#FASHIONFAB: Balenciaga Pre-Fall 2022 Campaign
Photographer Nadia Lee Cohen [IG] shoots the Balenciaga Pre-Fall 2022 campaign in what might be the most sober snaps in the Brit’s portfolio. Models Abdou Diop, Bella Hadid, Inti Wang , Kit Butler, Lina Zhang, and Zhuo Chen are joined by French-Malian pop singer Aya Nakamura. Samia Giobellina styles the campaign, with art direction by Balenciaga’s Demna himself./ Hair by Gary Gill; makeup by Inge Grognard
For Cohen, the Balenciaga Pre-Fall 2022 campaign breaks as the photographer opens her first solo US exhibition ‘HELLO, My Name Is’ at Jeffrey Deitch Los Angeles. The Nadia Lee Cohen show is open thru August 13, 2022 at 925 N Orange Drive.
Demna channels the mid-to-late ‘90s, a time he imagines that the only permitted fashion color was black. Being only 14 in 1995, the Balenciaga creative star agrees that he can’t really remember the clothes from the period. The marketing for the show included a cassette marked ‘Balenciaga: The Lost Tape.’
“It’s like discovering a show that never happened—it was a blurry period for Balenciaga, before Nicolas Ghesquière arrived,” the marketing explains. Reflecting on the cassette, Demna describes it artfully: “It’s like a useless, archeological artifact. I like nostalgia. I think it gains new value when everything is metaverse and cyber,” he said with a laugh. “I mean, I do embrace those projects too, with the games, clones, cyber-fiction, and everything.”
Regarding Demna’s imagining that the color black ruled in the ‘90s, he has to be correct, even though AOC can’t validate his genius memory. The recollection isn’t one we shared, but what matters is that black is Demna’s fav color. Period.
We’re hung up on the rise of Black culture during the ‘90s here in America — including hip hop becoming really entrenched — and a whole lot of color. Demna’s memory is one of “gay Soviet Georgia underground clubs.”
Balenciaga shared really exciting news on the sustainability front, including the brand’s shift to using ‘fourth choice’ leathers. These hides have been rejected for some imperfection, and the term ‘fourth choice’ is theirs.
“Everything we buy is made from leftover skins that would otherwise be burned. If you can make it into a skirt or a jacket, why not? You can find a lot of this, all over the place. We’ve been doing this for a while
Balenciaga is also using the use of GOTS-certified organic cotton, recycled polyamide and polyester, and responsibly sourced viscose.
#RHOA: Kandi Burrus Responds To Castmates And Fans Who Call Her Boring
The Real Housewives of Atlanta star Kandi Burrus has maintained a successful career in the entertainment business for decades. Burrus is a member of the hit group Xscape, an award-winning songwriter penning songs like "No Scrubs," and an owner of several businesses - with hit products from her adult toy line Bedroom Kandi, and several restaurants with her husband Todd Tucker. Hands down, Burrus is a housewife who knows how to secure the bag and stay relevant. Among accomplishing all these things, Burruss is the longest consecutive cast member on the Bravo reality series. She's showcased her whole life on TV but to some, it's been lackluster lately. Fans and castmates are now saying that Burrus is boring and she is not happy about the comments.
Marlo Hampton calls out Burruss
Burrus is being called out by new peach holder Marlo Hampton, who has had a lot to say about Burruss during the current season, even referring to her as a garden tool. During a recent appearance on Reality With the King podcast, Hampton told former Housewives producer Carlos King that Burruss has been “coasting” for a while on the show and that she wanted to make Burruss work for her check. Hampton even went on to say that Burrus doesn’t do enough for the Black culture.
Burrus responds to fans and Hampton
Urban Belle Mag reports that Burruss recently chatted with Ryan Cameron on 107.5 radio and said she’s damned if she does or doesn’t on the show. For starters, Burruss is furious that Hampton has so much to say about her, especially since she was one of the ones that advocated for Hampton to become a full-time cast member.
In regards to her being labeled boring, she said, “I totally feel you and I understand you on that. Here’s my other opposite to that, right? People say they don’t wanna see all the arguing and all of that, right? Which that can be a bit much but the shows that don’t really have any drama or anything like that people wanna say you’re boring.”
She added: “I know particularly even with myself like right now I know somebody was saying oh, they felt like they had to make me work. I ain’t even gonna say who it was. But because they feel like I’m not really being in the drama as much or I’m “boring” but people relate, ‘Oh you don’t have a lot of craziness happening in your life or you don’t really have a lot of drama happening in your life,’ to all of a sudden now you’re boring.”
“But say for instance when I had a lot of family turmoil or my relationship was going crazy, I lost somebody that was close to me and stuff like that, then it’s, ‘Oh, we love you,’ then. But if things are going well, business is going well it’s, ‘All she does is talk about her business.’ So it’s like you can’t win for losing.”
#MusicNews: Brandy Signs With Motown Records
Brandy is joining the Motown family. As she gets ready to embark on the next chapter of her career, the R&B icon has inked a partnership with Motown Records.
Brandy is currently putting the finishing touches on her eighth full-length studio album and Motown Records debut, her first album in two years, described as her “boldest, biggest, and best era yet.”
“Brandy is one of the most prolific voices in the history of music,” Motown CEO and Chairwoman Ethiopia Habtemariam said in a statement. “Her contribution to R&B continues to influence newcomers and contemporaries around the world. We are ecstatic to welcome Brandy to the Motown family and eager to join her in making musical history.”
Brandy joins the iconic label, home to acts including Diddy, Lil Baby, Erykah Badu, and City Girls.
“Thank you God. I’m so excited for this beautiful journey @motown,” she tweeted.
Brandy’s previous album, 2020’s B7, was released independently via her label Brand Nu through eOne.
To celebrate the announcement, Brandy delivered a special performance of her B7 track “Rather Be” for COLORSxSTUDIOS in honor of Black Music Month.
#HipHopNews: Megan Thee Stallion Signed With JAY-Z’s Roc Nation
JAY-Z knows the key to Megan Thee Stallion’s heart. The Houston rapper revealed that she signed with Roc Nation after Hov surprised her with her favorite snack, Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. While speaking on the “If You’re Not First, You’re Last” panel at Cannes Lions on Thursday, Meg recalled her meeting with the famed management company.
“I thought I was coming to meet the leader and it was just going to be Roc Nation staff like showing me around,” she said, according to Page Six. “And then JAY-Z walks in the room, and I’m like, ‘I didn’t know JAY-Z was coming to my meeting!'”
But it was what he was carrying that really sweetened the deal. “But he comes in the room and he has like six platters of Hot Cheetos and he’s like, ‘I heard you like Hot Cheetos!’ And I was sold,” she joked.
Megan’s love for Hot Cheetos is well documented. She even starred in Frito-Lay’s Super Bowl ad for the snack brand.
“When I go to a photo shoot or a video shoot I have to have Hot Cheetos,” she said of her rider. “I always need to really genuinely love it because I need to be authentic. I need to be Megan because if I can’t be Megan, who am I?”
Meg is back in album mode and has 25 to 30 songs recorded for the follow-up to her 2020 debut Good News, including a collaboration with Future called “Pressurelicious.” Murda Beatz also produced another track, “Gift and Curse,” which “layers personal revelation on top of exuberant dance music,” according to Rolling Stone.
In Lunatic News: Azealia Banks Calls Out Beyoncé For ‘Stealing’ From Robin S On ‘Break My Soul’
It’s hard to understand how Azealia Banks’ brain works sometimes. Last week, the rapper and noted provocateur vehemently asked people to stop making mash-ups of her music with Beyoncé’s latest single “Break My Soul.” “Please for the love of God,” she posted on her Instagram Story. “They are horrible.” And look, we’ll give her that. She didn’t ask for her music to be thrust alongside Bey’s. But as we try to make sense of how Banks’ mind works, she was clearly perturbed my these mash-ups for a reason. Today, back on her Instagram story soap box, she went on a tirade accusing Beyoncé of “stealing” from Robin S, and then some.
For posterity, her actual words claimed that Bey, “…is out here pretending to support Black divas with bouquets of wilted flowers after stealing their art, arrogantly assuming they don’t have money for legal counsel… and muscling them into making stock PR statements to cover up this messy album roll out..”
Ok, let’s backtrack for a second. Beyoncé sampled Robin S’ 90s house hit “Show Me Love” on “Break My Soul,” and fully credited her as a songwriter. While Robin S said that she was not contacted ahead of time, she did post a video thanking Beyoncé and her team (including Jay-Z) profusely, saying, “Thank you so much for giving me my flowers while I’m still alive.”
It’s safe to say that Robin S stands to make a dandy sum from royalty checks off of “Break My Soul,” but Banks, who has noted beefs with everyone from Cardi B to Elon Musk, thinks she sees right through Beyoncé’s intent. She suggests that the best way for Beyoncé to repent for this sin of “stealing,” is to provide an, “update on Koi Knowles,” the alleged sister and daughter of Bey’s father, Mathew Knowles. Or as Banks calls her, “…your little sister you think we forgot about?” Here’s Banks’ full post from her Instagram Story:
It’s hard to understand how the two issues are analogous, but it makes sense to Azealia Banks? An hour after calling out Beyoncé, Banks posted a video of her song, “I Rule The World,” on her Instagram, which has been out since February. Just another day for Ms. Banks…
Elon Musk Sued For $258 Billion Over Allegedly Defrauding Crypto Investors In Dogecoin Pyramid Scheme
Elon Musk might be paying up billions soon if found guilty in the latest lawsuit he’s facing.
Elon Musk, SpaceX, and Tesla, Inc. were sued for $258 billion over allegations they are a part of a fraudulent scheme to back the cryptocurrency Dogecoin. According to reports, billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk and his companies have been sued by Keith Johnson, “an American citizen who was defrauded out of money by defendants’ Dogecoin Crypto Pyramid Scheme.”
Johnson is expected to represent a class of investors who have allegedly lost money from trading Dogecoin since April 2019. He is seeking the amount of $86 billion in damages, as well as triple damages of $172 billion.
In addition, Johnson is asking for an order blocking Elon Musk and his influential companies from promoting the cryptocurrency Dogecoin, and declaring that Dogecoin trading constitutes gambling under US and New York law.
Johnson claims the defendants put in place an illegal racketeering enterprise to inflate Dogecoin’s price. The lawsuit adds that,
“since Elon Musk and his corporations SpaceX and Tesla, Inc. began purchasing, developing, promoting, supporting, and operating Dogecoin since 2019, [the] Plaintiff and the class has lost approximately $86 billion in this Crypto Pyramid Scheme.”
Johnson said in his complaint,
“Defendants falsely and deceptively claim that Dogecoin is a legitimate investment when it has no value at all.”
Reportedly, Johnson’s lawsuit includes accusations of Musk gathering “the support of celebrities, influencers, and billionaire investors,” as well as thousands of followers on social media platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, to boost “the price, trading volume, and market cap of Dogecoin.”
On Thursday (June 16), Dogecoin was trading at about 5 cents a coin. At its all-time high, the cryptocurrency reached 74 cents a coin last year before losing those gains. Musk has not yet commented on the lawsuit.
Musk’s net worth is reported as $201.4 billion. As previously reported, the entrepreneur and businessman recently landed a new deal to buy the social networking platform, Twitter. Twitter’s board agreed to sell the company to Musk for $44 billion on April 25, 2022. In his offer letter to Twitter, Musk wrote,
“I invested in Twitter as I believe in its potential to be the platform for free speech around the globe, and I believe free speech is a societal imperative for a functioning democracy. However, since making my investment I now realize the company will neither thrive nor serve this societal imperative in its current form. Twitter needs to be transformed as a private company.”
What are your thoughts on the lawsuit?
‘A Black Lady Sketch Show’ Creator Robin Thede Snags Overall Deal With HBO
The three-year deal allows her to exclusively create content for the network, HBO Max, and Warner Bros. TV.
Robin Thede is extending her relationship with HBO as the multi-hyphenate has signed an overall deal with the network. Thede has snagged a three-year deal that allows her to exclusively create content for HBO, HBO Max, and Warner Bros. TV.
The deal is the second pact she has signed after signing a similar contract with HBO’s sister company, Warner Bros. TV. The news arrives on the heels of A Black Lady Sketch Show has been renewed for its fourth season on HBO Max. The star, creator, and executive producer gushed about the new deal on her social media.
“When I signed my first overall deal, I tweeted ‘If you need me, I’ll be in my bag,’ Thede typed on her Twitter page. “Welp, looks like it’s time to get a bigger bag.”
Making its debut on August 2, 2019, A Black Lady Sketch Show was released to universal acclaim. The HBO Max show is a sketch comedy comprised of a main cast of Black women: Gabrielle Dennis, Ashley Nicole Black, Skye Townsend, and Thede herself. Since its debut, the show has won one of eight Emmy nominations, a 2020 TCA Award for Outstanding Achievement in Sketch/Variety Shows, and a Black Reel Award.
In addition to A Black Lady Sketch Show, the showrunner and director has her hands in other projects, including the upcoming Fashionably Black for HBO Max, produced by Michael B. Jordan’s production company Outlier Society.
On Thursday (June 24), Robin Thede, along with mogul L.A. Reid, won an award for Innovator of the Year from the Black empowerment organization Culture Creators for her work as a comedian, actress, writer, and creator.
Lizzo And Live Nation Pledge To Donate $1 Million To Planned Parenthood And Pro-Choice Organizations
The Roe v. Wade overturn by the Supreme Court is galvanizing the entertainment industry, and singer Lizzo is leading the charge, announcing today that she’ll contribute to the fight.
Lizzo is one of several artists who have spoken out against the overturn of Roe v. Wade. Ahead of her upcoming tour in support of her upcoming second major-label album, Special, the “About Damn Time” rapper is teaming up with Live Nation to donate a portion of the sales from her tour to Planned Parenthood.
“I’m pledging $500k from my upcoming tour to Planned Parenthood and Abortion Rights,” she said in an Instagram post. “Live Nation agreed to match— to make it 1 MILLION dollars.”
Lizzo continued, emphasizing the importance of remaining vocal and providing funds to organizations aimed toward helping people affected by today’s ruling, including Planned Parenthood and the National Network Of Abortion Funds.
“Black women & women of color have historically had disproportionately less access to family planning resources— this is a great loss but not a new one,” Lizzo continued.
Additionally, Live Nation has shared plans to cover travel expenses for employees who reproductive care services outside of their home states and to cover bail expenses if any of their employees are arrested for protesting peacefully. They are also working on initiatives supporting voter registration and turnout.
Throughout her career, Lizzo has been outspoken in her support of marginalized communities. Earlier this month, she re-recorded a portion of her song “Grrls,” when fans expressed concern over an ableist slur in the song’s lyrics. “As an influential artist I’m dedicated to being part of the change I’ve been waiting to see in the world,” she said.
Lizzo’s Special tour is set to kick off in September, with guest, Latto.
Off-duty Rhode Island officer attacks Black female political opponent at abortion rights rally
An off-duty police officer and former Rhode Island Republican state Senate candidate allegedly attacked his Black female opponent during an abortion rights rally following the United States Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade.
The alleged attacker, Jeann Lugo, dropped out of the race Saturday afternoon (June 25) and is currently under investigation. “I will not be running for any office this fall,” he wrote on Twitter, before temporarily deactivating his account.
Rhode Island Political Cooperative co-founder and one of Lugo’s Democratic opponents, Jennifer Rourke, said that her opponent violently attacked her at the Friday night (June 24) rally outside the state house in Providence.
“I’m a reproductive rights organizer & State Senate candidate. Last night, after speaking at our Roe rally, my Republican opponent – a police officer – violently attacked me,” she wrote in a Tweet that included a video snippet of the incident. “This is what it is to be a Black woman running for office. I won’t give up.”
The video, which was taken by Bill Bartholomew, a local journalist who runs The Bartholomewtown Podcast, shows a man throwing two punches at a woman’s head. According to a campaign spokesman, Rourke went to a hospital in Kent, Rhode Island, on Saturday (June 25) for a CT scan.
The Providence Police Department tweeted Saturday (June 25) that it is “criminally investigating the behavior of an off-duty officer last evening during a protest where a female was assaulted.” The officer was not identified by name in the tweet and was said to be placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
“As an officer that swore to protect and serve our communities, I, unfortunately, saw myself in a situation that no individual should see themselves in. I stepped in to protect someone that a group of agitators was attacking,” Lugo said in a statement before dropping out of the Senate race. “At this moment, there’s a pending internal investigation, and as the facts of the incident come to light, I request that my family and I have privacy.”
President Joe Biden signs gun control bill into law
In the wake of all the deadly mass shootings, President Joe Biden on Saturday (June 25) signed into law the first major and most significant United States federal gun control bill passed in nearly 30 years.
“God willing, it’s going to save a lot of lives,” the president said at the White House as he signed the bill with the First Lady Jill Biden by his side.
The bill — titled the “Bipartisan Safer Communities Act” includes:
Tougher background checks for young buyers.
$15 billion in federal funding for mental health programs and school security upgrades.
Funding to encourage states to implement “red flag” laws to remove firearms from people considered a threat.
Closing the “boyfriend loophole” by banning all those convicted of domestic abuse from owning a gun – not just those who are married to their victims or live with them.
“While this bill doesn’t do everything I want, it does include actions I’ve long called for that are going to save lives,” Biden said. “Today, we say more than ‘enough.’ We say more than enough. This time, when it seems impossible to get anything done in Washington, we are doing something consequential.”
In May, there were two mass shootings. One at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, and another at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, which left a total of 31 people dead. The gunman in the Texas shooting reportedly purchased two semi-automatic rifles days after he turned 18.
The bill was released by Republican Senators John Cornyn of Texas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Democratic Senators Chris Murphy of Connecticut and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona. The new legislation is very significant because it is the first time in decades that the reform has received support from both Democrats and Republicans. The efforts to strengthen United States gun laws have historically been blocked by the Republican party.
The National Rifle Association (NRA) opposed the bill, arguing that it would not stop the violence.
Cardi B slams trolls for calling her daughter Kulture 'autistic'
Cardi B addressed a Twitter user who asked her to get off social media and pay attention to her kids.
Cardi B doesn't believe in mincing her words! She calls a spade a spade. And, when trolls target her 4-year-old daughter Kulture, she defends her and stands like her shield. Recently, a Twitter user asked the 'Bodak Yellow' rapper to get off the micro-blogging site and pay attention to her kids, saying that her daughter has autism.
Responding to the distasteful tweet, Cardi wrote, "My daughter is not autistic…You can't call her ugly so y'all have to diagnose her wit something. Go play in traffic b**ch (sic)"
In another tweet, she wrote, "30,40,50 …Don’t bring my kids up on s**t…This is all because I put a video of me dancing and y’all wanted me to talk about rod vs wade… WHY YALL BRING UP KIDS FOR? W*f my kids gotta do wit yall misery? (sic)"
Later, she retweeted several supportive posts from her fans on her account.
While many came to Cardi's defence, a few spoke negatively about her. One user wrote, "Starting to realize a lot of y’all are the problem and not Cardi just saying yall be on her page more then her fans regardless of who she responds to she only responds cause yall there on HER PAGE and then get to victim blaming when she responds yall really weird. (sic)"
Another wrote, "I love you @iamcardib you have a BEAUTIFUL family! People in life are real deal miserable and I hate the fact you go through this dumb s**t now they talking dumb about your kids smh 🙄 typical. You are a STAR. They are jealous of your life , husband and family. (sic)"
Meanwhile, a Twitter user wrote, "I have to grandsons with Autism. They are my heart. I don't know what made people call your daughter Autistic, but it's nothing to be ashamed of."
Cardi is married to rapper Offset. The pair tied the knot in a secret ceremony in September 2017. They welcomed their daughter Kulture in 2018 and their son Wave in September last year.
Mariah Carey Makes Surprise Appearance at Hollywood Unlocked Impact Awards 2022 Hosted by Tiffany Haddish
Mariah Carey is hitting the stage at the 2022 Hollywood Unlocked Impact Awards!
The entertainer made a surprise appearance during the ceremony hosted by Tiffany Haddish held at the Beverly Hilton on Friday night (June 24) in Beverly Hills, Calif.
During the event, Lizzo was honored with the Fearlessness Award, Jenifer Lewis was honored with the Perserverance Award, Floyd Mayweather received the Pioneer Award, and Kelis was honored with the Innovation Award.
Other stars in attendance included model Jeremy Meeks and stylist Law Roach.
Naomi Osaka Criticized On Social Media For Unintentionally Giving Her Company With Lebron James A ‘Vulgar’ Name
Tennis player Naomi Osaka has ruffled many feathers over the unintentional “offensive” name she chose to name her new media company, Hana Kuma. The 24-year-old founded the firm in partnership with NBA star Lebron James, but people on social media are said to be furious about its interesting name choice.
“hana kuma” means “flower bear” in Japanese, but Twitter users quickly chimed in, saying that the name of Naomi’s company has a rather explicit meaning in Swahili, where it translates to “woman without a vagina,” sparking a heap of backlash from people — particularly in African countries — urging her to rebrand her company.
“Naomi Osaka has partnered with LeBron James to start a media company called Hana Kuma. Well, this ‘Hana Kuma’ name means something different in Swahili. I won’t say it,” Ugandan journalist Daniel Kibet tweeted. Another social user, who was clearly triggered by Naomi’s decision to call her company Hana Kuma, added, “She should have been well advised [that] it has a very vulgar meaning in Swahili which is spoken by many people.”
A third said, “Did they do a global search on what the name means? Amazing the lack of research. Lots of money, but that brand won’t fly in Africa. Let it stay in America and Japan. It’s offensive. Do you even have a clue what it means? Get rid of your ego and change the name. God forgive your ignorance.”
Naomi has not responded to the controversy surrounding the name of her company, but it’s already presumed she will most likely go ahead and rebrand her firm to avoid any confusion. Swahili is spoken by an estimated 200 million people worldwide, with most of those speakers being based in East Africa.
During her interview with The New YorkTimes, the four-time Grand Slam superstar said that she has high hopes for Hana Kuma, which she hopes to turn into a top Hollywood media business that will produce documentaries, TV shows, and original content. Lebron’s marketing firm, SpringHill, which he co-founded, is a partner of Hana Kuma.
“What excites me is being able to inspire people and tell new stories, particularly ones that I would have wanted to see when I was a kid,” Naomi said in regards to her latest business move. “I always wanted to kind of see someone like me.”
Naomi is currently the highest-paid female athlete in sports, having made a colossal $57 million last year alone, with much of her earnings stemming from endorsement deals and partnerships with companies such as Louis Vuitton and Nike.
Two Killed And 19 Injured Outside Bars In Norway’s LBGTQ+ District
A mass shooting in Oslo, Norway, resulted in two deaths and 19 injuries after an attack carried out outside two bars in the city’s district for LBGTQ+ nightlife.
Witnesses said they saw a man arrive at the scene with a bag and started shooting moments later. However, police captured the suspect, believing he didn’t act alone, as reported by TMZ. The alleged shooter was not identified, and a motive has yet to be determined by investigators.
“When I walked into Cesar’s bar, there were a lot of people starting to run, and there was a lot of screaming. I thought it was a fight out there, so I pulled out. But then I heard that it was a shooting and that someone was shooting with a submachine gun,” Marcus Nybakken told Norwegian broadcaster TV2.
A parade was scheduled to occur on Saturday as the beginning of celebrating Pride Month for a 10-day festival, but officials canceled the event due to the deadly shooting.
Police attorney Christian Hatlo said the alleged shooter would be charged with murder, attempted murder, and terrorism
“Our overall assessment is that there are grounds to believe that he wanted to cause grave fear in the population.”
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere released a statement, calling the shooting a “cruel and deeply shocking attack on innocent people.” Norway’s Royal Family also released an account and offered their condolences to the victims’ families.
“We sympathize with all relatives and affected and send warm thoughts to all who are now scared, restless and in grief . We must stand together to defend our values: freedom, diversity and respect for each other. We must continue to stand up for all people to feel safe.”
The scheduled celebrations were to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Norway decriminalizing homosexuality nationwide.
Grammy Award-Winning Musician, Composer, Songwriter/Producer Bernard Belle, Brother of
*Multiple Grammy Award-winning musician, composer, and songwriter/producer Bernard Belle died Thursday, June 23, at Piedmont Atlanta Hospital in Georgia, at the age of 57. Belle’s official cause of death was due to congestive heart failure, according to his sister and primary caretaker, Regina Belle, a Grammy Award-winning recording artist, who posted on her Facebook Page, “The smartest part of me has passed on. My brother, Bernard Belle was brilliant. Bernie, please help me to shine from heaven. I love you.”
Born November 12, 1964, to the late Judge Belle and his mother, Lois Belle, who now resides in Atlanta, Bernard Belle was born and raised in his hometown of Englewood, and the neighboring town of Teaneck, New Jersey.
During the past seven years, Bernard had suffered from two strokes, and was later moved from Englewood, New Jersey to Signature HealthCARE of Buckhead, where he could be close to his parents, daughter Asia Milner, and sister, Regina.
A world-class musician and songwriter/producer for multiple award-winning pop, R&B and gospel recording artists, including the late Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston, Bernard received his first career break in the 1980s, when Regina, who was performing as a background vocalist for the legendary R&B group, The Manhattans, recommended him to join the group as the bassist.
A multi-instrumentalist (pianist, bassist, guitarist, drummer and vocalist), Bernard later became one of Black Music’s most gifted and prolific creators; penning hits for Michael Jackson such as “Remember the Time” “Privacy,” and “Why You Wanna Trip on Me.” He also produced records for Whitney Houston, Aaron Hall, Keith Sweat, and Al B. Sure! and Today, among numerous others.
During his nearly 40-year career, Bernard partnered with producer Teddy Riley, and together they established footprints and became pioneers of the New Jack Swing era and produced songs for Guy and others.
Some of Bernard Belle’s other credits include Boy George’s “You Found Another Guy” (composer); Regina Belle’s “Baby Come To Me” (composer); “I Gotch U” (composer), “Johnny’s Back,” (composer and producer); along with Regina Belle’s gospel hits “God Is Good,” and “Good to Be Loved” (composer); Guy’s “Let’s Chill,” and “Long Gone” (composer and producer); Hi-Five’s “I Just Can’t Handle It,” and “I Like The Way (The Kissing Game)”; The Winans’ “It’s Time” and “A Friend” (producer and composer); Bobby Brown’s “Get Away,” “Two Can Play That Game,” “One More Night,” and “Something in Common,” a duet with Whitney Houston” (composer and backing vocalist); Patti LaBelle’s “If By Chance” (composer); Glenn Jones’ “I’ve Been Searchin’,” and “In You” (composer and producer); Jaheim’s “The Chosen One” and “Everytime I Think About Her” (writer and producer) and many more.
Bernard has received multiple Grammy Awards, American Music Awards, Billboard Awards, Stellar Gospel Music Awards, and ASCAP and BMI Awards for his music as a songwriter and producer.
In 1994, he re-dedicated his life to Christ. He was also one of the most sought-after musicians and producers in Gospel Music. Under the musical direction of Ray Chew, he was a recurring bassist on BET’s Gospel shows, Sunday Best and the Celebration of Gospel. He also performed with Gospel legends Donnie McClurkin, Shirley Caesar, Richard Smallwood, John P. Kee, Marvin Sapp, Fred Hammond, Yolanda Adams, Tye Tribbett, Mary Mary, Kirk Franklin, Donald Lawrence, Smokie Norful, Hezekiah Walker, and BeBe & CeCe Winans.
While at the rehabilitation center, Bernard finished a series of online seminary courses and received his certification from Bradley Bible College. He was also honored by the facility for being a model patient. The Belle family would like to thank the caregivers of Signature HealthCARE for their service and commitment to Bernard during his time of need.
Bernard Belle has five children Asia Milner of Atlanta, GA; Jahmel Belle of Charlotte, NC; and his identical twin sons Tyrone Belle of Houston, TX, and Tyrell Belle of Englewood, NJ; and Ny’Jeana Belle of Charleston, SC; and his mother, Lois Belle of Atlanta, GA; his sister Regina Belle; and brother-in-law, Bishop John Battle, and a host of grandchildren.
Netflix’s Bad Year Continues – Streamer Lays Off 300 Workers
*(CNN) — Bad times continue for Netflix and it is laying off 300 employees in the midst of a rough year for the streaming giant.
“While we continue to invest significantly in the business, we made these adjustments so that our costs are growing in line with our slower revenue growth,” a company spokesperson told CNN Business Thursday. “We are so grateful for everything they have done for Netflix and are working hard to support them through this difficult transition.”
Thursday’s layoffs impact around 3% of Netflix’s workforce, which includes 11,000 full-time employees. The layoffs are also mostly taking place in the United States. Variety was the first to report the news.
Netflix reported in April that it lost subscribers for the first time in more than a decade. That sent shock waves through Wall Street, leading investors to wipe billions of dollars off Netflix market cap. The company’s stock has plummeted roughly 70% this year.
Last month, Netflix laid off 150 workers, placing the blame on slowing revenue growth.
Netflix has been coming up with ways to turn the negative tide and get the platform, which has 221.6 million subscribers, back on track.
Ideas include introducing a new lower-priced ad tier and clamping down on password sharing among subscribers.
Bill Bellamy “Heartbroken” Family Feud Kept Him From Attending Father’s Memorial Service
Bill Bellamy revealed that a family feud caused him to miss his father’s “unauthorized” memorial service, which left him “heartbroken.”
TMZ reports that the actor and comedian is going through a challenging time right now, losing both his father-in-law and his dad back to back.
While Bellamy was out of the country, his sister Karen made plans to lay their dad to rest on June 24. According to Bellamy, there were already plans in place to lay his father-in-law to rest in a different state at the same time.
Bellamy took drastic measures and filed a restraining order to get the date change, but his attempts were unsuccessful. There was no legal standing for a judge to intervene in a family matter.
“In the span of less than a month, I lost both my father William Bellamy Senior and my father-in-law Bernard Baker Junior,” Bellamy told the outlet. “These two wonderful men that have impacted my life and my family’s lives in ways that are beyond words.”
Bellamy continued, “My effort to stop an unauthorized memorial service for my father, which was planned without my knowledge, was not successful. I am devastated my family has to choose to miss one service for another; no one should ever have to be in this position. My father-in-law’s memorial service was confirmed back in May when he passed.”
Bellamy said there were no words to express his disappointment over missing his father’s service, and he asked for prayers for the families. “I look forward to celebrating my father’s life and legacy with my wife, his grandchildren, and our close friends in our own time,” he added.
Alabama Sheriff’s Deputy Arrested For Promoting Prostitution
An Alabama sheriff’s deputy has been placed on administrative leave after he was charged with promoting prostitution.
Jerrod Moore, 25, was charged with two counts of promoting prostitution in the third degree. The charges are misdemeanors.
Moore is employed with the corrections division of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department, according to a press release from the department.
Warrants were issued for his arrest, and he surrendered himself to the Jefferson County Jail in Birmingham at around 3:30 p.m. on Friday.
Moore was released on a $600 bond.
No other details were made available, and the investigation is ongoing.
“Cheer” Star Jerry Harris Could Serve 15 Years In Prison For Child Porn Case
“Cheer” star Jerry Harris will soon learn his fate in his highly publicized child pornography case.
Though he is facing a maximum of 50 years in prison for his despicable crimes, prosecutors are calling for only 15 years. The former cheerleading coach was found guilty of using cheerleading competitions to solicit minors for sex and coercing teen boys to send him sexually inappropriate photos. He was arrested in September 2020 for soliciting indecent images of minors between December 2018 and March 2020.
Harris admitted to federal agents that he requested sexual images on Snapchat from 10 to 15 boys that he knew were underage.
Born Jeremiah Harris, the admired coach used his “status as a competitive cheerleader, his social media persona, and eventually his celebrity and money to sway the teenagers,” according to prosecutors.
His legal team attributed his behavior to his challenging upbringing and is pushing for a six-year sentence. They pleaded that poverty and homelessness contributed to his inability to make sound decisions. Assistant US Attorney Kelly Guzman also agreed with this reasoning in the sentencing memo recommending a lighter punishment, though he still believes 15 years is fair.
Harris will learn his fate on July 6th
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
HER NEW PET
Walking him on a normal day
HAVE A GREAT DAY EVERYBODY!!!!!!!!
EFREM
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