TRANS-HISTORIC! Tracey Africa Norman Will Cover Harper’s Bazaar for the First Time!
Tracey Africa Norman is finally having her cover moment, 30 years in the making. Last December, the Cut published the story of Tracey’s remarkable, brief career as the first black, transgender fashion and beauty model in the late ’70s and early ’80s — her discovery by photographer Irving Penn for Italian Vogue, her spreads in Essence magazine, her face on a box of Clairol — before she was outed and it was all taken away. Vindication comes to those who wait, though, and since that article came out, Tracey has been welcomed back as the face of Clairol, and today, the Cut has learned exclusively, she is one of the first two transgender models to appear on the cover of an edition of Harper’s Bazaar.
Tracey’s cover is part of a nine-model study in diversity from art director and executive producer Christopher Sollinger, who actually conceived of the project upon reading about Tracey on the Cut. “Your story really moved me and a lot of my friends, and ever since I read it I’ve been thinking about what I can do to give back to Tracey,” he told me. “This entire project stems from wanting to do something with Tracey. The way she had to live in hiding and in fear, being such a beautiful woman with so many talents and gifts, just felt so wrong. She’s someone who should be celebrated. I wanted to create an image that she would be able to look at and feel proud and seen and loved and appreciated.”
Sollinger says he shopped his cover series idea around to multiple imprints of Harper’s Bazaar before Harper’s Bazaar India finally signed on. “India is actually very inclusive of transgender people,” Sollinger says. The series features not only Tracey but also trans Filipino model Geena Rocero — making them, according to Sollinger’s research, the first two trans cover models for any Harper’s Bazaar, featured alongside Muslim model Hind Sahli, 38-year-old Belgian actress Hannelore Knuts, and Korea’s leading model Soo Joo Park. Tyra Banks, the biggest name among the cover models, actually turned down the project, but she reconsidered after Sollinger told her Tracey’s story and the difficulties he’d been having getting the covers published. “Tyra flew to New York at her own expense,” Sollinger says. “She doesn’t need to do a nine-model multicover series, nor do the other models, but she felt moved and wanted to do what she could to make it happen.”
Since the shoot, Sollinger has invited Tracey out to a fashion show, where she sat front row. “She’s so fabulous, and such joy to be around,” he says. “She looks like a Hollywood actress. When I first met her, we had dinner at Soho House, and when she walked in you could hear a pin drop. She just exudes grace and confidence, and she’s not bitter or jaded; she’s grateful. We had so many obstacles getting this project done, and Tracey was such an inspiration to moving forward.” And when Tracey finally got to see her first magazine cover, she cried, Sollinger says. “Because it’s what should’ve happened 30 years ago. She’s amazing.”
Congrats Tracy and Geena!
#RHoA: Porsha Williams Buys Her First Home Since Her Divorce From Kordell Stewart!
Porsha Williams is done relying on men to buy her things! She’s officially a homeowner in her own right after buying her first solo home since divorcing Kordell Stewart.
Post-divorce, the Real Housewives Of Atlanta star has been living in a massive suburban mcmansion out in the sticks, so she’d have closets for her dogs. Porsha must have realized the underground railroad doesn’t make stops out there and decide it was time to trade-up!
Buying my 1st home after my divorce it’s been a long road!! I’m so thankful for where I am in life!! “No regrets Lessons Learned!! Thank you Lord!” Porsha announced on instagram.
“‘Best revenge is your paper ‘- Queen B,” Porsha added. To subtly prove her featured a video of her waving to the camera while cackling “Hey Kordell!” (She’s since deleted the video).
Porsha opted to walk away from her marriage to Kordell with pretty much nothing. Instead she landed a job hosting on Dish Nation, in addition to starting Naked hair and Naked lingerie. Plus there were rumors that she she had a few affluent men under her belt!
Despite having a foreclosure on her record, Porsha’s finances must be in check again. I predict we’ll be seeing her home ownership on Real Housewives Of Atlanta season 9, which is filming now.
“I closed on my first home today after my divorce and I have to say I thank God and I love where I am in my life! “No regrets lessons learned”!! #BestRevengeIsYourPaper,” gushed Porsha. “Won’t he do it. God bless the child that got his own” she also shared on Instagram.
Let’s hope Porsha tones down the desperate attention-seeking hoochie behavior now that she’s a bit more settled.
So Are You Glad To See Porsha Rebuild Her Life Post-Divorce?
SNEAK PEEK: Jussie Smollett Is Rocking A Wig Through All Of "Empire" Season 3
Y'all. Jamal Lyon is joining the wig game. And it's all because of Jussie's rash decision to shave his head!
The "Empire" star reveals on tomorrow's episode of "Harry" that he shaved his head 15 minutes before the BET Awards -- after season 2 aired -- because his hair simply "wasn't going with his outfit." He didn't realize that season 3 would be a continuation of where they left off. So the hair team had to jump into action and make him a fire wig to wear all of season 3.
Check it: HERE
The episode airs this Thursday. Visit HarryTV.com for time and channel! H/T theybf
Music Video: Sevyn Streeter – ‘My Love For You’
After debuting her new single, “My Love For You,” last week, Sevyn Streeter, the R&B songstress brings on the accompanying visuals. In the clip, she hits up an old warehouse with a crew of dancers, moves seductively across the hood of a black, old school impala and shares a few steamy moments with her man. “Saving all my love.. saving all my love for you,” she sings.
WATCH HERE
The song will appear on Sevyn’s upcoming album, Girl Disrupted, expected to arrive in January.
New Hip Hop Video: Rick Ross – ‘Same Hoes’
What does a Rick Ross pool party look like? Rozay invites fans to an epic backyard bash in his latest video for “Same Hoes.”
The song — originally released in June — focuses on the many women in his life. “Me and Pusha T fuckin’ the same hoes,” he raps. “Me and T.I.P. we fuck the same hoes / Me and Chris Brown, we fuck the same hoes.”
Although he mentions a lot of others that fit that mold, including Justin Bieber, Snoop Dogg, and Diddy, only a bevy of lovely ladies and his Maybach Music Group artists make cameos in this MMG Weekend pool party, including Meek Mill and Wale.
Renzel’s fun-in-the-sun clip arrives as the Maybach Music crew finalizes their work on Self Made 4 and just after his latest solo release, “No U-Turns.”
Jump into the pool party shenanigans with “Same Hoes.” HERE
Say What? Black Cop in Dallas Files Lawsuit against Black Lives Matter…And President Obama
*Well if this cop’s intent was to get our attention, let us stop for a sec, unite and say…
Do tell.
Sgt. Demetrick Pennie is a 17-year-member of the Dallas Police Force, and he says he is suing the Black Lives Matter movement along with the Rev. Al Sharpton; Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, billionaire activist George Soros, President Barack Obama and Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton because they…wait for it…
Are inciting a race war.
Kind of head-scratcher coming from a Black man. But let’s hear what he has to say, shall we?
According to the Dallas Morning News, Pennie filed the lawsuit on Friday and he is seeking between $500 million and $1.5 billion.
Dare I say this appears to be some outlandish attempt to throw the proverbial wrench in the sh*t. What court on what planet in what universe would give HIM any money based on such a claim?
But hey, as I’ve asked before, “who the heck am I?”
The media report describes the officer’s lawsuit as saying…
“Defendants incite people to violence and cause violence by telling those people that they are under attack. Defendants are encouraging disaffected blacks, Black Muslims, Muslims and others allied with them including certain whites to ignore, disrespect, and assault law enforcement officials, and commit violence and lethal force.”
It further alleges, the defendants “have repeatedly incited their supporters and others to engage in threats of and attacks to cause serious bodily injury or death upon police officers and other law enforcement persons of all races and ethnicities.”
Judge Rules Derrick Rose Accuser MUST Reveal Her Identity
Derrick Rose’s request for the judge to force the woman accusing him of gang rape to reveal her identity to the public has been granted.
via TMZ: The woman filed her lawsuit under the name “Jane Doe” in an effort to stay anonymous and protect her privacy.
Typically, the law allows someone who claims to be the victim of a sex crime to file a lawsuit under a pseudonym to protect their privacy rights.
But Rose filed court documents saying Doe has abused the privilege by going on a “nationwide pretrial media blitz” over the past week … which included phone interviews and a news conference.
Now, it sems the judge agrees … with U.S. District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald ruling that she must disclose her real name when the case goes to trial.
Do you think that’s fair?
Uh Oh? Toni Braxton Back In Hot Water With The IRS
This marks round 3 of the singer's tax troubles.
Toni Braxton just can’t seem to catch a break when it comes to her finances.
According to reports, the legendary singer is being accused of refusing to pay $125k in back state taxes, just two two years after a judge discharged her massive $10 million debt in her second bankruptcy case.
Official records filed in California on August 17th show that the state filed a tax lien against the Braxton Family Values star, accusing her of failing to pay $124,316 in taxes. Braxton, who filed bankruptcy in 1996 and 2014, explained last year that she had to file for bankruptcy a second time due to the millions of dollars in debt related to her health problems that forced her to cancel a series of Las Vegas concerts.
The State of California will reportedly begin seizing Toni Braxton’s assets and property if she doesn’t settle the debt.
It was Black Star Power was at The 2016 Triumph Awards!
The 2016 Triumph Awards, presented by Rev. Al Sharpton and TV One, went down at the Tabernacle Concert Hall in Atlanta over the weekend to honor groups and individuals involved in civil rights, the arts, entertainment, education, business and sports.
Rev. Sharpton was front-and-center on the red carpet with his family for the special occasion.
“Survivor’s Remorse” star Tichina Arnold turned heads on the red carpet in this interesting ensemble. She was tapped to host for the 2nd consecutive year.
She’s killing us with the blues! Tichina’s co-star Teyonah Parris worked the carpet in this blue-and-black gown that served up sophistication and class. She later hit the stage to pay tribute to director Spike Lee and to present him with an award. So gorge.
“Real Husbands of Hollywood” stars Nick Cannon and J.B. Smoove linked up on the carpet before Nick hit the stage for a performance.
“Real Housewives of Atlanta” star Kandi Burruss Tucker, styling in a Tags Boutique dress, and “Hollywood Divas” star Lisa Wu, showing off her curves in a cut-out Sergio Hudson dress, were all smiles as they made their way down the carpet.
“House of Lies” star Larenz Tate presented the “Triumphant Man of the Year” award to music mogul Jermaine Dupri.
“Martin” alum Carl Payne, who hit the stage with Tichina Arnold for the Spike Lee tribute, and “Queen Sugar” star Dondre Whitefield were all smiles on the carpet.
R&B singer Joe was looking clean in all white.
Famed director Spike Lee was presented the “Activism in the Arts Award” and was honored with a special tribute by several celebs.
Actress Terri Vaughn, who also stars on "Greenleaf," snapped it up with Dondre on the carpet.
Deobrah Joy Winans, who stars on our obsession “Greenleaf,” and Juan Winans brought the family vibes.
Hitting the stage....
Fantasia, and Joe rocked the stage with performances.
Tichina does what she does best! Get it Tichina!
The 2016 Triumph Awards will air Sunday, October 2nd at 7pm and 9pm EST on TV One.
Us Weekly: Jennifer Aniston thinks the Brangelina split is ‘karma’
The Aniston fans will say that revenge is a dish best served cold. They will say that even though we’re 11-12 years removed from the introduction of Aniston’s jilted-wife brand, people still care, and by extension she must care. Personally, I think Aniston has made the effort over the past few years especially to change up her “wronged wife” brand. Her current brand is “happy with Justin Theroux” and “body-image HuffPo blogger.” And for the record, Jennifer hasn’t said anything. Really, she hasn’t. She’s just the recipient of a decade’s worth of Uncool Bermuda Triangle Shenanigans. Us Weekly’s sources insist that Aniston still cares… a little bit.
Jennifer Aniston doesn’t harbor any ill will toward her ex-husband Brad Pitt, but that’s not to say she might not feel somewhat satisfied upon learning about Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s split. Sources tell Us Weekly that the Friends alum, who was married to Pitt prior to his romance with Jolie, sees the By the Sea stars’ failed marriage somewhat as karma.
According to an insider, the Mother’s Day actress, 47, said, “Yeah, that’s karma for you!” while discussing the news with a longtime pal.
“She always got the sense that something would happen with them eventually,” the insider tells Us, noting that she did believe Pitt loved the Oscar-winning actress. “She didn’t feel that Angelina was truly the one who Brad was meant to stay with. She always felt that Angelina was too complex for him. He’s a pretty simple guy.”
A second source tells Us that while Aniston “admittedly feels sort of satisfied about Brad and Angelina’s split,” she also “never wanted this for them or wished this on them.”
“Jen does wish Brad luck and the best. She feels like she’s happy, and she wants him to be happy too,” the second insider explains. “Jen does not hold on to any negativity from her marriage to Brad.”
[From Us Weekly]
Whoever constructed those quotes is sort of amazing. The shade of this: “She always felt that Angelina was too complex for him.” LOL!!! Karma, it seems, is Brad Pitt’s last ex-wife calling him a dumb-dumb. As for karma and all of that… I hope Aniston doesn’t see this as her karmic retribution, because if that’s the case, I wonder what Heidi Bivens’ karmic retribution looks like
Also: Page Six has a story about Jennifer being not-shocked about the news too. A source claims, “Jennifer always knew that this day would come…Everyone in Jennifer’s inner circle regards Angelina as a crazy master manipulator. But we all presumed the end of their affair would be Angelina leaving Brad for someone else.” Well, it’s still early days. That could be the case! I’ve been trying to think of candidates for Angelina’s possible jumpoff, and I don’t know. The name I keep thinking about is… Amber Heard.
DWTS Recap: Who was the first celebrity to go home?
Ryan Lochte, who weathered a shocking protest incident on "Dancing with the Stars," almost didn't survive season 23's first elimination.
The controversial swimmer was in the bottom two on Tuesday night's show but ultimately, former "The Wizards of Waverly Place" actor Jake T. Austin was the one sent packing.
Backstage, with pro partner Jenna Johnson by his side, Austin, 21, admitted to FOX411, "I feel bummed out. I was caught totally off guard. You just kind of hope for the best, prepare for the worst and go with it. I did this for my fans. I did something I was so uncomfortable doing, a totally new experience for me. If I could go back, I'd do it all over again.
"Jenna was one of the best partners a guy could ask for. This is her first year as a ['DWTS'] pro and for me to be picked, I'm so lucky to be a part of this season."
His loyal pro Johnson said, "I think he did his very best."
The "DWTS" cast performed two dances before the first elimination and judges criticized Austin's week one jive, giving him just 22 out of 40 points, and Monday night's cha cha, which garnered 24.
Judge Carrie Ann Inaba complained Austin danced off the beat, telling him, "You're ahead of the music! Relax."
Upon leaving the ballroom, the Disney star, who also appeared on ABC Family's "The Fosters," said his fan-turned-girlfriend Danielle Caesar "has been an anchor. She's real sad right now…."
Meanwhile, Lochte was relieved to move onto next week, while former Texas Governor and presidential candidate Rick Perry bounced up and down with excitement when he and partner Emma Slater were declared safe early in the Tuesday show.
Perry was widely expected to be the one to go home as he had the lowest combined score of the competition, 42 out of 80.
The judges were stunned, but Perry's supporters apparently voted in high enough numbers to make up for the low scores. As Julianne Hough told host Tom Bergeron, "That's what this competition is about, what America thinks."
#EGGPLANT NATION: The Ebony Man!!
Ladies and others meet EBONY Man! You can see more of his BLACKNESS when you GO HERE FOR THE PICS! And remember it’s NSFW!
DISCLAIMER: WE DO NOT OWN any images posted on this blog. All images are found online or submitted.
You’re Welcome.
AND FINALLY FROM THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART FILES
‘Pumpkin Flavored Errrythang’
White girls everywhere like….Fall is coming.
HAVE A GREAT DAY EVERYBODY!!!
EFREM
