Donald Glover, Issa Rae And Lin-Manuel Miranda Participate In Creativity Roundtable for The Hollywood Reporter!
Donald Glover, Issa Rae And Lin-Manuel Miranda participated in a recent creativity roundtable moderated by director Jon Favreau for The Hollywood Reporter. The wunderkinds, who have all open doors for themselves and others thanks to their out-of-the-box approaches fueling their respective projects, discussed the year they’ve had and their keys to success.
Hot off a strong first season of his show Atlanta and a new album as the musician Childish Gambino, Glover talked about improvisation in the industry with La La Land director Damien Chazelle, who also spoke on his successes during the roundtable.
“The way we live now is mostly editing and knowing your brand,” says Glover, 33. “I know a lot of jazz musicians, and it’s cool when you can hear them mess up and hear them turn it into something cool.”
Miranda, whose play Broadway musical Hamilton won Grammys, Tonys and a Pulitzer Prize this year, also talked about his formula for keeping his audience interested in his work, and why he thinks it paid off.
“I had an interesting thing with Hamilton,” he says. “We start with heightened language – this heightened hip-hop speech. And there was a version of Act 1 of Hamilton where we’d have songs and then we would break into scenes and there’d be like, ‘Hey, I’ll see you at the dinner’ dialogue. We realized it didn’t work with Hamilton because when you have an opening number that is this intense, heightened speech, to go back to, “Oh, I’m going to have some water,” you can’t drop the ball.”
Issa Rae’s HBO series Insecure garnered her a Golden Globe nomination in the Best Actress- Musical or Comedy category, and she says that she is starting to understand what success feels like. To her, it’s all about being able to reach someone.
“I guess when people are talking about it, when people are sharing it,” she explains. “I like making people relate to people of color and black people specifically. Especially in these times, that’s a cool trait: ‘I’m from this specific background, and I identify with what you’re going through.’ That’s such a powerful tool, to bring people into your world and to bring a sense of understanding. With this show, I wanted to just make black people relatable.”
#RHoA: NeNe Leakes Celebrates Her 50th Birthday At A Surprise Party Thrown By Gregg Leakes
So is NeNe Leakes the oldest cast member of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” or is it Cynthia Bailey? For years everyone called Cynthia Bailey old, corny, dry and boring but was it really being married to Peter Thomas that appeared to age Cynthia? Well, NeNe celebrated her 50th birthday at her Swagg Boutique this week with a few select group of friends her husband Gregg invited to share in the occasion.
The evening included a sit-down dinner and a private chef. The table was set for 40 guests. Who got a seat a the table? Of course, NeNe’s real friend Cynthia Bailey was there (who also tricked her into showing up for the surprise). Let me be the first to tell you that NeNe Leakes does not like surprises.
NeNe might not like surprises but she certainly did appreciate the brand-new 2017 Rolls-Royce that was delivered during the birthday celebration with a big bow! Not sure who was more surprised to see this plush luxury vehicle show up, NeNe or Gregg Leakes. We all know Nene has some very generous friends out there but who was really trying to win this former “RHOA” cast member over? We definitely know it was not Bravo TV. But then, remember the Italian guy who gifted her with a pizza parlor at the airport? Hmm, he certainly couldn’t still be lurking around.
Kenya Moore managed to part from Moore Manor and dodge the alleged Incredible Hulk ex-boyfriend Matt Jordan and make her way over to the party (approximately 20 minutes before the festivities ended). Isn’t Kenya the same person who was throwing shade at Chuck Smith? Maybe that’s why she is on the opposite end of the picture. Oh and one more surprise you are not going to believe; this entire party was pulled together within 24 hours by Gregg Leakes, FreddyO and the team pulled together to provide catering and event planning.
#EMPIRE: Taraji P. Henson has the best advice for conquering sexism and racism in Hollywood
Taraji P. Henson has an important message for young women, particularly women of color, who are learning about the adversity they will likely to encounter in life: Don't complain.
"As humans, everybody's got problems. When you wake up every day, you wake up to obstacles to overcome just in that day," she told students gathered at the White House Thursday for a screening of her new film, Hidden Figures. "If you don’t have the courage to look fear in the eyes and say, 'Devil, you will not win,' what are you going to do?"
She paid homage to her character Katherine Johnson, whom she says was courageous for even walking into a room of all white men at NASA.
“No one knew until she came in there one too many times late. You know, but she never complained," she said.
It's a life lesson that has helped Henson reach the upper echelon of Hollywood and win a Golden Globe for Empire earlier this year, despite the industry's limited roles for black women and discrepancies in pay.
"I don’t complain about Hollywood. I don’t say that 'They don’t do this for black women,' and that and the third. I just keep working because one day you look up and you’re a Golden Globe winner," she said, as the students in the theater erupted.
"You [could be] Academy Award-nominated, but I couldn’t get there by complaining. I really want you to understand that. Be courageous enough not to complain."
New Music: Charlie Wilson Feat. T.I. – Blessed
After announcing his upcoming album and corresponding tour, “In In To Win It,” R&B legend Charlie Wilson has released the brand new single, “Blessed” featuring T.I.
Taking the opportunity to celebrate the Lord and all their blessings, Charlie and Tip let us know how they try to live strong and positive everyday.
“Ain’t a day go by that I don’t try to thank the Lord up above / If you wonder why I’m lovin’ life, I’m close and I tell you what’s up / Ask me how I’m doin – I’m blessed,” sings Wilson. While Tip raps, “I know trouble all around trying to tear us all down / But gotta thank God for everyday above ground.”
“I am excited about my new single, ‘I’m Blessed,’ because it says exactly where I am in my life, blessed to still be making music that people want to hear,” said Charlie Wilson. “2016 has been a tough year for so many people around the world and I am proud to release a song that reminds us that we can all find some blessings in our lives. Having T.I. add his flavor to the song and share who he is and how his journey is filled with blessings is an added bonus.”
Uncle Charlie is prepping for another busy year in 2017. He will kick off his “In It To Win It Tour” on Feb. 8 in Norfolk, VA. The In It To Win It album is set to drop on February 17. In addition to T.I., the album features Snoop Dogg, Pitbull, Robin Thicke, and Wiz Khalifa.
Take a listen to Charlie and Tip’s testimonial HERE
New Hip Hop From The Lox Drops New Album ‘Filthy America… It’s Beautiful’
The Lox is back in full effect. Sixteen years since their last album, the Yonkers trio returns with Filthy America…It’s Beautiful, their first album on Roc Nation.
The long-awaited follow-up to 2000’s We Are the Streets features production from DJ Premier and Pete Rock as well as a variety of guests, including Mobb Deep and Fetty Wap. The effort’s first single, the DJ Khaled-inspired “Secure the Bag,” boasts appearances by Gucci Mane and Infa-Red.
During an interview with Billboard, Styles P explained why this album is a bridge between the past and present.
“I would say [this project is] more for our core fan base but with a newer feel,” he said. “Same vibe, music, but we didn’t go with old school-sounding beats. We not trying to sell you the ’90s. We just selling you good rap.”
Stream their comeback album HERE
Box Office News: 'Star Wars: Rogue One' Debuts With Over $290 Million Worldwide, 'Collateral Beauty' BOMBS!
Disney and Lucasfilm's Rogue One: A Star Wars Story top-lined the fourth largest December three-day weekend ever, delivering the third largest opening of 2016, the twelfth largest opening of all-time and became only the second December opener to debut over $100 million behind last year's monster opening for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Fellow new wide release, New Line's Collateral Beauty, didn't fare quite so well, delivering the worst wide opening for a Will Smith-led feature ever, though La La Land continued to impress following last weekend's strong limited debut as it expanded into 200 theaters this weekend.
Debuting with an estimated $155 million domestically from 4,157 theaters, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is off to a strong start as it is already the 15th highest grossing release of 2016 after just three days. It will, however, soon find itself competing for audience attention over the upcoming holiday season, which features no fewer than five new wide releases as well as the continued expansion of films contending for Oscar attention. As a result, Rogue One's performance will be interesting to track as it is something of an unprecedented release given it's only the second movie to have ever opened over $100 million in December and yet it won't likely have the sheer staying power of its predecessor, The Force Awakens.
The film received an "A" CinemaScore across all demographics as it played to crowds that were 66% male versus 34% female of which 39% were under the age of 25. It also holds an 84% rating on RottenTomatoes and after its initial user rating on IMDb fell from 8.7 to 7.7 leading up to its release date, it saw a strong uptick as it currently holds an 8.3 rating as opening day audiences show their approval.
HUH? Chris Brown Demands Fans Buy His New Single
Chris Brown lays down the law for Team Breezy ordering them to buy, not stream, his new single or else...
WATCH HERE
WOW BREEZEY!!!
Lil' Kim Is Sick and Tired of the Skin Bleaching Rumors
The Queen went off on a fan. It seems as Lil' Kim has been plagued by those skin bleaching rumors for most of the duration of her career, and to this day, they just keep coming.
A fan recently made a pretty offensive comment about her complexion, alluding that she altered the color of her skin, and Kimmy Blanco basically lost it.
Kim responded to the troll in a now deleted comment on Instagram.
"Ok but when the f**k did I bleach my skin u miserable Moron!" she wrote. "My last post clearly shows that but u haters will always have something to say even when facts r right in front of ur face but I understand this... I checked my calendar and I still won't give a f**k Neveruary the 1st either."
Tell them how you really feel, Kim.
Beyonce Play Ms. Tamar Braxton’s Song On The Gram!
It looks the Beyhives can make peace with Tamar Braxton…
Tamar was on Beyhive shit list since 2014.
Tamar and Syleena Johnson receive backlash over their comments over Blue Ivy’s hair..
After a stop on “The Ryan Cameron Morning Show,” Syleena Johnson made a comment concerning Blue Ivy’s appearance.
Tamar Braxton added…
It just needs some product. That’s it. No shade. I have a nephew who has really, really curly hair like this. It ain’t that bad.
It seems like Beyonce has moved on from the backlash..
Last night the singer share a photo and Tamar Braxton’s ‘Sleigh Ride’ as the background music .
How cute!
Rob Kardashian and Blac Chyna Breakup AGAIN!
Of all the Kardashian reality-show storylines, the one I’m the least engaged with is Blac Chyna and Rob Kardashian, sorry not sorry. I just think that there were always going to be awful together, Rob was always going to be a sh-tty partner/boyfriend and Chyna was always just doing this for her bottom line and to “get” at the Kardashians. I even predicted that Chyna and Rob would break up after she gave birth. And guess what? That seems to have happened.
Rob Kardashian says Blac Chyna left him … and she took Dream with her. Rob just posted a few videos showing empty rooms in his house, he says the rooms were fully furnished for Dream and King, Chyna’s son with Tyga. An obviously upset Rob also toured his house in a strange string of videos showing off his Christmas decorations.
As reported … Chyna’s Instagram was hacked earlier Saturday revealing an alleged plan to leave Rob after gaining the Kardashian name and fighting for the trademark. Rob posted a message on his Instagram account, saying, “I loved every inch of that woman and loved everything that came with her. I truly loved Angela. I gave everything I owned for her. Didn’t know I was just part of her plan. I really believed she was in love with me the way that I was with her and I am so hurt and never felt this before.”
In a post on her own page, Chyna says, “I have done nothing but help & loved him from the beginning! It’s Chy here i got my own!!! I was doing swell before I got with him! I got him out of Khloe’s house, helped him lose all that f***ing weight for him to do nothing & gain it all back! Rob asked for all of this!”
Chyna also mentions Rob’s been able to come and see Dream but hasn’t. Our sources say the couple got in a huge fight this morning, which led to the hostile situation.
[From TMZ]
I’m including the video of Rob walking through his empty house, talking about how Chyna split with the kids. What I wonder is… how did Chyna ninja all of that stuff out of their home so quickly? Did she have the movers on speed dial or something? It feels like Chyna had a plan. You can also read Chyna’s alleged Instagram sh-t here (it’s NSFW for language). Hacking or no hacking, Chyna was foreshadowing their split for several days.
The First Family: The Obamas In Hawaii For the Holidays
*It’ll be the last time they do this as the First Family. The Obamas are now in Hawaii for Christmas and the New Year. The family has also been reunited with eldest daughter Malia who’s been missing in action for several months now.
The Pres. clearly couldn’t wait to board Air Force One …. earlier in the day he ended his White House press conference with “Mele Kalikimaka” … which means Merry XMAS in Hawaiian.
The family was so excited to start their annual vacation on the island of Oahu that by the time they landed, they had already changed out of the boots and coats they were wearing before take-off and into casual wear before descending the steps of Air Force One.
They’ll be in Hawaii until Jan 2.
David Foster Denies Report That He Is Planning Donald Trump’s Inauguration
Sixteen time Grammy-winning producer David Foster has worked with some of music’s greats — like Barbra Streisand, Michael Bublé, Stevie Wonder, Josh Groban, Christina Aguilera, and Céline Dion.
But despite reports, the 67-year-old won’t be calling on any of his friends to help wrangle up performances for President-elect Donald Trump‘s upcoming inauguration.
“I was invited to participate and I politely declined,” Foster told PEOPLE in a statement. “I have no idea where this story came from.”
The New York Post‘s Page Six reported Friday night that Foster would be playing a pivotal role in organizing the Jan. 20 event. But Foster firmly denied the news.
“Neither me nor my manager was ever contacted by Page Six or any other media outlet,” he said.
Hmmmm…stay tuned!
EGGPLANT NATION: MEET Red!
Folks Meet Red dripping 100% dark chocolate. You can see more when GO HERE TO SEE THE PICS! And remember they’re NSFW!
DISCLAIMER: WE DO NOT OWN any images posted on this blog. All images are found online or submitted.
Enjoy!
AND FINALLY FROM THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART FILES
‘SAVE MONEY, LIVE BETTER’
Is that what guys mean when they call a girl a “double-bagger”?
HAVE A GREAT WEEK AHEAD
EFREM
