilities manager. “My mom actually has a beautiful voice, but you’ll never hear it because she’s too shy,” says Day, adding that her father, Joseph, sings compellingly as well. Her parents separated when she was 17 and later divorced. Day’s youngest brother, Jaxon, left early from the same performing arts high school that Day attended, but remains a singer and multi-instrumentalist. “He’s always worried about not being good enough,” she says, recognizing the same doubts that dogged her own career. “Put that Jaxon will be releasing his debut album next year,” she says, referring to this interview. “So I can put the pressure on his ass!”
It bears repeating that Day is mouthy. And the more she talks about family, the funnier she gets. She calls her older sister, Nadea Guillory, a “gangster” in high school: fierce, loyal, and willing to throw a punch. Jaxon was the tattletale. Joshua, another younger brother who now restores antique furniture, seemed like the good child growing up, but maybe he was just more discreet. Her mother, now retired, writes children’s books under the name D. A. Batie. “She actually just did one,” says Day. “It’s called I Hear the Wind Blow and Wonder. It’s really cool to see the tenderness of the children in them. Growing up I ain’t hear no shit like this!”
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#RHOA: All Mixed Messages Kenya Sends To Fans About Marc Daly Marriage!
The Real Housewives of Atlanta fans are confused by all the mixed messages Kenya Moore has sent out regarding her marriage to Marc Daly.
Kenya Moore has sent The Real Housewives of Atlanta fans into a state of confusion over the exact status of her marriage to Marc Daly. During the reunion, Kenya addressed Marc's divorce filing while seemingly downplaying it and boasting about her status as a married woman. But when looking at Marc's treatment toward her on the show, viewers are wondering if Kenya is choosing to be delusional about her questionable union.
After years of seeking marriage and a family, Kenya's dreams finally came true when she met Marc. The Brooklyn native was a successful chef who owned and operated his own Caribbean restaurant. After privately tying the knot in a destination wedding, the couple went on to welcome their daughter, Brooklyn Daly. But before Brooklyn reached her first birthday, the couple were already calling it quits. However, while following the breakup on the show, Kenya claimed the two were trying to work it out. During Marc's last appearance on the franchise, he appeared completely over his wife and their relationship. By season 13, Kenya was faced with the hard truth of Marc's divorce filing and request for alimony.
During the reunion, Kenya claimed Marc's request for alimony was a mistake. She also proudly shared why she was still wearing her wedding ring, saying she was still a married woman. She made the snide remark in response to Porsha Williams, who has been having issues with her ex-fiancée and baby daddy, Dennis McKinley. But viewers are confused by Kenya's attempts to make her failed marriage appear as though it's still being salvaged. After the first part of the reunion aired, viewers took to Reddit to ask "Does anyone else feel like Kenya is making up stories about Marc wanting her?"
The person behind the thread went on to explain their confusion about Kenya and Marc. "I feel like he checked out. A long time ago and he doesn’t care but she is trying to change the narrative," they said. "I wish she would stop talking about him and just move on. It’s cringey hearing her talk about him begging for her.. then blocking her. like stop sis ... move on!" Though harsh, many others agreed with the criticism. With the little bit that was seen of Marc on the show, he appeared to have a hold on Kenya that turned her into "Ken," a friendlier housewife that took her cast members by surprise. "I actually think it’s a mix of Marc absolutely manipulating Kenya anyway he can and Kenya’s complete departure from reality," one Redditor said.
From how Kenya addressed her marriage during the reunion, it seems like she's still holding onto the hope of getting back together with Marc. But with him filing for divorce so publicly, it doesn't seem like he wants to hold on in the same way. The two still share a young daughter together and will have to keep working together to maintain an amicable co-parenting relationship. Fans might get to see his return to the show in the future.
#MusicNews: Grammys End Nomination-by-Committee, Add New Categories!
The Recording Academy has announced changes to its nomination process for the 64th Annual Grammy Awards, scheduled to take place on January 31, 2022. Previously, Grammy nominations were finalized by 15-30 music industry “peers” representing their “genre communities.” Effective immediately, the final pool of nominees for nearly all Grammy awards will be decided by a majority vote of Academy voting members. Additionally, two new categories will be added: Global Music Performance and Música Urbana Album, bringing the total number of categories to 86. The eligibility period for the 64th Annual GRAMMY Awards is already underway, and continues through September 30, 2021.
The “general”—including the “Big Four” of Album, Song, and Record of the Year, and Best New Artist—and “genre” categories will eliminate committees, but the “Craft” categories (Producer, Packaging and Liner Notes) will continue to be decided by a select group of industry professionals. The committees have been used by the Academy since 1989; but only with the “Big Four” since 1995.
Now that nominees for most Grammy categories will be chosen by the general electorate, the Recording Academy says that 90 percent of its voting members will go through a “requalification process” by the end of 2021 “to ensure that the voting body is actively engaged in music creation.” Voters may now only vote in 10 (previously 15) specific genre field categories, and those 10 categories must be within no more than three fields.
#HipHopNews: Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival To Return In November!
Travis Scott has announced that his music festival will return on Nov. 5 and 6 at NRG Park in Houston, Texas. After it was canceled last year because of the pandemic, the third annual fest will expand to two days this year with a new theme, “Open Your Eyes to a Whole New Universe.”
Travis will once again serve as headliner and curate the 2021 lineup, which will be announced at a later date. Travis is also gearing up to release his highly-anticipated album Utopia later this year.
If past years are any indication, the lineup is sure to be another star-studded affair. Past performers have included Post Malone, Pharrell, DaBaby, Lil Wayne, Young Thug, Playboi Carti, Megan Thee Stallion, and more.
Tickets go on sale Wednesday, May 5, at 10 a.m. CT at AstroworldFest.com. A portion of proceeds will be donated to the festival’s official charity partner, Cactus Jack Foundation.
#RIP: Olympia Dukakis Oscar-Winning Actress For ‘Moonstruck’ Dies at age 89!
Olympia Dukakis, who won an Oscar for her supporting role in the 1987 hit Moonstruck and also starred in Steel Magnolias, Away From Her, the three Look Who’s Talking films and Mr. Holland’s Opus, died today at her home in New York City. She was 89 and had been in ill health for some time.
“My beloved sister, Olympia Dukakis, passed away this morning in New York City,” wrote her brother Apollo, who confirmed her death on his Facebook page. “After many months of failing health she is finally at peace and with her [husband] Louis [Zorich].” The cause of death has yet to be determined.
Her television credits include the 1993 transgender drama Tales of the City and its 1998 sequel, which earned her an Emmy nomination. Dukakis also appeared in Netflix’s 2019 revival, titled Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City.
Dukakis was a theater veteran who struck gold in the film business later in life. She was 56 when she played Cher’s sardonic mother, Rose Castorini, in Norman Jewison’s classic romantic comedy Moonstruck. Her portrayal of a woman overly involved her daughter’s love life earned her an Academy Award, a Golden Globe and a BAFTA nomination.
1988 was a year of prominence beyond the Oscars, as Dukakis’s cousin, former Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis, was the Democratic nominee for president. She stumped for him during her Oscars acceptance speech, shouting “OK, Michael, let’s go!”
A lifelong activist and philanthropist, Dukakis earned a star on the the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2013.
Born on June 20, 1931, in Lowell, MA, she was the daughter of immigrants from southern Greece. That upbringing shaped her life, leading her to take to the stage as a means of expression.
She graduated from Boston University with a degree in in physical therapy and a master’s in performing arts. She then began her career in New York City. She made her debut in The Aspern Papers in 1962. That same year, she married actor-producer Louis Zorich, famous for his hit NBC comedy Mad About You decades later. They had three children.
In 1963, she wonan Obie Award for A Man’s a Man, and then a second two years later in The Marriage of Bette and Boo.
Her work in the Broadway comedy Social Security playing Marlo Thomas’s mother was her ticket into filmdom.
She and Zorich founded the Charles Playhouse in Boston and the Whole Theater in Montclair, N.J. in the 1970s, appearing together in several productions. She also taught drama at New York University, while teaching at the American Conservatory Theater, and serving on its Board of Trustees.
No information was immediately available on memorial plans.
See Pics from ‘Pose’ Season 3 Red Carpet!
The red carpet premiere for the third and final season of FX’s “Pose” was held on Thursday at JAZZ at Lincoln Center in New York City
Cast in attendance included Mj Rodriguez, Billy Porter, Dominique Jackson, Indya Moore, Hailie Sahar, Dyllón Burnside, Angel Bismark Curiel, Sandra Bernhard, Jason Rodriguez and guest stars Angelica Ross, Jeremy Pope, and Jeremy McClain.
The event was produced by FX Networks and the red carpet was designed by Nicholas Calhoun of Look Design Studios, LLC.
Caitlyn Jenner says transgender girls shouldn't get to participate on girls' sports teams because it 'just isn't fair'!
Caitlyn Jenner, a candidate for California governor, said in an interview Saturday that she did not believe transgender girls should be allowed to participate in girls' sports.
Jenner, a Republican who came out publicly as a trans woman in 2015, made the comments in a seemingly impromptu interview with TMZ as she walking out of a Starbucks with her dog.
"This is a question of fairness," said Jenner, who in 1976 won gold at the Olympics. "That's why I oppose biological boys who are trans competing in girls' sports in school. It just isn't fair. And we have to protect girls' sports in our schools."
Read more: With at least 36 bills and a new law, Republicans across the country ramp up attacks on transgender athletes' rights. 'None of this was ever about fairness.'
Jenner declined to answer a follow-up question when the reporter asked whether it was "delegitimizing" to a trans person's identity to refuse to allow them to play on the sports team that aligns with their gender.
"Have a good day," Jenner said. "I didn't expect to get asked this on my Saturday morning coffee run, but I'm clear about where I stand," Jenner later said in a tweet, sharing the TMZ interview. "It's an issue of fairness and we need to protect girls' sports in our schools."
There are bills targeting transgender people in at least 28 state legislatures in the US across the country, Insider's Canela López previously reported. These types of legislation range from banning trans children from playing on sports teams to prohibiting doctors from providing medical care to trans youth.
There are at least 36 bills in state legislatures specifically targeting transgender youth from playing on teams matching their gender identity, Insider's Madison Hall and Kayla Epstein reported. The Florida legislature on Friday passed a law prohibiting trans youth from participating in school sports that align with their gender.
Jenner's view pits her against many activists in the transgender community, who argue that bills prohibiting trans kids from participating on sports teams that align with their gender identity are harmful and unnecessary.
"Trans youth are just trying to go to school to learn and play on a team to be with their friends like anybody else," Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen, deputy executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, previously told Insider. "There's no reason that elected officials should be attacking young people like that. We should be making it easier to be in school and play on teams these days, not harder."
While conservative lawmakers have focused on bills targeting trans athletes, lawmakers often are unable to identify instances where the inclusion of trans girls on a girls sports team has resulted in any sort of a problem, as the Associated Press reported.
Kentucky Derby 2021: Medina Spirit Wins 147th Race!
A year after The Kentucky Derby and the Triple Crown was thrown into disarray due to the coronavirus pandemic, the 147th running of the legendary race returned to its home in May. And with it, Medina Spirit managed to cross the finish line as the winner.
The wind sets a record for Kentucky Derby wins for Bob Baffert. It is also the fourth win for jockey John Velasquez. Baffert credited his chat with New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick for giving him the winning edge at Churchill Downs, something he wasn't in the high running with other favorites. The win also comes after some controversy, with many critics and investigations into his training practices.
While it is still true that the Kentucky Derby has never been canceled in its history, 2020 saw it postponed for only the second time in history. In a year that turned everything upside down, the Kentucky Derby was moved to September and became the middle of a new schedule between the Belmont Stakes in June and the Preakness Stakes in October.
The return to May for 2021 also meant the return of fans to Churchill Downs. While the race on Saturday was at 40-50 percent capacity, this still was around 45-50 thousand guests in the stands. And while masks and social distancing were additions to the showcase this year, the classics were still present too. Fashion, hats and celebrities were still in attendance, including Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers and his new fiancee Shailene Woodley. Hats were still out in force, with some in attendance even getting creative and matching their masks to their outfits to turn it all into a magic ensemble.
There were also plenty of mint juleps, though it likely wasn't as popular in years past. Still, the staple drink of the Derby did not disappoint for those in attendance. And likely tasted a lot sweeter if they managed to snag a winning ticket.
So after a year that tossed everything into confusion, the Triple Crown is back and the march toward another potential winner begins. Congratulations to Medina Spirit and best of luck going forward.
Elliot Page Tells Oprah He Was "in Pain" at the Oscars for "Juno"!
Over the course of the 2008 awards season, Elliot Page's life changed. At the age of 20, Page earned an Oscar nomination for his work inJuno, a tender and funny indie movie about a high school senior who become unexpectedly pregnant. After such a strong performance, Page's rise to fame seemed like another Hollywood fairy tale.
But as Page revealed to Oprah during the latest episode of The Oprah Conversation, the reality behind those red carpet glamour shots were far less rosy. In December 2020, Page, now 34, announced he is trans in a statement posted to Twitter.
"That was a pretty intense time," he said, through tears. "I remember thinking it was impossible to communicate with people how unwell I was because obviously there is so much excitement. [Juno] unexpectedly became a big hit. I became quite known. I felt like I couldn't express the degree of pain that I was in."
According to Page, the low point arrived at the Oscars in 2008, where Juno was up for four awards. "I could not look at a photo from that red carpet," Page said, adding that certain items of clothing, like the ones he had to wear on the red carpet, made him "feel ill."
As Page spoke to Oprah, he also predicted how audiences might think of this segment. "People might watch this and be like, Oh my gosh, this person is crying about the night that they went to the Oscars?" he said, before stopping himself from pursuing that line of thought. "I think that prevents the ability to allow yourself to feel the pain and reflect on the pain."
Oprah connected Page's red carpet story to a broader point: We never know the battles another person is facing. This certainly applies to celebrities, who project a sliver of themselves into the public eye but retain an interior life the public isn't privy to.
"I felt like I couldn't express the degree of pain that I was in."
"None of us ever know what's going on behind the facade that's shown to us," she said, referencing her recent interview with Meghan Markle, who shared that she was having suicidal thoughts during an event in which she appeared happy in photographs. "All human beings go through a level of pain that is relatable. If you only knew what that person was going through you could see yourself in that person.
Page's suffering was so constant that he contemplated quitting acting. "There were periods where I felt like I barely was existing," he said. But he continued to work in Hollywood as an actor, producer, and director. Page said that while reading Janet Mock's Redefining Realness, the thought occurred to him that he was trans, like the author. "And it was like I took the thought and shoved it away," he said. During the forced stillness of the pandemic, Page said he could finally relax. "It allowed me to connect to my body in a way that I could really, fully listen to myself."
Today, Page says he relishes being in his body. In his Time cover story, Page shared that he had top surgery, a procedure to remove breast tissue.
"It's an incredible sensation that I am experiencing and it keeps unfolding. This is incredibly new. I feel like I haven't gotten to be myself since I was 10 years old. All of these moments of joy and euphoria in my body," he said. Now, when he looks in the mirror, he feels aligned. "Oh, there I am. And a part of me was like, Why was that so hard? Why?"
Oprah's full interview will touch more on Page's childhood, career, and activism. To watch the entirety of their talk, head over to AppleTV+. The episode is available to AppleTV+ subscribers, as are Oprah's past interviews with luminaries like former President Barack Obama,poet Amanda Gorman, comedian Eddie Murphy, historian Ibram X. Kendi, the one and only Dolly Parton, and more.
Watch The Oprah Conversation HERE.
Beyonce and Michelle Williams were Reunited On Zoom For The Birth Of Kelly Rowland’s Son
Even with the pandemic forcing distance between them, the ladies of Destiny’s Child showed up via Zoom to support Kelly Rowland as she gave birth to her second son back in January.
Rowland spoke with PEOPLE (The TV Show!), where she revealed that her January 21st labor was witnessed on video chat by her and husband Tim Weatherspoon’s loved ones. This included her group mates and best friends, Michelle Williams and Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, and Bey’s mother, Tina Knowles.
She called her “sisters” “awesome, awesome, awesome, awesome” aunts who met baby Noah immediately.
Rowland has always been vocal about her love for Bey and Michelle. In a February interview with Entertainment Tonight, the “Motivation” singer got emotional, describing the first time her besties met Noah in person.
“The girls were literally over here at the house just recently, and when they met the baby, it was like another part of my heart just … being able to share space with Michelle and Bey is truly a gift.”
Kelly Rowland and Weatherspoon married in May 2014. The couple shares a six-year-old son, Titan Jewell, born in November 2014.
Jessa Duggar and Husband Ben Seewald Denounce Josh Duggar After Child Pornography Arrest!
Jessa Duggar Seewald and her husband, Ben Seewald, responded to her older brother Josh Duggar's arrest in a joint statement they shared on their Instagram profiles Saturday. Josh, 33, was arrested by U.S. Marshals on Thursday and charged with one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. He is being held at the Washington County, Arkansas jail without bail.
"We are saddened to hear of the charges against Josh," Seewald, 28, and Ben, 25, wrote. "As Christians, we stand against any form of pornography or abuse and we desire for the truth to be exposed, whatever that may be. Our prayers are with their family as they walk through this difficult time." The couple shared the statement as Instagram Story posts on their Instagram pages.
Duggar made his first court appearance during his arraignment on Friday, appearing virtually via Zoom. His next hearing is scheduled for May 5, when the judge will decide if he can be released on bail before the trial starts in July. If Josh is granted bail, U.S Chief Magistrate Judge Erin L. Wiedemann ordered that Josh not live in a residence with minors. Josh's attorneys entered a not guilty plea.
"Josh Duggar has been charged in a two-count indictment," his attorneys, Justin Gelfand, Travis W. Story, and Greg Payne, said Friday. "He has pled not guilty to both charges and we intend to defend this case aggressively and thoroughly. In this country, no one can stop prosecutors from charging a crime. But when you're accused, you can fight back in the courtroom — and that is exactly what Josh intends to do."
In 2015, a 2006 police report including allegations that Duggar molested five underage girls when he was 14 and 15 surfaced, leading to TLC canceling 19 Kids and Counting. Four of Duggar's victims were his sisters, including Jessa and Jill Duggar Dillard, who gave an interview with Fox News' Megyn Kelly at the time the scandal broke. Later in 2015, Duggar admitted to cheating on his wife, Anna Duggar, after his name came up in the Ashley Madison data breach. Duggar apologized for cheating on Anna and having a pornography addiction. He went to faith-based rehab and remains married to Anna. The couple has six children, and Anna is pregnant with their seventh.
Dillard and her husband, Derick Dillard, have also spoken out on Josh's arrest. "We just found out this information yesterday," the two said. "It is very sad." While the Seewalds remain close with the Duggar family, the Dillards revealed last year that they are no longer close with Dillard's parents, Jim Bob Duggar and Michelle Duggar.
"We appreciate your continued prayers for our family at this time. The accusations brought against Joshua today are very serious," Jim Bob and Michelle said in their own statement. "It is our prayer that the truth, no matter what it is, will come to light, and that this will all be resolved in a timely manner. We love Josh and Anna and continue to pray for their family."
Russell Wilson and Ciara Surprise Students with $35,000 to Start Savings Account!
Almost anyone can agree that saving and investing your money is an important thing to learn as early as you can. Ciara and Russell Wilson decided to not only school almost 900 students from Seattle’s Denny International Middle School on the subject but also leave them with a little gift.
As a way to honor Financial Literacy Month, the Wilsons’ “Why Not You Foundation” partnered up with the NFL Player’s Association and a financial technology company called Goalsetter on April 27, to teach middle school students about the importance of investing and saving. In addition to taking part in the presentation, Russell and Ciara donated $35,000 to give the students a head start in their savings accounts. Each student will start with $40 and will not be able to touch the savings account until they are
Goalsetter CEO Tanya Van Court started with a presentation called “Building Wealth – A Blueprint to Financial Freedom Inspired by Hip Hop,” which detailed how rapper Jay-Z was able to become a billionaire through investing. Then, Russell and Ciara appeared, with Russell starting their segment by informing the students that “Financial literacy and building wealth is so important.” He continued, “Ciara and I really wanted to talk to you all because we didn’t come from much and we had big visions, we had big goals, big dreams.”
The pair went on to quiz the class with some questions about investing. One was about Jeff Bezos and how the 53 million shares he owns in Amazon stock used to be worth $1.50 apiece in 1997, but now one share is worth $3,000 (actually $3467.42 at this writing). After the quiz, Ciara dropped another “jewel” for the class, telling them that while investing in stocks is good, they should also be sure to invest in themselves.
She said, “doing that can pay back tremendously if you invest the right way and do the right things and make sure that you’re putting everything into all that you do.” She added, “Investing is very powerful and it will also allow you to create an opportunity to build legacy for your family.”
Before ending their speech Russell was asked for advice on where they should start investing. The Seattle Seahawks quarterback replied, “I am a big believer in technology.” He later said, “What’s really changing the world is technology. So what I would do is not just invest in your finances but invest your time into learning technology.”
Before leaving the virtual presentation, Russell said, “once again, we can’t wait to see where you all end up and how you guys impact the world.”
Kelly Price Is Engaged, But Won’t Share Her Fiancé’s Identity Yet!
Kelly Price has been through quite a lot in the last six years. She lost her sister, her mother, her grandfather, and filed for divorce after 23-years of marriage. Price said that even though the divorce was necessary and the marriage needed to end, still the process was not fun.
And as you can imagine getting back out there into the dating world after more than two decades of marriage wasn’t exactly fun either. And after adjusting to the shock of today’s dating culture, Price made it through. During our exclusive interview with her, she shared that she’s currently engaged. See what she had to say about dating, her engagement and she and her new man’s plans for the future.
Dating was weird when I started. Very first date, no lie, I thought the date went well. I drove myself because I didn’t want anybody to know where I lived. We met at a location and I think within two hours of getting home I had a very erect body part from the person I had gone on the date with in my phone.
I literally screamed and dropped my phone. I was like, ‘What the hell?! What is this?’ So I called a couple of my girlfriends and they were like, ‘Oh yeah girl, that’s normal.’ I thought, you’ve got to be kidding me.
So I did not like dating. I’m actually engaged right now. I haven’t said anything much publicly yet but I’ve been with someone for about two years now. I intentionally kept it quiet because I told myself when it comes time to let the world know, I’ll let the world know exactly who that individual is.
I have my own litmus test of things. So I needed every situation to be tried out before I said, ‘Yes, I’ll do this again.’ Because I’ve done this before and divorce is not fun even when you know you need to get divorced. It’s not fun.
Now, I do know better, if for some reason, it doesn’t work, I won’t ever force myself to stay in a situation that’s not working. But I am taking my time and vetting everything. And not just the individual. Because when you meet a person, you like them and you’re feeling them, you have to decide whether you love them enough to deal with their family. And they love you enough to deal with yours. What other family members think may not control what happens in your house but it wil have some level of affect because you’re literally taking two backgrounds, you’re meshing them and trying to become one in everything.
So you have to take the time to have conversations. A forty-something-year-old divorced Kelly went in very shocked but decided you have to date or you’ll never know what it’s like because you never dated before. You married your first boyfriend and you see how that turned out.
But I am happy to say I am very happy, I am very in love, I am very engaged.
I did a huge wedding on my tenth anniversary the first time. This time, I’ll probably have a wedding that will be very small and intimate and some place tropical, only very close and friends and family, and have an amazing party after the ceremony is over. And just continue to live life.”
Irv Gotti Issues Public Apology For Speaking ‘Out Of Turn’ About DMX!
Irv Gotti has been getting dragged in the streets of social media like a Raggedy Andy doll for remarks he made about DMX‘s death.
During an interview with WCGI, the record exec claimed his dear friend died because he overdosed on cracked laced with fentanyl and he said DMX had been diagnosed with COVID-19.
In a statement issued on his Instagram page, Irv admitted he was only repeating what he read on gossip blogs.
He hadn’t confirmed the information before repeating and spreading it publicly.
Irv went on to say he has apologized DMX’s ex-wife, Tashera Simmons, as well as others who were closed to X and loved him dearly.
Irv Gotti is most upset by people questioning his love for DMX because of the comments he made.
Read his full statement below:
1st off. Let me say again. How much I love my ni**a X. The fact that this is coming into Question is the only reason why I feel the need to address the bullsh*t.
I love X and love him Unconditionally and that won’t change til I die. Dog Love. Now the interview I did for @wgci and @kendragmedia is the interview where I said what I said about DMX. Now Everything I said. Had already been reported in the media.
If you look back at @balleralert and @theshaderoom and other media outlets. everything I said had been out there already. I did not break anything I said. But you know what. I understand. No one wanted to hear it from me. And for that I am truly sorry. To ever make people think. I don’t love my ni**a X. Anybody that knows me or knew X. Cannot ever front like me and X didn’t share a special bond. I put my whole career on the line for X. And did things for X that is unquestionable. Our relationship grew and grew to the point where I feel I understood X and the love he wanted. That’s why I say DOG LOVE. Unconditional LOVE is what I gave X. It didn’t matter to me anything he was doing. I loved him. And always would try and do the best for him.
I spoke with @tasherasimmons Who I love also. And I apologized as soon as I seen it went left. I explained to her I was only saying things that I heard reported already. To which she said they don’t know if it’s real yet. They are waiting for the doctors to come back and tell them. Then which I apologized even more. For repeating what had been reported. I apologize to my brothers @general_over_everything and @waahdean They know exactly where my heart is with X. And where my heart is with them. We have done things together. That will never change how I feel about them. They are my brothers.
Again. I apologize for talking out of turn. In my defense. I honestly thought I wasn’t saying anything that everyone didn’t hear already. If anyone thinks the love I have for X is nothing but genuine unconditional love. Just look at our history. Really look at it. And there is no way you can think that. Love you X. Until I die and see you again. #ripdmx #doglove #ruffryders #family
Wanya Morris Responds to Kandi Burruss’ Claims Of “Bad Experience” Working With Boyz II Men!
Kandi Burruss claimed she didn’t have the best experience working with Boyz II Men when she sat down with Eddie Levert and his daughter on IG live.
In the interview, the RHOA star called it a “Bad Experience” that actually led to a falling out when the group disrespected her.
“I hate to do it. Ain’t no love lost, I mean, this is 100 years later, so it doesn’t even matter. But yeah, I had a bad experience in the studio with Boyz II Men,” Burruss said in response to a question about which artists were tough to work with.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been disrespected like that before in a studio in my life,” she added. “It was crazy, really. But at the end of the day that was a long time ago. Clearly, you know, we’ve moved past that or whatever.”
Now Boyz II Men’s Wanya Morris has responded to Kandi’s comments with remarks of his own.
During an Instagram live, Morris spoke about the situation insinuating that Kandi was reportedly unhappy after they split songwriting credits for a song called “Good Guy.”
“We’ve been taught you write [a song] and you split [songwriting credits] down the middle, that way there’s no discrepancies… we’re from the old school. We’re from the ‘aye, you write a lyric, I’ll write a lyric’… It’s really about just building this whole thing together,” he explained.
Wanya also reiterated that there was definitely “no love lost” between him and Kandi in a parting shot.
“I have nothing bad to say about Kandi, it’s just we work different,” he explained. “[Kandi] can’t get on here and sing better than Jayna Brown. She can’t get on here and sing better than Liamani [Segura],” Morris said before adding, “I respect her opinion, and I respect what she says.”
Jennifer Lopez And Ben Affleck Spotted Together, Sources Claim They “Have A Lot of Love for Each!
More than 17 years after the breakup of “Bennifer,” Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez seem to have remained very close.
According to People, sources are saying the former couple still admire each other after the two were spotted spending time with each other at Lopez’s L.A. home.
This week paps caught Affleck leaving a white Escalade that Lopez was also photographed sitting in. The timing of the photos is leaving many to wonder if the pair are rekindling a romance weeks after Lopez broke up with Alex Rodriguez.
“They have spent time together in L.A. over the past week,” a source told PEOPLE. “They have a lot of love for each other. They have always admired each other,” the source explained.
JAY-Z and Jack Dorsey’s Square close TIDAL deal for $350 million
The mega-sale of JAY-Z’s TIDAL streaming service to Jack Dorsey’s Square is officially complete. TMZ broke the news on Friday (April 30), revealing that Hov sold a majority stake in his company to Square, a financial services platform, for $350 million. Although JAY and Dorsey announced the new venture last month, the outlet writes that the two entrepreneurs closed the deal this morning.
Per the deal, TMZ reports that Square has acquired 80 percent ownership in TIDAL along with licensing deals with the major record labels and recording artists who are involved with the company. JAY and Roc Nation CEO Desiree Perez, who reportedly helped to complete the transaction, will stay on as board members to oversee TIDAL.
JAY-Z sells majority stake in TIDAL to Jack Dorsey’s Square!
The sale marks a major return of investment for JAY, who initially launched TIDAL in 2015 with $56 million. At the time, he started the streaming service as a partnership with a number of high-profile artists, including his wife Beyoncé, Rihanna, Kanye West, Alicia Keys, Madonna and more.
Hov quickly began making money off the investment, selling a 33 percent share in the company to Sprint in 2017 for an undisclosed sum.
“I said from the beginning that TIDAL was about more than just streaming music, and six years later, it has remained a platform that supports artists at every point in their careers,” JAY-Z tweeted back in March after announcing the majority stake sale. “Artists deserve better tools to assist them in their creative journey.”
Here’s how much money JAY-Z reportedly made from his massive Ace of Spades sale
“Jack is one of the greatest minds of our times, and our many discussions about TIDAL’s endless possibilities have made me even more inspired about its future,” he added. “This shared vision makes me even more excited to join the Square board. This partnership will be a game-changer for many. I look forward to all this new chapter has to offer!”
With the deal finalized, JAY is also now a member of Square’s Board of Directors.
“I’m grateful for JAY’s vision, wisdom and leadership... and I’m inspired to work with him,” Dorsey previously tweeted.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
‘MR. POO POO’
Poo Poo Poo!
HAVE A GREAT WEEK AHEAD ALL!!!
EFREM
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