Black Beauty! The Sisters all Attend Essence Magazine Upfronts
Black Beauty!
This week, well-known women of color gathered for Essence Magazine’s Upfront Event. The event included a panel discussion about the Power Of Confidence, hosted by Viola Davis. Panelists included: Mikki Taylor (Essence), Gabrielle Union, Iman, Bethan Hardison, Afrobella (Blogger) and Bethann Hardison (fashion activist). We also spotted celebrity stylist and designer June Ambrose, Emil Wilbekin (Essence), Danai Gurira, Tanika Ray (TV Personality), Marsha Ambrosius and a few other familiar faces. Check out some of the candid shots.
NICE!
Twerk Team Says Miley Cyrus Isn't Stopping Their Movement
Although America hopped on the twerking dance bandwagon after former Disney princess Miley Cyrus brought the booty-centric dance to the mainstream, most folks knew she was not the inventor of the craze. Pioneering twerk dancing sisters, The Twerk Team, have turned their bouncing bottoms into a viable business and largely look past Cyrus in their rise to the top.
Life+Times spoke with Twerk Team's Lady Luscious, 22, and Mizz TwerkSum, 21, along with their manager mother, Leslie Willis. It appears twerking has taken the ladies across the globe and landed them high-profile cameos in videos from popular rappers Wale and French Montana as well.
From Life+Times:
“We don't feel any way about it but I feel like people want us to,” says Lady Luscious of the Atlanta-based twosome, the Twerk Team. “Our whole movement is about girl power, so if you're black, white or Asian and you can twerk. But Miley Cyrus twerking is not our twerking. She's just a fan who is showing it to a whole different ethnic group, you have to give her her props for that.”
“We make good money and we've never had to work,” Mizz TwerkSum adds, both sisters dabbled in college but decided it wasn't their calling. “We go around the world to places like South Africa and the Bahamas, meet our fans and live how we want to live.”
The good money quip is something to behold, with the sisters reportedly earning $5,000 appearance fees which are soon to be on the rise. But some critics have taken umbrage with Willis managing the career of her daughters, considering the suggestive nature of what they do. Willis has an answer for naysayers.
“It ain't like they're taking off their clothes, and that's the first thing that people want to criticize,” said Willis. “Just being in the industry period you're going to hear it and everyone's entitled to their opinion. But these are my baby girls, and really I could give a sh-t less.”
Didn't Cyrus say white people made twerking lame and she's stopped doing it? Oh.
IDIOT: Hollywood Producer ‘John Palermo’ Attacks Kanye West, Anderson Cooper & Julie Chen
“Hollywierd” Producer John Palermo doesn’t have enough to do so, he’s been on Facebook taking shots at celebs by posting racially motivated rants. I’m sure Kanye West won’t be quiet about this one though. I mean it is a free country and we have the freedom to say what we want but, damn… he went in unacceptably.
Peep what he said:
“There goes the neighborhood!!!” Palermo posted upon reading that Kim Kardashian and West had purchased a mansion in Bel-Air.
“It looks like a Poor Persian Palace, where’s Kris Jenner when you need her?! #MoneyCantBuyADumbNiggaClass.”
In response to an article about Anderson Cooper attending the opening of his boyfriend’s gay bar, Palermo wrote:
“#SmellsLikeLubeAndHIV.”
After The Talk host Julie Chen, a Chinese-American, who is married to CBS chief Les Moonves admitted having eyelid surgery to help her career, he wrote:
“I’m crazy about Julie Chen!!! Now that her eyes are finally open, she should leave Monster Moonves.”
Palermo has since deactivated his Facebook page! Womp, womp, womp…..
Ashanti Debuts New Hair Cut At Surprise Birthday Party
Ashanti turned on Yesterday. So her litte sister Shia threw a big surprise party for her at NYC's SL (Simyone Lounge) nightspot. She never disappoints in the fab department. Ashanti flaunted her sex bob and sexy bod at her surprise party as she rocked a black & gold strapless dress as she posed it up with her little sis. We're loving this new look.
Shia tweeted the above pic saying, "We got her Again! Happy Early Birthday celebration to my Big Sister!! I love you!" Awww how sweet.
DJ Suss One was there to work the party and, of course, her momanager Tina was there too.
Hot.
Before the party, Ashanti showed off her new look at a photoshoot:
And by the way, she and her new bob will be appearing on an upcoming episode of "Law & Order: SVU" alongside "Idol" alums Taylor Hicks & Clay Aiken:
They were spotted posing it up on the set.
And the party keeps going as Ashanti rolls into Vegas tomorrow night for her big birthday bash at Lavo.
Ms Atlanta Killed
An Atlanta mother of ten, among them six foster children, has been gunned down outside a restaurant while allegedly trying to stop a fight between a friend and another woman.
Charlese Brooks, 34, a local businesswoman and aspiring rapper known by the stage name Ms Atlanta, was shot multiple times in a strip mall and died on the scene Tuesday evening.
The suspected shooter, identified as 35-year-old Terri Williams, turned herself in to police Wednesday and was charged with murder.
In a statement to the station WSB-TV, Williams’ attorney insisted that his client was innocent and said she will be exonerated once the investigation into the deadly shooting is complete.
Grieving relatives of the victim said that Brooks, known to her loved ones as ‘Beasley,’ had four biological children and six foster kids she had taken in recently ranging in age from 4 to 19, MyFox Atlanta reported.
Police were called to Brick House Restaurant on Bouldercrest Boulevard at around 6.30pm Tuesday after receiving reports of a shooting.
When officers arrived, they found Charlese Brooks lying on the ground with multiple gunshot wounds. The 34-year-old victim died on the spot.
According to relatives, Brooks was trying to act as a mediator when her friend and Terri Williams, whom she did not know, got into an altercation.
At some point during the argument, Williams went to her car. She allegedly returned moments later armed with a gun and opened fire.
Detectives would not say what sparked the violence, but neighbors told the station that the women were arguing over a text message.
Police would not confirm the claim that Miss Brooks was acting as a peacemaker when she was killed.
Family members say that two of Brooks’ children were outside the eatery and saw their mother getting killed.
Jackie Christie Defends Shaunie O’Neal, Talks Sundy Carter BBW LA
Despite the name of the reality show in which she stars, there’s more to Jackie Christie than her status a ‘basketball wife’. Along with being the wife of retired NBA star Doug Christie, the Seattle, Washington native is a shrewd businesswoman, fashion designer, producer, public speaker, and best-selling author. Currently promoting the upcoming release of her new book, “Sexual Relations: A His & Hers Guide To Finding Greater Intimacy”, and filming season 3 of Basketball Wives: LA, Jackie took a break from her busy schedule to talk to me about the show, Brooke Bailey and the Govan sisters exit from the cast, and her good friend, Sundy Carter. She also revealed that not two, but four new ladies have joined the BBW: LA cast.
Check out highlights from her interview
ON HER NEW BOOK, “SEXUAL RELATIONS: A HIS & HERS GUIDE TO FINDING GREATER INTIMACY”:
“The book is basically about intimacy. It’s a guide to finding greater intimacy because most relationships are missing that. You have to have that communication; you have to be able to connect on an mental, emotional, and physical level. A lot of relationships have one or the other, or two of the three – these all are important. And I felt like with this book, I’m sharing that with everyone, and showing them the different antidotes that I use, twelve or thirteen celebrity friends of mine, I’ve had them share their tips in the bedroom. Different things like that. What they’re looking for in a mate, if they’re already in a relationship, what helped their relationship, and I felt like it was just a much needed book right now.”
JC2NewLadies
ON FILMING THE NEW SEASON OF BASKETBALL WIVES: LOS ANGELES:
“It’s going fantastic…I can’t give away much, but I can definitely say I’m back, Draya Michele, Malaysia Pargo, and then four new girls that’s just absolutely amazing.”
“On no, they will not allow me to do that [identify the four new girls]; I wish I could. But stay tuned, because pretty soon, they’re going to announce everybody. But I think it kind of got leaked out a little bit that someone had saw there were two new cast members, but they made it very clear for us not to speak about that. I can say they’re exciting, they’re going to shock a lot of people, and this is going to be our best season yet.”
ON THE RUMORS ABOUT SUNDY CARTER’S PAST:
“I can just say, I want everybody to tune into the show. I think a lot of what’s out there – you know rumors are always out there. I’m not going to say what’s true and what’s not true; I’ll leave that for Sundy, but I will definitely say that you will get to see a lot of interesting things. And I think everybody’s eyes are going to be open to a lot. I think everybody should just tune in to the show. She’s definitely a very interesting girl, and she’s a good friend of mine, definitely.”
BrookeGovans
ON WHAT SHE KNOWS ABOUT BROOKE BAILEY AND THE GOVAN SISTERS’ EXIT FROM THE SHOW:
“No, I don’t know. I’m doing a movie right now, I’ve got so much on my plate. I’ve got a shoe line, Shiekh Shoes, coming out, I’ve got a cosmetic line, so I’ve been involved in all of that, and the season started. You know, I film a lot, pretty much five days a week almost, so I really wasn’t even paying attention. I hadn’t seen tnose guys in a while, and I just saw Laura and Gloria the other night. It was great to see them; they look great. They’ve got some amazing stuff coming up too with their projects. As far a Brooke, I haven’t seen her. I went to her event about two months ago, so I was as surprised as everyone else when I looked up and saw that. So I don’t know how that all happened. I wish everybody the best. You know, ex-cast members and stuff, I hope that they do some great things. But I’m very excited about Basketball Wives: LA season three. I’m over the moon about it, and I can’t wait for it to come out.”
ON LAURA’S COMMENT THAT SHAUNIE O’NEAL RUINED BASKETBALL WIVES BY CASTING HOS:
“Yeah I actual did hear about it, and I feel like everybody is entitled to their own opinion, and I feel like Shaunie has done a great thing. I have to take my hat off to Shaunie first and foremost. Not only is she one of my closest friends, I respect her; I feel like I’m a part of her franchise, and I’m proud of the show.”
“I feel like there’s a lot of girlfriends and fiancées and everything just in general, but it’s okay. The show is titled Basketball Wives, but it doesn’t necessarily have to mean wives. It could be an ex-wife, like with the Miami version, a lot of them are ex-wives, but they are wives. So I think it’s more about the females involved with professional athletes, basketball athletes world. That’s what I think the show is basically saying. So our show this season without giving it away, there’s about three or four wives actually on Basketball Wives: LA. So it is what it is. I don’t really know what happened as far as how that conversation came about with Laura making those comments, so I’d be speaking out of turn, but I look at what Shaunie has done in only a positive light. And not only Shaunie, but Shed Meida, VH1, everybody.”
ON HER RELATIONSHIP WITH HER DAUGHTERS AFTER LAST SEASON’S DRAMA:
“Everything is fabulous and fantastic, and I thank you for asking that. My daughters and my kids, period, have always been my whole world. And I don’t care what the situation, they’re always going to be my whole world. I’ve given them nothing but the best that I could give them in life, period. And not in a material way with them being able to not really wanting for anything, but just being there as a mother. When you have kids, any mother can attest, they’re going to have their own opinions, especially when they get older. They’re their own person, and my trouble has been accepting the fact that they’re not babies anymore. They’re big girls, and they’re going to have their own view on life, and I really love them. They said that, they’ve apologized, and I’ve apologized for any part I might have played in getting angry with them, but as far as ever doing anything to harm my children, that is not true, at all. And it is what it is. I love them to death; they’re my world.”
Be sure to pick up a copy of Jackie’s book, “Sexual Relations: A His & Hers Guide To Finding Greater Intimacy”, when it hits bookstores everywhere on November 25. You can keep up with Jackie by following her on Twitter @JackieChristie.
Rihanna Gets Traditional Maori Tattoo Done With Chisel And Mallet
Rihanna is an avid collector of tattoos and she added what looks like a painful one to her collection. The singer is in New Zealand for her world tour and she got a traditional Maori tattoo inked on her right hand by tattoo artist Inia Taylor and musician Tiki Taane.
WOW That looks crazy!
Jordan Brand Unveils Air Jordan XX8 SE "Camo Pack" [PHOTOS]
Do you like camo with your kicks? Today (October 14), Jordan Brand officially debuted the Air Jordan XX8 SE, a shroud-less version of the Air Jordan XX8, in a camo pack of colorways for you to do battle on the basketball court. Sorry, that was too easy to pass up.
Says Jordan Brand:
The AIR JORDAN XX8 SE features the same technological advances as its predecessor, but removes the shroud to give consumers a look at the technology on the upper. The upper, which features a full inner sleeve made of sandwich mesh enhancing ventilation and reducing irritation, provides an aggressive aesthetic for the games most dynamic athletes.
The AIR JORDAN XX8 SE continues the legacy of the Jordan Flight Plate technology which includes a Pebax® moderator plate that maximizes the responsiveness of the Nike Zoom units through compression and deflection for optimal performance. Jordan Flight Plate unlocks the airbags in the forefoot and heel, unleashing the power of the Zoom bags.
The AIR JORDAN XX8 SE will be provided to Jordan Brand athlete Russell Westbrook when he makes his return to the court during the 2013-14 professional basketball season. Jordan Brand's collegiate men's basketball partners—University of North Carolina, Georgetown University, Marquette University and Cal Berkley—will also have the option of wearing the AIR JORDAN XX8 SE during their upcoming season.
The all-over camouflage shoes are at retail right now, in green based, navy and gray based camo (think Georgetown), and university blue and white based camo (think UNC) and will cost you $150. Also, on Oct. 23 royal blue, orange and yellow camo colorway designated for the NBA's Russell Westbrook will be available.
AND FINALLY FROM THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART FILES
‘SAVE THE GIRLS’
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. So in case you weren’t aware, you no longer have an excuse to be ignorant to that fact. Save the titties people!
HAVE A GREAT WEEK AHEAD EVERYBODY!!!
EFREM
