#FASHIONFILES: The Icon Cher for Balmain’s Blaze Bag Ad Campaign
Following her finale appearance at September’s Balmain Festival, the iconic Cher stars in the campaign for the house’s latest icon: the Blaze. Inspired by Balmain signatures and the spirit of fearless pioneers, Olivier Rousteing’s newest object of desire blazes a trail into the future and invites his daring Balmain army along for the ride.
YES MUVA CHER!
#RHOA: NeNe Leakes Called Out for Revealing Dress at Porsha’s Wedding
The Real Housewives of Atlanta fans are calling out NeNe Leakes for wearing a very revealing dress to Porsha Williams' wedding to Simon Guobadia.
Nene Leakes from The Real Housewives of Atlanta
NeNe Leakes is under fire among The Real Housewives of Atlanta fans who are calling out the revealing dress she decided to wear to Porsha Williams' wedding. Porsha went all out for her two wedding ceremonies to Simon Guobadia in Atlanta. The lavish nuptials were attended by a ton of housewives and Bravo stars from past and present. With Porsha being a RHOA alum, it was only right that she invited a few of her old co-stars like NeNe and Cynthia Bailey.
NeNe did what NeNe does best and had everyone talking about her attendance. It wasn't so much that NeNe shared the same room with the likes of longtime frenemy Kim Zolciak-Biermann. The chatter surrounded NeNe's steamy dress, which left little to the imagination. The Peach Report reposted a photo and video clip that showed off NeNe's see-through sequence-chained dress that revealed her nipples and underwear. While many fans applauded NeNe's good looks, many couldn't get past the X-rated dress she wore to Porsha's formal wedding. "Nene honey I love you girl but why I’m I seeing the underwear at a wedding," one fan asked. "That see through dress is what she chose to wear to someone’s wedding…?" asked another. "This is not proper wedding attire!" one viewer wrote.
NeNe attended the wedding with her boyfriend Nyonisela Sioh. NeNe's boyfriend just recently filed for divorce from his wife Malomine Tehmeh-Sioh. The divorce filing comes months after Malomine filed a lawsuit against NeNe accusing her of being a homewrecker and dating Nyoni while he was still married. Malomine accuses NeNe of causing her emotional distress. But in Nyoni's filing, he claimed that he has been separated from his estranged ex-wife since September 2021. NeNe and Nyoni went public with their romance at her birthday party last December.
NeNe faced criticism when she went public with Nyoni considering it came just three months after the passing of her longtime husband Gregg Leakes. Gregg passed away in September 2021 following a years-long battle with cancer. NeNe claimed Greg gave her his blessing to date other people upon his death. But that didn't stop onlookers from bashing NeNe for going public with someone new so soon after Greg's passing. NeNe and Nyoni have continued to go strong despite the lawsuit from his wife and NeNe's legal battle against Bravo.
Fans remain hopeful for NeNe's return to reality television. Her life has been more drama-filled in wake of her exit from The Real Housewives of Atlanta. Her attendance at Porsha's wedding came just days after she gave fans an update on her son Brentt's health after he was hospitalized for a stroke. Her attendance at Porsha's wedding would've made for good television considering all the familiar faces in the room. But with NeNe, Porsha, and Cynthia gone, the RHOA cameras weren't rolling at the nuptials. Fans are stuck responding to the content shared online and NeNe is likely aware of all the criticism surrounding her sultry dress. But NeNe likely doesn't care.
#MusicNews: Anita Baker Confirms New Music In 2023
"Been So Long" is the title of one of Anita Baker's most cherished songs. It's also the way people feel about her music – it's been so long since we've gotten something new from her. (Just over 10 years, to be exact.) Well, that's all about to change in 2023. Not only is Baker going on a major cross-country concert tour, but the living legend will also bless us with new sounds that we'll finally get to hear in the new year.
Tucked away in the press release announcing the Anita Baker, The Songstress Tour was a quote from the grand dame confirming that she's gotten her groove back. “Looking forward to some crazy, lovely, hang time with my fans, on tour in 2023!" she shared, oozing excitement about her first full-fledged concert tour in 28 years, which will be a celebratory run marking 40 years since the release of her solo debut album The Songtress.
"Gonna, bring some new music & some special guests, too,” Anita went on to say and unbreak fans' hearts after previously announcing her retirement from music in 2017. That quote is all the information she shared, but it's enough to pique our interest.
This forthcoming newness from Anita Baker will be her first release since dropping her soulful cover of Tyrese's "Lately" back in 2012, which garnered her a GRAMMY Award nomination for Best Traditional R&B Performance the following year. At the time, "Lately" was the lead single from Baker's supposed final album entitled Only Forever. Due to have been released in October 2012, it was unceremoniously shelved for reasons unknown.
Whether we'll finally get to hear some of the songs from the vault that Anita recorded for Only Forever or if she's been in the studio making some new magic remains to be seen. There's also no indication when she'll unleash this new music while on her Anita Baker, The Songstress Tour. It could be as soon as her first tour date in February in Florida or as late as her last tour date in December in California.
While we may not know much at the moment, we do know that we absolutely positively cannot wait for Anita Baker's official return to music. And that's on "Sweet Love"!
#HipHopNews: Meek Mill And Rick Ross Squash Beef, Reunite On Stage
Meek Mill and Rick Ross are burying the beef. The rappers reunited on stage during Saturday night’s “Meek Mill + Friends” concert at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. Amid their rumored fallout, Rozay hit the stage with Meek for a surprise performance of “Ima Boss.”
Wearing a floor-length black fur coat, Rozay had the crowd going wild as he delivered his verse on their 2011 collaboration. He also thrilled fans with his own hits including “B.M.F. (Blowin’ Money Fast),” “I’m Not a Star,” and “Hustlin.”
Meek reemerged and the two embraced before singing along to Drake’s verse on “Aston Martin Music.”
The reunion comes after reports that Meek had become frustrated with his Maybach Music contract and wanted off the label. He also allegedly denied Ross entry to his section while celebrating his birthday at a Miami nightclub in May 2021.
In December 2021, Ross addressed their relationship. “I feel like we both hustlers,” he said during a conversation at the GRAMMY Museum. “That’s one thing about life. You either grow together or grow apart, and as a boss, you make that decision. But whatever it is you wanna do, Ricky Rozay wanna see you do it.”
Saturday’s “Meek Mill + Friends” concert was a star-studded affair. In addition to Rozay, Meek brought out DaBaby, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Jim Jones, Moneybagg Yo, Lil Uzi Vert, and Future while celebrating the 10th anniversary of his debut album in his hometown.
Last week, Meek returned with Flamerz 5, the latest installment in his mixtape series. The 15-track set features his freestyles to popular tracks including GloRilla’s “Tomorrow,” Kodak Black’s “Super Gremlin,” and Ice Spice’s “Munch.”
#BoxOfficeNews: ‘Wakanda Forever’ Dominates Again With Strong $64 Million Five-Day Gross In Thanksgiving Weekend, ‘Strange World’ only came in With $18.6 Million Five-Day Cume
Though the holiday season is often a box office bonanza, unfortunately the numbers over this long holiday weekend aren’t giving us much to be thankful for as the three-day cume for the entire box office came to just $92.9 million (down from last weekend’s $101 million) and the five-day cume came to $133 million. Of course we can’t expect pre-pandemic numbers (2019 had a $181 million three-day and $262 million five-day, and that was actually down from 2018), but these numbers are even worse than last year’s $96.3 million three-day and $142 million five-day back when many were still hesitant to return to the cinema. For some perspective, the last pre-pandemic Thanksgiving weekend to even fall under $100 million for the three-day was in 1994.
Yes, the top movie this weekend, which was Black Panther: Wakanda Forever with $45.9 million for the three-day and $64 million for the five-day, was higher than the top films in many of those years, including last year when the top film was Encanto with $27.2 million for the three-day and $40.6 million for the five-day. However, this weekend’s B-team was particularly not up to par with Turkey Day standards. For the three-day, last year had its second place film in the 20s and third place in the teens, while 2019 had its entire top five above $10 million. This year, just the top two even made the double-digit millions, with the second place film coming to a paltry $11.9 million.
For one of the few pieces of good news, Wakanda Forever had an impressive third weekend hold as it fell just 31%. After a somewhat disappointing second weekend drop of 63% which was much closer to the roughly 67% drops of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Thor: Love and Thunder than the amazing 45% second weekend drop of the first Black Panther, it leveled out better than the year’s earlier MCU outings (Doctor Strange 2 fell 48% in its third weekend and Thor 4 fell 52%). Wakanda Forever had the year’s second best opening ($181 million) after Doctor Strange 2 ($187 million) and third best post-second weekend cume ($287 million) after Doctor Strange 2 ($293 million) and Top Gun: Maverick ($295 million), but its post-third weekend cume ($368 million) shot well ahead of Multiverse of Madness’ ($343 million) to have the year’s second-best post-third weekend cume (at this point Maverick had $395 million). Black Panther 2 currently stands as the sixth-highest grosser of the year and is just days away from leaping to third, and should hit second place in the weeks ahead (though may fall back to third if Avatar: The Way of Water lives up to expectations). Worldwide it is now at $676 million.
Unfortunately, Disney’s Marvel-ous superhero numbers are met with a very disappointing opening from Walt Disney Animation Studios’ latest Strange World. The sci-fi adventure tale took second place with $11.9 million for the three-day and $18.6 million for the five-day. Excluding Raya and the Last Dragon (which released in the midst of the pandemic and was simultaneously available on Disney+ but still eked out an $8.5 million opening), it’s the worst opening for the label since 2011’s Winnie the Pooh ($7.86 million), but that was a low budget outlier for the brand, costing just $30 million compared to the big budget Strange World (reported price tags range from $120 to $180 million, but it's a brutally low opening even at the low end of the budget estimates). To find another comparatively low opening from Disney Animation, we have to go back to 2004’s Home on the Range, which opened to $13.9 million. Even last year’s Encanto, which was more affected by the pandemic and had a relatively poor opening for Disney Animation, still was able to more than double the opening of Strange World. The international numbers are no rosier, bringing in just $9.2 million from overseas.
Sneaking into third place is the one-week-long, 696 theater release of Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, with Daniel Craig returning as detective Benoit Blanc. The sequel will disappear from theaters on Wednesday and premiere on Netflix on December 23, but despite the limited release, it will likely outgross many of the adult titles this season. It came in at $9.4 million for the three-day and $13.4 million for the five-day, averaging at $19k per theater over the five-day weekend, which is higher than any other film. The first Knives Out, which had a conventional release from Lionsgate, opened over the Thanksgiving weekend in 2019 with $26.8 million for the three-day and $41.4 million for the five-day. Whether or not the sequel would match or even surpass the original’s success (it finished with a $165 million cume) is anyone’s guess, but it’s clear from these numbers that while many of the adult titles are struggling, the star driven, crowd-pleasing films for adults can still do well, as we have also seen recently with Ticket to Paradise.
Fourth place went to the Korean War film Devotion, which is about the Navy’s first African-American aviator. The Jonathan Majors and Glen Powell-starrer, which Sony is distributing stateside, brought in $5.96 million for the three-day and $9 million for the five-day, a small number compared to what is said to be a large budget.
The Menu took fifth place at $5.2 million for the three-day and $7.3 million for the five-day, holding solidly with a drop of 42%. The darkly comic thriller set in a haute cuisine restaurant has a cume of $18.7 million, which is behind the $21.1 million ten day cume of Barbarian, to name a recent comp. Worldwide the total is now at $33.5 million. Given what is reportedly a $30 million budget, these aren’t great numbers, but it’s faring better than many films on the market.
The Buffalo Tops shooting suspect pleads guilty to state murder charges
The 19-year-old white gunman accused of targeting and killing 10 Black people and injuring three others at a Buffalo, N.Y. grocery store last May pleaded guilty Monday to state charges against him.
Payton Gendron was charged on the state level with one count of domestic terrorism in the first degree, 10 counts of first-degree murder, 10 counts of second-degree murder as a hate crime, three counts of attempted second-degree murder as a hate crime and one count of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
He pleaded guilty to 15 counts, including the 10 counts of first-degree murder, which automatically dismissed the remaining 10 second-degree charges.
"The evidence of the defendant's guilt is overwhelming," said Erie County District Attorney John Flynn in a press conference following the hearing. "This case is a poster child for swift justice."
The Buffalo supermarket gunman won't pursue a psychiatric defense in his state case
A sentencing has been scheduled for Feb 15, but Flynn said the judge will be required to sentence Gendron to life without parole for pleading guilty to the first-degree domestic terrorism charge.
Flynn also said that Gendron was the first person in the history of New York state to be found guilty of that charge.
At the federal level, Gendron is facing additional charges, including 10 counts of hate crimes resulting in death and three counts of hate crimes involving an attempt to kill, along with 13 counts of using, carrying or discharging a firearm.
If convicted on all 27 federal charges, Gendron could face either the death penalty or a second sentence of life in prison without parole. The attorney general will decide at a later date on whether to seek the death penalty, according to the Justice Department.
"The Justice Department fully recognizes the threat that white supremacist violence poses to the safety of the American people and American democracy," Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a July news release.
"We will continue to be relentless in our efforts to combat hate crimes, to support the communities terrorized by them, and to hold accountable those who perpetrate them," he added.
News of the gunman's guilty plea comes after he chose not to pursue a psychiatric defense last month in his state case.
Gendron was scheduled to make an appearance in court last month, but according to The Buffalo News, the Erie County District Attorney's Office announced that his case had been adjourned until Jan. 12, 2023 — citing a request by the defense to "review discovery material."
The deadline for the attorneys representing Gendron to file a notice of pursuing a psychiatric defense was set for Oct. 6, according to a report by The Buffalo News.
In an emailed statement to NPR, a spokesperson for the New York State Unified Court System said the defense "neither filed a notice nor requested an extension to do so."
The spokesperson, however, did not comment on whether the defense team would request a reopening of a psychiatric defense.
In July, Gendron was indicted by a federal grand jury on hate crimes and firearm charges, according to the Justice Department. He has been held without bail since his arrest after the May 14 shooting.
Odell Beckham Jr.'S Lawyer Speaks Out After NFL Star Was Removed From Plane Over 'Medical Emergency'
Odell Beckham Jr.'s lawyer is finally speaking out about the NFL star's airplane incident. The attorney, Daniel Davilier, issued a statement after the football player was taken off a plane over a "medical emergency."
"Earlier today, Odell Beckham Jr. boarded a morning flight in Miami without any problems," Daniel began in his statement, posted by Ian Rapoport on Sunday, November 27 via Twitter. "The flight was delayed after boarding and prior to take off, Mr Beckham fell asleep with his blanket over his head, which is his normal practice for long flights."
Daniel further explained that Odell "was awakened and told that the plane was back at the gate and that he needed to get off the plane because he did not put his seatbelt on when asked." The attorney added, "He responded that he was asleep, and that he would put his seatbelt on at that time. He was informed that it was too late, and that either he would have to get off the plane or everyone would have to deplane."
Later, Daniel branded the flight attendant who interacted with Odell "overzealous," adding that the staff "insisted on removing everyone from the plane instead of simply allowing Mr Beckham to fasten his seatbelt and proceed with the flight." The lawyer went on, "At no time was Mr Beckham disruptive or combative. He was willing to comply with the seatbelt requirement, but the flight attendant wanted to prove that he had the authority to have Mr Beckham removed from the flight."
Daniel detailed, "The airline proceeded to send Mr Beckham's luggage to Los Angeles without him." He then highlighted, "That incident was unnecessary. Sleeping on a plane should not be a cause for removal from a flight. If they could wake him up when the flight returned to the gate, then they could have done the same thing to ask him to put on his seatbelt."
Earlier that day, it's reported that Odell was removed from a flight at Miami International Airport after police say he was "in and out of consciousness" and refused to leave the airplane when asked. According to a statement from the Miami-Dade Police Department, officers were called to the plane for a medical emergency after the flight crew expressed concern that he was seriously ill.
"The flight crew was concerned for a passenger [Mr. Odell Beckham], as they tried to wake him to fasten his seat belt, he appeared to be coming in and out of consciousness, prior to their departure," the statement said. "Fearing that Mr. Beckham was seriously ill, and that his condition would worsen through the expected 5 hour flight, the attendants called for police and fire rescue. Upon the officer's arrival, the flight crew asked Mr. Beckham several times to exit the aircraft, which he refused."
American Airlines also released a statement, saying the plane returned to the gate due to "a customer failing to follow crew member instructions and refusing to fasten their seatbelt." The flight took off almost two hours late.
Later that day, Odell appeared to address the incident in a series of Twitter posts. He first tweeted, "Never in my life have I experienced what just happened to me… I've seen it alll…" He then stressed in a separate post, "Never. In. My. Life."
Odell Beckham Jr. appeared to respond to the airplane incident on Twitter.
A few minutes later, Odell seemingly expressed how he felt after being kicked off the plane, "I COULD NEVER MAKE THIS UP." In a separate tweet, the 30-year-old wide receiver laughed off the incident as writing, "[laughing with tears emoji] comedy hr."
The Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Hurts accomplishes feat no quarterback has done in the last 30 years
NFL teams know Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts needs to be watched because he can make things happen on the ground. Well, maybe not every team.
The Green Bay Packers couldn’t handle Hurts at all to start their Sunday night matchup in Philadelphia, as Hurts cleared the 100-yard rushing mark. … in the first quarter.
Hurts is now the only quarterback with over 100 yards rushing in a quarter in the last 30 years, as he had 102 with 52 coming on the first drive of the game that saw Kenneth Gainwell rush it in from four yards out to go up 7-0.
Hurts is also on the cusp of breaking the Eagles franchise record for the most rushing yards by a quarterback in a single game, which Michael Vick set at 130 yards in 2010. He finished the first half with 126 yards on 10 carries.
While Hurts is doing this against a struggling Packers defense, it’s worth noting that he isn’t the NFL’s leading rusher among quarterbacks.
That goes to Justin Fields, who has 834 rushing yards on the season with seven rushing touchdowns.
He couldn’t play against the New York Jets on Sunday due to a shoulder injury, but has surpassed 100 yards rushing in two of his last three games which includes his Nov. 6 performance against the Miami Dolphins that saw 178 yards on his stat sheet.
Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen and Daniel Jones were ahead of Hurts in rushing yards for quarterbacks prior to the start of this game, but Hurts will certainly be past Jones now (451 to 440).
Hurts got his Eagles down the field with his legs and didn’t mind handing it off to Gainwell and Miles Sanders twice for three early touchdowns against Green Bay.
But he was also doing his job as a passer, finding Quez Watkins just before halftime for a 30-yard strike down the right sideline for a touchdown, making it 27-20 Eagles heading into the locker room.
Kim Kardashian Breaks Silence On Balenciaga's Controversial Campaign After Kanye West's Criticism
Kim Kardashian has issued a statement regarding controversy surrounding Balenciaga's latest campaign that involved children in BDSM-themed photoshoot. As one of the faces of the luxury brand, the reality TV star claimed in an Instagram post that she's outraged by the campaign.
On Sunday, November 27, "The Kardashians" star wrote on Instagram Story, "I have been quiet for the past few days, not because I haven't been shocked and outraged by the recent Balenciaga campaigns." She explained that it's "because I wanted an opportunity to speak to their team to understand for myself how this could have happened."
"As a mother of four, I have been shaken by those disturbing images," Kim, who shares North, Saint, Chicago and Psalm with ex-husband Kanye West, went on saying. "The safety of children must be held with the highest regard and anything against it should have no place in our society - period."
The SKIMS founder also shared that she applauded Balenciaga for removing pictures from the campaign and apologizing. "In speaking with them, I believe they understand the seriousness of the issue and will take the necessary measures for this to never happen again," so she concluded.
Kim's statement arrived just one day after Ye criticized celebrities for remaining silent on the controversy as the Spanish fashion house had been accused of sexualizing children. In an interview on Saturday, Ye addressed the "Balenciaga situation" as he came out of a Messianic church. "It shows you all celebrities are controlled," he said. "You don't see no celebrities talking about the Balenciaga situation."
During the interview, the "Donda" rapper also talked about his fallout with Adidas. "We love all people. I'm known to be one of the most forgiving people, we've seen me forgive people. We saw Adidas freeze my accounts. We saw me get de-banked. If that can happen to someone like me, what's happening to all of America?" he shared.
"They tried to destroy my businesses at the same time, and the world saw it, and no one is saying anything," the Yeezy designer continued.
Balenciaga landed in hot water after the release of campaign for its Spring/Summer 2023 collection. The controversial campaign, which was taken by photographer Gabriele Galimberti, featured children holding stuffed animals that appeared to be wearing bondage-inspired outfits. A fan also noticed that one image included an excerpt from a U.S. Supreme Court case that upheld part of a federal child pornography law.
After pulling the controversial images off of social media and completely wiping out its Instagram account amid the backlash, it issued a public apology. "We apologize for displaying unsettling documents in our campaign," the brand wrote. "We take this matter very seriously and are taking legal action against the parties responsible for creating the set and including unapproved items for our Spring 23 campaign photoshoot. We strongly condemn abuse of children in any form. We stand for children's safety and well-being."
Vivica A. Fox Reacts To Kanye West Using Her In Presidential Campaign Video
Vivica A. Fox has responded to Kanye West's campaign ads as he formally announced his 2024 presidential bid. The actress took to Twitter to put the rapper on blast for including a montage of her criticizing him in one of the videos.
"Now dawling if you gonna use a clip featuring me it should be accurate!" the "Independence Day" actress tweeted on Friday, November 25. She continued writing, "I was not happy with you 5 saying George Floyd wasn't murdered, but THANKS 4 watching my @foxsoultv show #CocktailsWithQueens & know 2 Can Play that game."
In the said campaign video, Ye used a clip from "Cocktails With Queens" in which Vivica encouraged others to boycott him over his false remarks about George Floyd's death on "Drink Champs". "Yo, Kanye. Eff you. And I mean that with everything inside of me," she said at the time. "You got to cancel him. And I know we not trying to be in a cancel culture but we got to hit him in his pockets now. Because he, obviously, doesn't care about the African-American culture."
Ye, however, didn't provide context behind Vivica's comments on the campaign video, which also highlighted his legal feud with Adidas.
That wasn't the only campaign video that Ye shared on Twitter on Thursday. In another post, Ye shared a video in which he dissed Donald Trump following his visit to Mar-a-Lago. "The thing that Trump was most perturbed about [is] me asking him to be my vice president," "The New Workout Plan" spitter said. "I think that was, like, lower on the list of things that caught him off guard. It was the fact that I walked in with intelligence."
Elsewhere in the video, he claimed that Trump insulted his ex-wife Kim Kardashian. "I was thinking, like, that's the mother of my children," he said. Toward the end of the clip, Ye also shared that the former president "was screaming at the table" and told him that he would lose. "Has that ever worked for anyone in history? Telling me that I'm going to lose?" Ye said. "I'm like, 'Hold on, hold on. You're talking to Ye.' "
Elon Musk Plans To Make His Own Smartphone If Apple Or Google Remove Twitter From App Stores
Elon Musk is reportedly planning to create his own smartphones if Apple and Google ever decides to permanently remove Twitter from their app stores.
On Friday, the Twitter CEO responded to a tweet from political commentator Liz Wheeler who stated Musk should produce his own smartphone if the two companies decide to remove Twitter from their app stores. “If Apple and Google boot Twitter from their app stores, @elonmusk should produce his own smartphone,” she wrote. Wheeler said hald of the country would “happily” ditch the biased companies and it should be easy for Musk to develop his own smartphone.
In response to the tweet, Musk wrote “I certainly hope it does not come to that, but, yes, if there is no other choice, I will make an alternate phone.” In a report by the Daily Wire, Musk’s response stemmed from advertisers asking the platform to monitor content that promotes hate speech.
“I have half a mind to wag my finger at the 1500 accounts that caused the spike, but I shall forebear. Reducing the max allowed tweets/day to a number below what a speed typist on meth could do was helpful.”
Musk also plans to reinstate thousands of accounts that were previously banned afte violating Twitter’s policies. Over three million people voted on the poll posted on his page.
Lizzo tells haters she's "making good s**t" despite pop music's racist origins
Lizzo is a megastar with millions of fans and has been in the music industry for well over a decade. Despite all her achievements and knack for making chart-topping hits, the musician’s detractors still claim her pop stardom lacks appeal with Black audiences.
Even so, the “Truth Hurts” songstress has remained unfazed by haters debating the “Blackness” of her music. Instead of allowing her critics to get her down, Lizzo took some time to school people on their pop genre biases in a new feature story for Entertainment Weekly.
Addressing the topic, Lizzo stated: “Well, [that] genre’s racist inherently. I think if people did any research they would see that there was race music and then there was pop music.” Lizzo went on to explain that the emergence of R&B, hip hop, and rap genres was birthed from industry executives deciding that Black artists needed their own lane, which in turn allowed white artists to dominate pop.
However, a caveat to that is the undeniable success of pop icons such as Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey. “I’m giving that same energy with a little bit of rap,” Lizzo said in the feature, published on Friday (Nov. 25).
The Emmy-winning musician also said people who disagree with her influence and presence in pop music are only robbing themselves of the enjoyment records like “About D**n Time” and “Good As H**l” have to offer.
“For people who don’t like pop music or don’t like Black artists that make pop music, they may eventually like me… You just gotta get used to me because I’m making good s**t. You missing out,” the classically trained flutist said.
The Special artist recently closed out her latest tour, which saw huge turnouts in Los Angeles where she performed twice earlier this month. She also surprised concertgoers by bringing out two of her favorite collaborators, Missy Elliott and Cardi B, to perform their respective joint records, “Tempo” and “Rumors.”
Tributes pour in following news of music manager Jonathan "Hovain" Hylton's passing
Well-respected music manager Jonathan “Hovain” Hylton has passed away. The tragic news was posted to Hovain’s Instagram page on Saturday (Nov. 26) morning.
The shocking post read, “It is with deep regret that we message to all family, friends, and colleagues that Jonathan ‘Hovain’ Hylton passed away while at his home on Friday (Nov. 25). He was a beloved and devoted father, husband, son, brother, and a proud Brooklyn representative.”
It continued: “We’d like to thank all of his close friends for all of the love and support that you have shown during this difficult time. We ask that you all continue to keep his family in your prayers and respect their privacy at this time.” A cause of death was not disclosed.
The post was flooded with messages from Hovain’s industry peers. “I can’t take it,” Young Guru wrote, as Fat Joe commented, “Love you, brother. 4 ever.” Another comment from songstress Bridget Kelly read, “Devastating. I cannot believe this, such a brilliant mind and kind soul.” View the post below.
A week ago, the Cinematic Music Group president was recognized as a leading music executive by Billboard. He acknowledged the achievement online, expressing his gratitude for the artists and teams who helped him gain recognition throughout his career. “I think the biggest lesson is that you don’t have to be a sucka or do corny s**t to be recognized. Just be a good person and do your job, and God will make the rest happen on his time,” he wrote in his last post.
Last fall, he reached another career milestone. The hip hop figure was tapped to teach “The Business of Music” course at Kingsborough Community College. The eight-week course covered publishing deals, how artists can capitalize on business deals, and more. Some of the artists the Brooklyn native worked with included Cam’ron, Styles P, Lloyd Banks, and T-Pain.
Police Arrest Man Who Almost Stole John Legend's Porsche
According to TMZ, the Los Angeles Police Department was called out to a recording studio on Monday afternoon (November 21) after security guards spotted a man approaching the singer’s car. After calling the police, security approached the man, who had opened the door and gotten into the vehicle and was looking for the keys or another way to start the car.
When asked what he was doing, the man claimed the vehicle was his, then proceeded to get out of the car and begin walking. John Legend was unaware of the incident, as he was inside of the studio recording at the time.
After arriving on the scene, the LAPD quickly caught up to the suspect, who took off running. They caught him after a brief chase.
The unnamed suspect was charged with attempted grand theft auto, which is a felony. He’s being held on $85,000 bond.
Terrell Owens Gets into Fight with Man Outside Los Angeles-Area Drug Store
Former NFL wide receiver Terrell Owens showed he still has it. And by “it” I mean the ability to drop a dude outside a CVS
The NFL legend was involved in an incident on Saturday night outside a CVS in Inglewood, California. Video obtained by TMZ Sports showed Owens going toe-to-toe outside the store. The man was allegedly harassing people in the store and when the former wide receiver got out of the building things took a turn.
Owens told the website he just wanted to make a quick stop to pick up a few things when everything started to unravel. He said he was talking to a San Francisco 49ers fan inside the store when the man who was later on the receiving end of an Owens punch started to trash talk the fan.
Witnesses told the website the man allegedly threatened to beat up Owens and the fan outside. Owens was reportedly trying to keep the peace between everyone when the man allegedly swung at him.
That’s when Owens threw the punch.
TMZ Sports reported Owens went back to his vehicle and drove away. Police were not called to the scene.
The Pro Football Hall of Famer was involved in an incident with a bystander earlier this year too.
Caitlin Davis was arrested in October and charged with a second-degree misdemeanor for her role in the incident with Owens in Deerfield Beach, Florida, court records show. Davis accused Owens of harassing her and called police, but authorities said she “knowingly” gave “false information to a law enforcement officer… concerning the alleged commission of a crime.”
Rihanna & A$AP Rocky Attend Imagine Reggae Show in Barbados
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky are enjoying some time away from the United States together.
The 34-year-old Anti superstar and the Testing superstar were spotted coupled up attending the imagine reggae show while on vacation on Saturday night (November 26) in Bridgetown, Barbados.
Rihanna looked hot in a red dress, with A$AP wearing a thermal energy-inspired shirt and detailed red pieces that coordinated with the “Lift Me Up” singer’s ensemble.
The two were seen keeping close to each other as they interacted with the public.
The Savage x Fenty Vol. 4 fashion show just premiered on Amazon Prime Video, and Rihanna revealed which guest she wants to walk the runway for her next.
There are also some new reports about the couple’s alleged plans for the future as a family.
In a recent interview, Rihanna gushed over her baby boy and explained why she and Rocky haven’t shared his name or any photos yet.
Wendy Williams Reveals She Doesn’t Want to Get Married Again Following Divorce from Kevin Hunter
Wendy Williams recently shared the requirements she wants her potential suitor to have following a rare public appearance at WBLS’ Circle of Sisters discussion panel in New York City.
According to its site, Circle of Sisters, which ran from Nov. 19 to Nov. 21, is an event that brings Black women together “to build community” through various activities, including exclusive performances, workshops and discussion panels.
Wendy Williams opens up about the ideal guy she wants in her life and says she doesn’t want to get married again. Photo:@wblscircleofsisters/Instagram
Williams, who attended the Nov. 21 event, revealed to New York’s WBLS’ 107.5 midday host Jus Nik the first thing she spots in a man before pursuing anything.
The 58-year-old said when asked if she’s open to love, “I will never deny it. The first thing I look at when I see men is are they wearing the finger. ‘Cause if they’re wearing the finger that’s an immediate hello.”
Further in the conversation, Williams admitted that she doesn’t want to get married again. Williams was previously married twice.
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She said, “I can’t wait to fall in love again. I don’t want to get married. I want him to already have kids. I want him to be someplace around my age. Maybe 10 years younger than me and maybe 15 years older than me. You know what I mean. And we’ll be able to do things together.”
Williams added, “If we want to all of sudden fly from New York City, if we want to fly to France and be there for two days to have food or whatever. I want to be able to be qualified with a man that ‘Come on baby, let’s do it.’ “
The former radio personality was married to her first husband, businessman Bert Girigorie from 1994 to 1995. Following her divorce, Williams began dating Kevin Hunter.
The pair would get married in 1999. Williams and Hunter’s union was met with cheating and abuse allegations. In April 2019, Williams filed for divorce after Hunter cheated on her and fathered a child with Sharina Hudson. Williams and Hunter’s divorce was finalized in 2020. Williams and Hunter also share a son, Kevin Hunter Jr.
As Williams’ comments began circulating online, many brought up how healthy she appeared.
“She looks great, hopefully she’s feeling better.”
“I’m so happy she’s doing better and looking good.”
“She looks good and healthy!”
“Glad to see her looking and sounding like her old self again!”
“She looks great! Glad she’s doing better.”
Williams’ admission about love and marriage comes months after she made headlines for flashing a diamond ring in a viral TikTok video that later ignited marriage rumors. In the clip shared on Aug. 1, although Williams didn’t disclose the person’s name, she did, however, inform the social media user that she was waiting for him while he shopped.
The following day, Hollywood Unlocked’s CEO Jason Lee claimed that he got a phone call from Williams, and she revealed that she had gotten married. He said on his live stream, “I get a call from Wendy and she says to me, “I’m coming to L.A. on Friday.’ I said, ‘okay’ and she says, ‘I’m married….I got married.’ “
Williams would later double down on the marriage allegations in another phone call with Lee, despite her team denying the claims.
Since then, no news about Williams’ alleged marriage or relationship has been released to the general public.
Bob Dylan Says He ‘Regrets’ an ‘Error in Judgment’ in Selling Machine-Signed Art and Books: ‘I Want to Rectify It Immediately’
Bob Dylan issued a rare public statement Friday night to admit that he “regrets” having made “an error in judgment” in using machine technology to affix duplicate signatures to artwork and books that were advertised and sold as hand-signed over the past three years.
He says the use of autopen signatures only occurred since 2019, when he was afflicted with a case of vertigo, and on through the pandemic, when he was not able to have staff assist him with the hand-signing he had previously done. Dylan says was given “the assurance that this kind of thing is done ‘all the time’ in the art and literary worlds.” Now that it has come to light and stirred controversy, the singer-songwriter says, “I want to rectify it immediately. I’m working with Simon & Schuster and my gallery partners to do just that.”
Other musicians have been suspected of using autopen for purportedly hand-signed items, and in rare instances have even owned up to it, but the others have not been selling art prints that routinely sell for $3,000 to $15,000, as Dylan’s art prints do. Dylan’s statement indicating that he has used for autopen to sign artwork follows Simon & Schuster’s admission one week ago that a batch of $600 autographed copies of Dylan’s new book, “Philosophy of Modern Song,” had been machine-signed, with refunds immediately offered.
A gallery that has specialized in selling Dylan art prints, the U.K.-based Castle Galleries, issued a statement Saturday to say it was “reaching out to each and every one of our collectors who purchased any print from the (pertinent) editions to offer a solution to fully rectify the matter.” It’s believed that galleries that sold the recent artwork will be announcing a plan to deal with the issue early this week.
Dylan’s statement, published on his Facebook account, says that he did hand-sign everything that was advertised as such up until 2019. It reads as follows:
“To my fans and followers, I’ve been made aware that there’s some controversy about signatures on some of my recent artwork prints and on a limited edition of ‘Philosophy Of Modern Song.’ I’ve hand-signed each and every art print over the years, and there’s never been a problem,” the statement begins.
“However, in 2019 I had a bad case of vertigo and it continued into the pandemic years. It takes a crew of five working in close quarters with me to help enable these signing sessions, and we could not find a safe and workable way to complete what I needed to do while the virus was raging. So, during the pandemic, it was impossible to sign anything and the vertigo didn’t help. With contractual deadlines looming, the idea of using an auto-pen was suggested to me, along with the assurance that this kind of thing is done ‘all the time’ in the art and literary worlds.”
Dylan’s statement concludes, “Using a machine was an error in judgment and I want to rectify it immediately. I’m working with Simon & Schuster and my gallery partners to do just that. With my deepest regrets, Bob Dylan.”
It’s unknown whether plans to address the artwork situation would involve refunds — which could conceivably run into at least hundreds of thousands of dollars — or the less costly option of providing replacement prints that are truly hand-signed, if Dylan is now up to it — or some other unknown option. The “Philosophy of Modern Song” snafu, meanwhile, has already been addressed, with customers who bought the $600 limited edition of 900 books having already been refunded this week by Simon & Schuster.
Dylan’s reps did not immediately respond to a request for further comment.
Castle Galleries’ statement, also posted on Facebook, reads: “We were informed late yesterday that during the Covid 19 pandemic Bob Dylan used an autopen to sign several of his limited edition prints rather than his usual hand signature. These editions are: The Retrospectrum Collection prints and the Sunset, Monument Valley print which were released by us this year. We can confirm that all other editions were individually hand signed by Bob Dylan himself.”
The gallery’s statement continues: “We were entirely unaware of the use of autopen on these particular prints, and we sincerely apologize for the disappointment this may cause. We will be reaching out to each and every one of our collectors who purchased any print from the above editions to offer a solution to fully rectify the matter. Details on how we intend to resolve this matter will follow shortly.”
As of Saturday morning in the U.S., prints of hundreds of different Dylan paintings were still being advertised on Castle Galleries’ website, and as “hand-signed,” ranging in price from about 2700 pounds for the lowest-priced individual print to £14,500.00 (or about $17,500 U,S. dollars) for a boxed set of six. Many, if not most, of these items predate the period in which the singer-artist says he began using the machine technology, but collectors will no doubt be scrambling to figure out which side of the divide their prior purchases land on.
Not all fans are upset about the revelations about the signatures. On Dylan’s Facebook post expressing regrets about the autopen signatures, the thousand-plus responses that had been added by Saturday morning were overwhelmingly in favor of the singer, saying the duplications were no big deal to start with and/or that he did a stand-up thing in publicly apologizing. Many sympathized with Dylan over the vertigo he described himself as having experienced in 2019. (The artist’s statement did not say whether he still suffers from the condition.)
The website Autograph Live has been integral in tracking what turned out to be easily detectible duplicate signatures on the books, although there were 17 different variants of the signature ultimately detected as users of the site compared notes and screenshots.
Soon after the book duplicates came to light, users began comparing signatures on their far more expensive art prints and seemingly finding some identical signatures, as well… albeit in what might be called auto-pencil. The general consensus on forums so far seems to be a belief that what Dylan said in his Facebook statement is true — that prints signed prior to 2019 or 2020 do appear to have been individually signed.
Dylan’s statement that he has suffered from vertigo is the first time this has been revealed to the public. The singer continues to be active, having resumed his vigorous touring routine with a highly acclaimed tour.
The post that has become a resource for those looking to compare notes on the machine-generated signatures was created by Jason Hicks, who posts as Jason H on Autograph Live, who tells Variety, “Celebrities need to be taught a lesson to stop this autopen practice for good, for the sake of our hobby. I despise autopen with a passion, which is why I spent countless hours creating that post, comparing photos and organizing as much info as possible. … It’s been a sore thumb in this hobby since before I was born. If autopen technology advances, there’s a chance it may become undetectable, which is why we need to end its use ASAP.”
Van Morrison was recently accused in the forums of using autopen to sign CDs, although his management issued a statement denying it. Sinead O’Connor, however, owned up to doing it with her signed memoir, with no apologies. In both these instances, the disputed items were selling for less than $50, limiting the potential for uproar.
“The books which are signed,” said O’Connor, “I signed using a signature stamp as I was not in a position to hand write my name ten thousand times, which is how many I was asked to sign. My son was unwell as was I. So I stamped them myself. And it is my signature,” she contended. Nonetheless, many retailers withdrew O’Connor’s “autographed” books, which were selling for about $30, from sale.
One of the world’s most famous country singers was widely accused in forums last year of using autopen for a series of book and record releases; although there was never any public acknowledgement of the complaints, a publisher was said to have quietly taken returns and issued refunds on items that cost hundreds of dollars. Dylan’s publisher issued refunds without requiring consumers to return their books.
Autopen is commonly used by elected officials and executives, but its use in the world of celebrities often leads to speculation and doubt in the world of signed collectibles. A video showing how the commonly available machines operate:
The unfolding controversy over Dylan’s use of autopen for items advertised as “personally hand-signed” was magnified by the extent to which Simon & Schuster went to great pains to attest to the signatures’ authenticity in advertising and correspondence, even sending the $600 limited-edition “Philosophy of Modern Song” books out with a letter of authenticity signed by the publisher. Requests for refunds were initially refused, as the pubisher continued to attest to the signatures’ authenticity, before admitting that a “mistake” had been made Nov. 20 and refunding all purchases this past week.
If the publisher did refund the purchase price on the 900 books sold as hand-signed, that would amount to more than $500,000 in refunds given out this past week — not counting a separate run of 90 autographed books that had been advertised as up for sale in the U.K. The value of Dylan’s real signature was evident in listings on eBay that showed attempts to resell the supposedly autographed books for thousands of dollars each before the autopen news wiped out their value.
Madonna Shares Rare Snap With All Six Of Her Children As They Celebrate Thanksgiving Together
Madonna has revealed she had a lot to be grateful for this Thanksgiving after spending the day with all six of her children.
The chart-topping pop icon shared a string of snaps on Instagram following the day’s festivities, which showed her celebrating the US holiday with all of her family, while sporting the same red hairstyle and bleached eyebrows she’s had for the past few weeks.
“What I’m thankful for…” she wrote.
As well as the family group shot, Madonna was seen striking a pose with her eldest daughter Lourdes, who joined her for Thanksgiving alongside her half-brother Rocco, whose father is film director Guy Ritchie.
The Like A Prayer singer is also a mother to 17-year-old David, 16-year-old Mercy and nine-year-old twins Stella and Estere, who were all born in Malawi and adopted by the Grammy-winning artist as children.
While Rocco is currently making a name for himself in the art world, Lourdes – who has previously worked as a model and dancer – is following in her mum’s footsteps and launching a music career of her own, having unveiled two experimental music videos in the past few months.
In additional family photos from their Thanksgiving festivities, Stella and Estere were seen trying their hands at DJing, with the musician apparently urging her young family to write down what they were all grateful for at the dinner table.
The family were previously united over the summer when they came together to see in Madonna’s 64th birthday with an elaborate party in Sicily.
In 2020, Madonna paid tribute to her children when she had her first tattoo at the age of 62, having all six of her kids’ initials inked on her wrist.
Since then, she’s gone under the needle an additional four times, including a matching tattoo with 17-year-old David.
White Broadway Sign-Language Interpreter Settles Discrimination Lawsuit After Backlash From Deaf Community
After receiving backlash, a white sign-language interpreter quietly settled his discrimination case against the theatre company he accused of letting him go over skin color.
Keith Wann, 53, filed a lawsuit two weeks ago but has since announced the suit has been settled. The announcement comes after the case received immense backlash from the deaf community.
“The matter between myself and TDF has been resolved, and both parties are satisfied with the discussions that ensued,” Wann posted on social media. “I look forward to the review of the process that will come from this to hopefully benefit the interpreting profession.”
Wann began working as an ASL interpreter for The Lion King in March. According to the lawsuit against the Theatre Development Fund and emails obtained by the New York Post, Wann and another interpreter were asked to leave the show in April so black sign-language experts could replace them.
“The majority of the characters in the Lion King are black actors, and the content takes place in Africa,” Shelly Guy, the director of ASL for The Lion King, wrote to Lisa Carling, director of TDF’s accessibility programs, on April 1. “Keith Wann, though an amazing ASL performer, is not a black person and therefore should not be representing Lion King.”
Wann’s decision to take the issue up in court received immense backlash from the deaf community. Many black ASL figures expressed their belief that Wann should step aside for other interpreters of color.
Deaf radio host Randy Spann said he was “disgusted” by Wann and that he should “let black people get their opportunities to get a spotlight.”
Deaf performer Raven Sutton posted a viral TikTok asking white interpreters to know their audience and understand when it’s not the right fit.
“This is not discrimination,” she signed in the video. “Reverse racism is not a thing.”
Wann acknowledged the backlash in a Facebook post.
“Over the last week, I have seen a lot of pain in our community and have also seen some much-needed conversations,” he wrote. “It is unfortunate that assumptions were made, and conclusions were drawn without all the facts.”
“For those of you who know me, you know I have deep roots in the Deaf community and, as my true friends and wife can attest, I have been an ally to the BIPOC community for decades,” Wann added.
“As someone who has been involved in the industry for many years, I have a history of recommending BIPOC interpreters and sharing my experiences to help add to the theater roster,” he continued. “I have never fought for myself to take space in any majority black production, nor have I ignored the need to amplify BIPOC interpreters.”
“Again, I support Deaf, Deaf-BIPOC, and BIPOC performers and interpreters.”
President Biden Vows To Push For Assault Weapon Ban Following Recent Mass Shootings
The President wants to sign into law a ban on high-powered guns that have the capacity to kill many people
very quickly. After the mass killing last Saturday at a gay nightclub in Colorado Springs, he said in a statement:
“When will we decide we’ve had enough? … We need to enact an assault weapons ban to get weapons of
war off America’s streets. “She went on to further say, “The idea we still allow semi-automatic weapons to be
purchased is sick. Just sick,” Biden said on Thanksgiving Day.
The Democratic-led House passed legislation in July to revive a 1990s-era ban on certain semi-automatic
guns, with Biden’s vocal support. And the president pushed the weapons ban nearly everywhere he campaigned this year.
Congress has shown reluctance to outlaw AR-15s and other assault-style guns. The Democratic-controlled
House passed a ban in July. However, the bill stands little chance of advancing in the Senate, where 10
Republicans would need to join a unified Democratic caucus to break the stonewall.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
WET HAIR, DON’T CARE.
They are movers and shakers. They have business to attend to.
HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!!!
EFREM
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