Showing posts with label Dionne Warwick. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dionne Warwick. Show all posts

5/27/19

The Daily Buzz For May 28 ☕📰☕


Alicia Keys for Essence - June 2019
Alicia Keys covers the June 2019 issue of Essence magazine photographed by J.D. Barnes and styled by fashion director Marielle Bobo.

“I think we have to come to an understanding that it’s okay to state what you need and state your piece and be clear, because if you don’t know what you need and you’re not able to say it, you’ll never get it. That’s been a deep, beautiful process for me…I just have always been able to be what I believe is just cool, man, because everything doesn’t have to be so damn dramatic all the time either. Things can just be cool. So I’m blessed for that…”
“I want to keep growing. I want to keep exploring the crevices and the places I haven’t yet. You’ve got to try things and see what they’re going to bring you, and one of the things I talk to my son a lot about is really like if the energy is not right, go away. Just because it’s someone you love or just because it’s someone you’re supposed to be cool with, like, if it’s not an inviting energy for you, don’t be there.”



#RHOA: Some Troll tried to Throw Shade at Cynthia Bailey’s Past Relationships and Fans Race to her Defense
Cynthia Bailey has left her newest hint that wedding bells are in her future and the revelation has resulted in a troll leaving a snide remark.
Bailey informed fans on Instagram Friday that she was jetting off to Jamaica for Memorial Day weekend and included a tell-tale emoji that indicated she’ll be touching back down in Atlanta as soon-to-be Mrs. Mike Hill.

“Happy memorial day weekend🇯🇲💍@itsmikehill,” Bailey captioned the May 24 photo of her and Hill preparing to take off from Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

The post automatically had fans flooding Bailey with questions wondering if she’ll come back from the Caribbean island with a ring on her finger.
“@cynthiabailey10 I see the emoji engagement ring 💍are you engaged now? 😍😍😍”
“Perhaps you’ll get ur 💍”
“@cynthiabailey10 why did you put the ring emoji?! Engaged?! I hope so!!🎉💕”
“Let me find out ur name will be Mrs. Mike Hill when yall come back or ur engagement ring will be on ya fanger on ya fanger baby hell yeah 😍🔥🔥👀👅”

Then, someone decided to seemingly shade “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” star by commenting, “Cynthia is never to late for you to get married again for your fourth time💋”
Bailey hit back by correcting the Instagram user.
“@deniseshackelford ummmmm 2nd🤔” she replied.

However, the model’s followers were less slick with their responses. They swooped in to defend her.

“@cynthiabailey10 she’s been shady as hell, it’s not to late to stop being bitter and say something genuine @deniseshackelford 😘”
“@deniseshackelford ohhhhh you tried to shade Cynthia….smh……keep it cute 😊”
“@deniseshackelford u stupid she’s only had ONE husband && that was PETER. Do ur research before u try to READ someone!!”
“@deniseshackelford why can’t you say something nice you should be happy to see a sister happy just let @cynthiabailey10 live and love ❤️ and stop being a hater go find you a man.”

It’s true, Bailey has only ever had one husband, as she did not marry actor Leon Robinson, who is the father of her college-age daughter Noelle Robinson.
The “RHOA” star married Peter Thomas in a lavish 2010 ceremony that was captured by Bravo cameras for the long-running reality series. But by 2016, their union came to an end and their divorce was finalized the following year.

“Peter never felt like he was my No. 1 priority,” she told The Daily Dish of how her six-year marriage came to an end. “He was right. [My daughter] was.”

So there……..


#Empire: Boy Bye! Trump tweets about Smollett ahead of busy day in Japan
President Donald Trump was in Japan on Sunday morning, tweeting about the Jussie Smollett case.

At wround 5:45 a.m. Tokyo time, the President tweeted," In addition to great incompetence and corruption, The Smollett case in Chicago is also about a Hate Crime. Remember, “MAGA COUNTRY DID IT!” That turned out to be a total lie, had nothing to do with “MAGA COUNTRY.” Serious stuff, and not even an apology to millions of people!"
Smollett, an actor on Fox's "Empire," had accused two men of attacking him. Smollett had claimed it was a hate crime and that the attackers yelled pro-Trump slogans. His claim was proven to be false and it turned out that two acquaintances had worked with him to stage the crime. In a controversial move, charges were dropped, though the case is still being litigated.

It's not clear why the Smollett case was suddenly on Trump's mind early Sunday morning, though he has lashed out at Smollett before. The president's Sunday schedule in Japan includes giving the winner of a sumo match a "President's Cup" trophy. Trump will also be the first head of state to meet Japan's new emperor.


#NewMusicVideo from India.Arie ‘Steady Love’
India.Arie has released a visual for “Steady Love,” lifted from her latest album Worthy. 

In the romantic video, directed by Nandy McClean, Arie and her leading man (played by rapper-turned activist David Banner) spend time at home enjoying each other’s company. Later, Arie surprises him with an exciting announcement, before he follows-up with his surprise.

Watch the video for “Steady Love” HERE

“For this video, I wanted to depict black love, grown-up love, commitment,” the Grammy Award-winning singer told Okayplayer. A beautiful man and woman doing life together and loving each other through the inevitable ups and downs of life. I want this video it to be part of a cultural conversation about creating healthy images of love and relationships in the Black Community and in the world as a whole. Images that can strengthen people.”

“Steady Love” is one of the standout tracks we referenced in our Worthy album review.


#HipHopNews: J. Period Recruits Black Thought, Pharoahe Monch & More For "The RISE UP Project"
DJ veteran J. Period has enlisted the help of some heavy hitters for his new release, The RISE UP Project. The 10-track album serves as “the soundtrack for social change” and features contributions from an all-star cast.

J. Period, Young Guru, DJ Jazzy Jeff and DJ Khalil executive produce the compilation, which boasts beats from a few of the aforementioned names as well as Tall Black Guy and Stro Elliot.
The lineup of performers includes Black Thought, Pharoahe Monch, De La Soul’s Posdnuos, Xzibit, Maimouna Youssef a.k.a. Mumu Fresh, Sa-Roc, Dead Prez, Joss Stone and Aloe Blacc, among others.

Check out The RISE UP Project stream and tracklist below.

LISTEN HERE

1. RISE UP! f. Black Thought, Posdnuos, Pharoahe Monch & Joss Stone
2. Miranda (Remix) f. Rhymefest, Xzibit & Jesse Williams
3. Mr. Officer (Edit) f. Eric Roberson
4. See the Light f. Andra Day & Dead Prez
5. Love Your Brother (Interlude) f. Maimouna Youssef
6. SOLDIERS f. Dead Prez, Sa-Roc & Maimouna Youssef
7. Hands Up, Don’t Shoot f. Aloe Blacc
8. The Follower (J.PERIOD Remix) f. Dayne Jordan, Aaron Camper & Mayda Del Valle
9. America Divided (Outtro)
10. Things Deeper Than My Skin f. Ozay Moore


Beyonce & Kelly Rowland was chillin’ at Janet Jackson’s Metamorphosis Residency
Beyonce and Kelly Rowland were spotted over the weekend at Janet Jackson’s concert. The 53-year-old singer has a new Las Vegas residence called Metamorphosis at Park Theater located in the Park MGM hotel.

Beyonce and Kelly were spotted in the audience singing along to some of Janet’s greatest hits. Footage showed the pair cutely standing up, dancing along with Jackson.
WATCH HERE

This isn’t the first time that Beyonce was spotted at a Jackson concert.
Beyonce-Blue Ivy-Concert-the jasmine brand

In 2017, Beyonce and Blue Ivy were spotted backstage at Jackson’s concert in LA.


Ariana Grande Reacts to Madame Tussauds Wax Figure Amid Criticism
When Madame Tussauds London unveiled their latest wax figure of Ariana Grande, fans sounded off on social media – and not in a positive way.
As it turns out, Ari is not such a fan either.

“I just wanna talk,” Ariana hilariously commented on the @popcravenews Instagram account’s post about the wax figure.
Ariana is currently on her Sweetener World Tour, and will be stopping at the Amalie Arena next on May 28 in Tampa, Fla.


The 'BOSS' Bruce Springsteen to Record & Tour With E Street Band in 2020
Bruce Springsteen is heading out on the road! The 69-year-old singer-songwriter will be touring in 2020 alongside the full E Street Band, he confirmed to Italian newspaper Repubblica while in Rome for his daughter Jessica‘s equestrian event.

“We will go on tour next year. I’ll record with the E Street Band in the autumn and when we are done, we’ll go on tour,” he said.

He also revealed that a new documentary surrounding the recording of Western Stars, his studio album due out on June 14, is also coming soon.
He revealed that he wrote “an album’s worth of material” for the band in a conversation with Martin Scorsese back in April.


Chris Brown 'summoned to Paris' to meet rape accuser who wants to 'look him in the eye'
Chris Brown has been summoned to Paris for a face-to-face meeting with the student who accuses him of raping her, legal sources say.
The dramatic meeting is set to take at the headquarters of the French capital’s Judicial Police on Tuesday.
Legal sources in Paris on Sunday confirmed a report in the Parisian newspaper that the 24-year-old alleged victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has provided compelling evidence of an attack.
It remains to be seen whether US singer Brown, 30, will make the 5500-mile journey from his home in Los Angeles.
The victim claims she was raped by Brown, his bodyguard, and a third man in the early hours of January 16.

She made a detailed complaint to prosecutors about her ordeal inside the star’s £19,000 suite at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Paris, leading to the three men being investigated for ‘aggravated rape’ and ‘breaking drug laws.’
They were arrested and held in custody a week later – on January 21 – yet, on their release 24 hours later, Brown made immediate plans to return to the USA.
"He has been summoned to Paris for the face-to-face on Tuesday, but is not obliged by law to travel,’ said an investigating source.
"The victim has demanded a face-to-face meeting with the accused so that can she quiz him about what went on, as is her right. She wants to look him in the eye."
Brown and his co-accused have vehemently denied any wrongdoing, and are on unconditional release, without having been charged with anything.

They were all given their passports back in January, but their legal status in France can be changed at any time.
The victim – a student and occasional actor and model originally from Algeria – in January gave an interview to the Parisien, denying she was an escort girl.
"This is totally wrong!" she said. "This world, these drugs, these people, they’re not from my world. I came to France for my studies.

"I obtained two language qualifications and I started theatre classes in September at a prestigious school."
The woman was in floods of tears as she said that ‘in agreement with my lawyer’ she would not discuss specific details of a case that could see Brown and the other two men imprisoned.
She said she had received online threats, including ones from Brown who called her a liar.
"Basically, it should have been a beautiful evening, with a star, a famous artist, the ex of the singer Rihanna ," the woman said. "Everyone would have taken that."

Brown has admitted large quantities of cocaine were found in his five star suite but said they were there ‘for a party and nothing to do with me’, and denied having sexual relations with the women.
Raphael Chiche, Brown’s French lawyer, said his client and two other men being investigated for rape and drug offences ‘absolutely deny any wrong doing.’

Mr Chiche said he was pursuing a defamation law suit against the complainant, and that there was zero DNA or other forensic evidence proving rape.
Mr Chiche said in January that his client would continue to cooperate with investigators and ‘will come back if he has to’.

The complainant is represented by Paris barrister Jean-Marc Descoubes, and also by American lawyer Gloria Allred, who had dealt with a number of high profile rape cases involving celebrities in America.


Scott Pelley Claims He Lost Evening News Gig for Complaining About ‘Hostile Work Environment’
CBS has been working to purge itself of workplace harassment scandals, and according to former CBS Evening News anchor Scott Pelley, it’s a welcome change. Pelley, who still works for CBS as a correspondent on 60 Minutes said in an appearance on CNN Sunday morning that he believes he was let go from his anchor position due to his repeated complaints about the work environment at CBS News. “I lost my job at the Evening News because I wouldn’t stop complaining to management about the hostile work environment,” he said. He then went on to explain that “four or five years ago I went to the president of the news division and explained to him that this hostile work environment couldn’t go on, for women and men, and he told me if I kept agitating about that internally, then I’d lose my job.”

After continuing to escalate his concerns without success, he said he finally went all the way up the ladder to then chairman Les Moonves. “I went to the chairman of the CBS corporation who listened to me very concerned for an hour, asked me some penetrating questions about what was going on. I didn’t hear back from him, but in the next opportunity in my contract I was let go from the Evening News.” Now, however, Pelley says CBS is headed in the right direction, telling CNN that “it’s all blue sky from here.”


O.J. Simpson Allegedly Bragged About His Steamy “Hot Tub Hookup” With Kris Jenner
There have been many rumors over the years alluding to the idea that O.J. Simpson and Kris Jenner may have had a romantic relationship at some point during the 1990s. At the time, Jenner was married to Kardashian, who represented Simpson in his 1995 murder trial. While no solid information has ever confirmed the hearsay, now Simpson’s former manager says there’s truth in the gossip.

According to Norman Pardo in his new documentary, “Who Killed Nicole?”, Simpson said he and his then-wife Nicole, Kardashian, and Jenner were in a Jacuzzi one night while vacationing together. After a while, Nicole and Robert went to bed, leaving behind Simpson and Jenner in the hot tub.
“‘O.J. said he stood up, pulled his shorts down and, I’ll give you exactly what he said: ‘Her eyes bugged out of her head and I f–ked that B until I broke her,’” Pardo recounted on camera in a segment previewed exclusively by The Post.

“That was as messed up as you can possibly get!”

But that one night of infidelity eventually ended in years of pain between the group of former friends. “From what I’m understanding, from what O.J. told me, everything was great up until [the] little fling that they had,” said Pardo. The 55-year-old says he managed Simpson from 1999 to 2012 and has 70 hours of videotape of Simpson. ”The fallout from the hot-tub incident” damaged all their relationships, said Pardo.

Pardo also says Simpson caused Jenner physical pain after the alleged affair. Simpson said, “they had to take her to the hospital at 2 or 3 in the morning,” Pardo continues in the movie. “She came to [O.J.’s] room and said, ‘Can you take me to the hospital?’ He said, ‘No. Have Rob do it.’” Shortly after, Jenner and Kardashian divorced in 1991, and the Simpson and Nicole split by early 1992. Pardo, who is still shopping his documentary to distributors, says Kardashian decided to represent Simpson for practicality reasons rather their friendship.

“When O.J. was found not guilty, Robert Kardashian did not jump for joy,” Pardo said. Jenner still denies all allegations. “This is an absolute lie and not true. I have never had an affair with O.J. Simpson,” she told In Touch magazine in 2013.


Dionne Warwick Calls Whitney Houston’s Hologram Tour ‘Stupid’: ‘It’s Surprising To Me’
There might be some people who are excited that a tour featuring a hologram of Whitney Houston is on its way, but the late singer’s cousin Dionne Warwick isn’t one of them.

Warwick spoke about Houston’s estate announcing the decision, which will include a tour, unreleased music and a possible Broadway show that’ll feature the hologram.
 “I haven’t a clue as to what that is,” Warwick told Entertainment Tonight on Thursday. “It’s surprising to me. I don’t know what it is. I think it’s stupid, but whatever it is, that’s what it is.”
Houston’s sister in law Pat Houston, who’s the executor of the estate, made the announcement earlier this week and said the tour is something the “Saving All My Love” singer would’ve been enthused about.
“Whitney prided herself on her family and that included her fans,” she said in a statement. “She adored her audiences and that’s why we know she would have loved this holographic theatrical concept.” 

“This upcoming tour will allow audiences to experience Whitney’s amazing voice and passion for music for a long time to come and help them share that magic with future generations,” added Pat Houston.

Houston, who died in 2012 at the age of 48, is just the latest celebrity who’ll get the hologram treatment.
Tupac Shakur was made into a hologram for The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in 2012. And the same was done to Michael Jackson at the Billboard Music Awards in 2014 , which a lot folks said they didn’t care for.

Another iconic musician who passed that some didn’t like seeing in hologram is Prince when Justin Timberlake displayed a huge illuminated image of The Purple One at the 2018 Super Bowl halftime show.
But according to reports, he used a video projection of the late singer, not an actual hologram, however, it’s it’s still probably something Prince wouldn’t have liked. Because in 1998, long before holograms were even in heavy discussion, the “Adore” singer said he hated the idea of them.

“That’s the most demonic thing imaginable. Everything is as it is, and it should be. If I was meant to jam with Duke Ellington we would have lived in the same age. That whole virtual reality thing, it really is demonic. And I am not a demon,” he told Guitar World.
“Also, what they did with that Beatles song [“Free As a Bird”], manipulating John Lennon’s voice to have him singing from across the grave, that’ll never happen to me,” Prince added. “To prevent that kind of thing from happening is another reason why I want artistic control.”

Warwick kept her words brief about Houston’s hologram tour and didn’t go into why she felt it was a stupid idea.


NFL Houson Texans Star JJ Watt Announces Engagement To Soccer Athlete Kealia Ohai
J.J. Watt popped the question to his longtime girlfriend Kealia Ohai — and she said yes!
The Houston Texans football player announced his engagement to the soccer athlete on Instagram this Sunday (May 26), with images of the soon-to-be-married couple celebrating the occasion. In one image, the 30-year-old can be seen getting down on bended knee as he presents his engagement ring to the Houston Dash star.

“I’m the luckiest man in the world. #SheSaidYes,” Watt captioned with a gallery of ocean-side images on Instagram, which shows the happy pair kissing on the pier and others of them at a romantic setting covered in flower and candle arrangements.

Watt and Ohai have been an item for three years. According to PEOPLE, the duo first met each other through quite a coincidental acquaintance — Watt's former teammate, Brian Cushing — who happens to be married to the National Women’s Soccer League player's older sister, Megan.
The twosome's relationship first sparked in 2016, when Watt attended one of Ohai's games and sported a jersey with her number (#7) on it at a press conference.

The athletes only dropped subtle details about their relationship on social media, but officially went public when Watt posted pics from their getaway to Mexico in January 2017. In explaining his decision to wait to confirm their romance, Watt said that February: “There’s a little bit of that cat and mouse game where everyone wants a photo of us and wants us to confirm it. And I was like, all right, I’ll do it so now we can enjoy ourselves and live happily. And it’s been great.”

Congratulations, J.J. and Kealia!


Chris Rock Questions DJ Khaled’s Key to Fame
Chris Rock is the only celebrity brave enough to ask the question on everyone’s mind: What exactly does DJ Khaled do?!

The comedian took to Instagram on Sunday and posted a meme of DJ Khaled creeping around a corner while asking the question, “That’s a nice song you got there … mind if I yell my name on it?”
Rock also wrote a caption alongside the shady meme, stating, “Best producer in the game. He the best.”
Hundreds of users on Rock’s IG feed echoed his sentiments, and also wondered what exactly the world famous DJ does on his tracks.
It is interesting, as Khaled recently dropped his much-hyped Father of Asahd album … featuring 15 tracks and 29 different performers, Khaled can definitely be heard yelling out his trademark phrases on the album, but it seems odd that he never has his own song.

Still, DJ Khaled is a master at social media, and has found a niche in orchestrating big names to appear on his tracks while he shouts “DJ Khaled” over and over.
Rock has been engrossed in the hip-hop scene lately, as he has shown support for Kanye West and Lil Nas X.
If he really wants to have some fun, he should cast DJ Khaled on the upcoming “Saw” reboot.


AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
‘#TITSOUT’
Damn Old Town Road song got every type of cowboy coming out of the woodwork now!


EGGPLANT NATION: Meet 'TD'
Meet TD! So you know what to do to see more. Just CLICK HERE TO SEE THE PICS and remember they’re NSFW!

DISCLAIMER: WE DO NOT OWN NOR ALTER any images posted on this blog. All images are found online or submitted.

You’re Welcome!

HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!!!
EFREM
Posted by at 7:22 PM 0 comments
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

5/23/19

The Daily Buzz For May 24 ☕📰☕


Ava DuVernay for The Hollywood Reporter May 2019
Ava DuVernay, 46, opened up in a new May 2019 interview with The Hollywood Reporter about the upcoming Netflix miniseries When They See Us.
The Oscar-nominated director revealed the importance of bringing the Central Park Five Case to light, why she's following her own path, and her decision to hire women and people of color.
When They See Us arrives on Netflix on May 31, and just like the 1989 Central Park Five case did, the limited series will likely foster dialogue about the criminal justice system while encouraging audiences to take political action. Fortunately, it's series director Ava DuVernay who is providing the necessary motivation.

In a May 2019 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the Queen Sugar creator shared her thoughts on the current commander-in-chief being an "opportunist." DuVernay suggested that President Donald J. Trump capitalized on the media frenzy enveloping the racially-charged incident that involved five young men of color wrongfully convicted of rape.
But, perhaps, the most impressive part of her candid discussion with The Hollywood Reporter was DuVernay's revelation that she's no longer asking for permission when it comes to creative projects and how she chooses to operate her company, Array Filmworks, and its various production arms.

Unlike the powerful Matthew 7:7 verse says, "knock and the door will be opened to you," DuVernay was adamant about constructing her own doors in Hollywood and kicking them down.

"I always used to say I'm not going to knock on closed doors—I'm going to make my own door," DuVernay said. "When I come here [the Array offices], I'm walking through my own doors. I built my own door, I built it."
Array Filmworks is housed in three buildings on a 14,000-square-foot property in downtown Los Angeles. Despite the campus being a work-in-progress, with plastic sheeting coverings, the foundation at DuVernay's company is sturdy and strong. Partly because the 46-year-old Selma and 13th director is unapologetically carving out her own space and making her own rules, employing a staff of 50, which, as The Hollywood Reporter noted, are all female and mostly of color.
It should come as no surprise for DuVernay to have such a inclusive and female-led team around her, considering she's been championing for inclusion riders, which, in Hollywood speak, means that an actor has a clause in their contract demanding for a film's cast and crew to meet certain diversity requirements. And with her OWN TV series Queen Sugar, DuVernay hired only women to direct all 13 episodes of the first season.
"It's not yet a movement," DuVernay said in her interview with The Hollywood Reporter. "It's a trend. And time will tell if it will mature into an era of true systematic change."

And when The Hollywood Reporter followed up, asking DuVernay if she's ever received any pushback about hiring only females, her answer was far less about wishful thinking and more direct and urgent.

"We can have that conversation, if anyone wants to, in court," DuVernay said. "I will pull out every TV show that never hired a woman. I don't think that's a conversation that anyone's ready to have, but if anyone wants to, I'm happy to have it."

Thankfully, with docuseries like When They See Us, the CBS crime drama The Red Line, and OWN's Queen Sugar, DuVernay is keeping the conversation going in a more equal and productive direction.


#RHOA: Foxy Brown has a message for Kandi’s Fans who BOO’d her offstage at The Welcome To The Dungeon Tour!
Where Brooklyn at? Foxy Brown’s appearance during Kandi Burruss’ Welcome to the Dungeon tour didn’t quite go off as planned.
The legendary rapstress reportedly showed up three hours late to her performance and then proceeded to screw up her verses while onstage.

She also appeared to be off beat during the short performance, resulting in the audience booing her off the stage.
In the footage, Foxy Brown appears wearing dungeon gear complete with a bejeweled mask and sunglasses.
Brown tried to rock the crowd but they were clearly unimpressed and she was eventually pulled off stage.
To add insult to injury, the DJ promptly played ?The Jump Off? by long-time rival, Lil Kim as Brown was being escorted off.

For the record, Kandi proceeded to go on with the show despite Browns unfortunate performance and it seems Foxy is unbothered by the melee.
Less than 24 hours after being booed off the stage during Kandi?s Dungeon Tour, Foxy shared the following social media post, proclaiming she’s “STILL KING BITCH!!!”
So there…….


#Empire: Taraji P. Henson to Testify in Front of Congressional Taskforce at Mental Health Forum
She will testify at the "Mental Health in the Black Community" forum on Friday, June 7
Two weeks after announcing that her Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation will host a two-day mental health summit next month, Taraji P. Henson is further trying to eradicate the stigma surrounding mental illness in the African-American community.

On Tuesday, it was announced that the Empire actress will be testifying in front of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Taskforce at the “Mental Health in the Black Community” forum on Friday, June 7. The hearing will focus on Henson’s perspective in dealing with mental health and why talking about the issue will benefit the Black community.

Henson, who has been vocal about her personal struggles with depression and anxiety, will support her foundation’s fight to end the stigma of mental illness by publicly speaking during the Can We Talk? Conference and Benefit Dinner in Washington D.C. on June 7-9.

The Congressional Black Caucus Taskforce, led by New Jersey Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, was launched on April 30 and is dedicated to compiling research towards addressing the issue of Black youth suicide and creating better access to mental health.
“This is an incredible opportunity to address the people who can not only help shine a light on this devastating problem in our community, but who also have the power and resources to help us truly make a difference in young Black lives,” the star said in a statement.

“It is an honor to have the support and attention of members of Congress who are truly invested in working towards a solution,” she added.
Henson founded her nonprofit in 2018, naming it after her father, Boris Lawrence Henson, who struggled with mental health challenges as a result of his tour of duty in the Vietnam War.

The summit will kick off June 7 with a 300-person benefit dinner with a keynote address delivered by Dr. Altha J. Stewart, the first African-American to be named President of the American Psychiatric Association.
Proceeds from the benefit will go towards BLHF’s “You Got This!” Fundraising Campaign in an effort to support access to therapy for African-Americans who may not have the means to cover expenses.
The Oscar-nominated actress recently opened up to Variety about her own struggles, revealing the lack of Black mental health professionals is what pushed her to start her foundation.

“You can talk to your friends, but you need a professional who can give you exercises,” she said. “So that when you’re on the ledge, you have things to say to yourself that will get you off that ledge and past your weakest moments.”


#NewMusic: Listen to the Icon Dionne Warwick’s New Album ‘She’s Back’
Legendary Songstress Dionne Warwick has returned to her R&B roots on her new full-length album, She’s Back.
For her first dedicated R&B/soul album since 1969’s Soulful, Warwick enlisted Kenny Latimore, Krayzie Bone of Bone, Thugs & Harmony, and Musiq Soulchild for the ten new songs. She re-recorded Burt Bacharach/Hal David’s classic “What’s the World Need Now is Love” for a second time and made it the lead single for She’s Back.

LISTEN AND STREAM HERE

“The world needs Iove,” she told PEOPLE in a recent interview. “I hope they’re paying attention this time around. It’s time for that healing factor and it’s called love.”

In addition to the new material, Warwick treats fans with all 19 remastered recordings from her 1998 album, Dionne Sings Dionne, which features some of her greatest hits including “Walk On By” and “I Say A Little Prayer For You.”


#HipHopNews: New TuPac Music coming? Suge Knight’s son says so!
This past February, notorious Death Row Records founder Suge Knight claimed that he still owned unreleased recordings from Tupac Shakur. We haven't heard much more about those tracks since, but according to Suge's son, Suge Knight Jr., they're on the way.
https://youtu.be/3T8l630y9NM
Speaking to the folks at Los Angeles' Real 92.3, Suge Jr. spoke on his New Death Row label, his Tupac Shakur-focused conversations with his now-incarcerated father, whether he believed 'Pac is still alive and unreleased tunes from the late rapper. For the latter, he offered up a simple answer.
"Correct," the younger Suge said after radio show hosts asked if there was still unreleased 'Pac music he was working on. Elsewhere, he reveals that, despite his earlier claims that Tupac is still alive and living in Malaysia, he doesn't actually believe the West Coast icon is still breathing.
Suge Knight's son doesn't offer up much else in the way of details regarding the new 'Pac music, but such a prospect is obviously welcome.

Since his death on Sept. 13, 1996, six posthumous solo 'Pac albums have been released. The last one, titled 'Pac's Life, hit stores in November 2006, seemingly concluding what at one point felt like a limitless stream of posthumous albums from the revered rapper. Maybe there's one more in store.


All in the Family’ & ‘The Jeffersons’ Live Shines Taking us down Memory Lane! 
He flew 52 bombing runs over Germany during World War II. He started his TV career in 1950. He created the most influential TV program in American TV history. He most recently rebooted the best of the current crop of TV reboots (Netflix's "One Day at a Time").

He is 96. He is Norman Lear.

There are your reasons — a few of them — for  Wednesday's “Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear’s ‘All in the Family’ and ‘The Jeffersons.’ ” Lear isn't going to live forever. Time for the tribute. So what was the tribute like?
At first, weird. A detour down memory lane that took a hard right to funkytown — and on to references that were even older than the word "funkytown."    Also puzzling.
The accents mostly. Woody Harrelson is an actor with many gifts but clearly no gift for New York-area accents. His Archie Bunker (originally played by Carroll O'Connor) sounded like Jersey by way of Slovakia. Those who still remember Jean Stapleton's Edith don't think of Marisa Tomei — love her as most do — in a ragged wig.

And then, like all funkytown TV, the party started. Jamie Foxx, as George Jefferson, fumbled a line during the opening episode, but naturally had to say something. ("It's live," he ad-libbed. "Everyone sitting at home just think their TV messed up.")
It didn't and he did, and from that moment on, this had our attention. We all entered a time machine (per Jimmy Kimmel, who actually thought this whole project up) and there we remained, until Marla Gibbs turned up during "The Jeffersons" episode to remind viewers that she was once a real star on this long-ago hit (1975-85).
Of the two live episodes, "The Jeffersons" was easily the better, and also made the unexpected case that it was possibly the better series all along. Foxx nailed Sherman Hemsley's George, Wanda Sykes nailed Louise (originally played by Isabel Sanford), Jackée Harry nailed Diane Stockwell (Paulene Myers), Will Ferrell nailed Tom Willis (Franklin Cover) and Kerry Washington nailed Helen Willis (Roxie Roker).

But in the end, this night was about Lear. His comedies once forced viewers to face a tragic part of American history and to somehow laugh about the fact that history hadn't gone anywhere.

Kudos to Kimmel for reminding us of all that — and of him — too.
Or as Norman Lear told Jimmy Kimmel tonight, “I sit in a chair in an audience and I was had!”


Kendall Jenner and Ben Simmons reportedly have broken up
Kendall Jenner and NBA star Ben Simmons have split, according to sources.
Sources said that at the same time a new Australia Vogue cover story dropped — quoting supermodel Jenner saying of potentially marrying Simmons, “Maybe. Definitely not now, but maybe one day” — Simmons was partying solo in Atlantic City, NJ, with pals.

Simmons was spotted with friends at Kuro at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino celebrating a pal’s birthday.
We hear that the group later turned up at Scores, and that there was buzz among Ben’s entourage that he and Jenner called it quits last week.

Another source familiar with the couple said they have broken up. Adding fuel to the rumors, Jenner was posting some cryptic Instagram Story posts the same night — including the new Tyler, the Creator tune, “I Don’t Love You Anymore” as well as lyrics to another of the rapper’s songs, “Puppet,” which includes the line: “I wanna call you and talk.”
Sources said Simmons’ crew included a “tall, supersexy brunette.”

However, the source added of any Scores ladies: “Ben was at a center booth by the stage, but when the topless girls came to the booth, he had security send them away.”

This isn’t the first time the pair’s been on the rocks: Jenner was spotted smooching Gigi and Bella Hadid’s brother, Anwar Hadid, last fall. Reps didn’t comment


Ike Turner’s Daughter says That Rape Did NOT Happen! In the Rape Scene In ‘What’s Love Got To Do With It’!
One of the more disturbing and talked about scenes in the 1993 Academy Award-nominated film What’s Love Got To Do With It, involves Tina Turner (played by Angela Bassett) being raped by her husband at the time, Ike Turner (played by Laurence Fishburne.) In a new interview, one of Ike Turner’s children is defending her father—and vehemently denies that the rape ever took place.

Although the film is over 25 years old, it’s still hard to watch the brutal rape scene depicted in What’s Love Got To Do With It, a film that was based on legendary singer Tina Turner’s 1986 biography, I, Tina. Tina has always been very forthcoming regarding the severe past abuse she suffered at the hands of Ike Turner during their marriage and career together back in the 60s and 70s.
When the film was released, fans and audiences were shocked to learn of the private hell that Tina endured for decades. She lived to tell her truth—and as a result embarked upon a successful solo career that took her to professional heights she never had while with Ike.

Fast forward to present day, and Ike Turner’s 50-year-old daughter, Mia Turner, is crying foul and claiming that the infamous rape scene in the film never happened and that it was completely fictionalized. Turner flat out says, “that rape did not happen” and she never witnessed her father abusing Tina in any way during her childhood. Mia’s mother is former Ikette Margaret Ann Thomas, who became pregnant with Mia during his marriage to Tina.
Mia is currently prepping a documentary about Ike and Tina, and wants to set the record straight from her perspective of their relationship during her childhood. Mia admits that she still struggles to believe her father was ever abusive.

She stated, of the rape in question: “Obviously I wasn’t there that night…but after I saw the movie I called Tina’s sister Aillene and said: ‘What in the world?’ She then called Tina and [Aillene] confirmed to me that it never happened.”

Mia continued, adding: “A high percentage of Tina’s account has been accurate. When she signed off on the movie it was the way she wanted it, but it was edited heavily afterwards. We find out later it was tweaked. It was made Hollywood, so there’s quite a few scenes, primarily the rape scene. It didn’t happen. In Hollywood, sex sells, whether it’s good, bad or indifferent.”

Mia claims that all she ever remembers is her childhood being filled with laughter and happy times:

“They didn’t argue much in front of me. When it came to rehearsals, daddy was the choreographer and composer, so they might quibble over things, but I never saw him hit her. I’m not saying those things didn’t happen, I just never saw that.”
However, Turner doubled down on her claims of abuse at the hands of her former husband and has never waivered from her initial claims.

In her 2018 official autobiography, My Love Story, Turner, 79, described what sex was like with Ike:
“For me, though, sex with Ike had become an expression of hostility — a kind of rape — especially when it began or ended with a beating.”
Mia says she lived between both her grandmother’s and Ike and Tina’s homes as a child—she lived with her grandmother during the week and Ike and Tina on the weekends. She also revealed that Tina was aware of her father’s affair with her mother, which was also depicted in What’s Love Got To Do With It.

Despite her denial of Tina’s recollections of physical and sexual abuse, Mia still think fondly of her:
“Tina was like a second mother to me, I have a lot of love and respect for her, I still do. I was like the daughter she never had, we did everything together. Tina will always have a very special place in my heart because that’s my other mother. If I saw her today, I would hug her and say, ‘I love you and I miss you.’”

Ike Turner died on December 12, 2007 at the age of 76 of an apparent cocaine overdose. He and Tina divorced in 1978 and he eventually married Mia’s mother in 1981 before divorcing in 1990 due to his drug use.


Drake Responds After Milwaukee Bucks Coach Calls Out His Courtside High Jinks
Drake is known to be the life of the party whenever he stops by a basketball game — but Milwaukee Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer is not exactly a fan.
The “Nonstop” rapper, 32, was particularly lively while rooting for the Toronto Raptors during their game against the Bucks on Tuesday, May 21. At one point, he even stood up to give a quick shoulder rub to Raptors coach Nick Nurse. In the end, Drake turned out to be good luck for his hometown team, which won 120-102 and tied the Eastern Conference finals 2-2.

A day after the game, Budenholzer, 49, shared his brutally honest thoughts on celebrities receiving special treatment and having access to the court.

“There’s certainly no place for fans and, you know, whatever it is exactly that Drake is for the Toronto Raptors,” he said during a conference call, via ESPN. “You know, to be on the court, there’s boundaries and lines for a reason, and like I said, the league is usually pretty good at being on top of stuff like that.”

Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo’s former agent Georgios Dimitropoulos also took aim at Drake in a since-deleted tweet on Wednesday, May 22. “Imagine a gig & an athlete on VIP seats, right next to the band, stands up on the stage just to show off during the entire game, knowing cameras are on him, occasionally even massaging the singer,” he wrote. “Security&him both allow it. Never seen anything as disrespectful as this before.”
The four-time Grammy winner took to Instagram later on Wednesday to respond to the criticism. He uploaded a photo of himself celebrating the Raptors’ success on the court, captioned with three emojis: a laughing-crying face, a salt shaker and a man shrugging.

Drake then posted a screenshot on his Instagram Story that showed him “liking” a fan’s comment that read, “If you don’t want the opposing team to celebrate and dance, prevent them from scoring, winning, or achieving their objective. Get over it and keep it moving.”

Nurse, for his part, told reporters on Wednesday that he “didn’t even feel” the MC’s shoulder rub because he was “so locked into the game.”


Rihanna Debuts Her Luxury Fenty Collection in Paris
The Paris debut of Rihanna's historic LVMH-partnered luxury Fenty collection is drawing high praise and equally high levels of stokedness from fans.
The launch went down by way of a pop-up boutique, with guests including Balmain's Olivier Rousteing and Dior's Maria Grazia Chiuri. Writing on the launch event for British Vogue, Sarah Harris noted that the event was initially delayed by an hour, then delayed again, ultimately kicking off three hours after the previously announced start time. However, this understandably appeared to bother no one in attendance, a fact Harris says is a sign Rihanna has "another hit on her hands."
Pieces range in price from 200 Euros (roughly $223) for a white waist-cinched tee to roughly 1100 Euros for a reversible parka. Speaking to attendees in Paris, Rihanna explained how elements of the design are inspired by what she wishes she could find with ease on her own shopping trips.

"I love strong silhouettes, and for women to look confident, that's what I want to achieve with this collection," she said.

For a proper look at the full collection, Vogue's got you. The general public can get their hands on the new Fenty starting May 29 online. The next drop is slated for late June.

When offering T Magazine an early glimpse at the line last week, Rihanna told Jeremy O. Harris that she took a "very hands-on" approach to this partnership, as she does with all her projects. "I already had a relationship with [LVMH] after the Versailles campaign and the makeup line, so they extended the offer to me and it was a no-brainer because LVMH is a machine," she said.


Halle Berry Plants a Big Kiss on Lena Waithe During 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' Monologue
While Jimmy Kimmel was off working on Live in Front of a Studio Audience, which included live recreations of All In The Family and its groundbreaking spin-off, The Jeffersons, Waithe was guest hosting Jimmy Kimmel Live on Thursday.
During the Masters of None star's monologue, she received a surprise visit from Halle Berry, who gave her more than just a pep talk. "Baby, what can I do for you?" Berry asked Waithe.

"I need some inspiration. Like that Oscars speech you gave, that got me hyped," Waithe answered, referencing Berry's acceptance speech at the 2002 Academy Awards. "I need you to give me some of that Halle Berry juice."
The 52-year-old actress did just that! "Lena, you know I know you, right? We've worked together. So I know that you are a force of nature. You are a beautiful African American queen," she exclaimed. "...Lena, tonight you are a writer, an actor, a producer and tonight you are a late-night comedian. You about to slay this show!"
Berry quipped, "And you are already winning, girl, because you are dressed way better than Jimmy ever was."
After her inspiring words, the John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum star asked Waithe, "Now, you good or do you need something else?"
Waithe said that the pep talk worked but Berry had something else in mind. "No, I think you need something else," she proclaimed before planting a big kiss on the 35-year-old star. 

After their smooch, Berry announced, "Now you're good!"


Mario Batali to Be Arraigned on Indecent Assault & Battery Charge
Mario Batali is expected to be arraigned on an indecent assault and battery charge on Friday (May 24) in Boston, Mass.
A spokesperson for the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office confirmed the news on Wednesday (May 22) in a statement to NBC Boston.

The incident involving the 58-year-old celebrity chef reportedly occurred at a restaurant in the Back Bay area on March 31, 2017.
In a criminal complaint, a woman told police she saw Mario and tried to take a selfie over her shoulder at the restaurant. He apparently noticed, called her over, grabbed her chest and kissed her without consent and invited her to his hotel room according to a Boston Globe report.

A woman in Massachusetts filed a lawsuit back in August of 2018 with similar allegations at the same restaurant. It’s not yet known if the reported criminal complaint and civil suit involved the same person and incident.
“Mr. Batali denies the allegations in both this criminal complaint and the civil complaint filed last August. The charges, brought by the same individual without any new basis, are without merit. He intends to fight the allegations vigorously, and we expect the outcome to fully vindicate Mr. Batali,” said his attorney Anthony Fuller in a statement.
He could face two and a half years in prison if convicted.

Mario was fired from The Chew in December of 2017 amid allegations of sexual misconduct.

“Much of the behavior described does, in fact, match up with ways I have acted. That behavior was wrong, and there are no excuses,” he said at the time.


‘Braxton Family Values’ Star Towanda Braxton Goes Back to School to Learn Personal Finance Following Bankruptcy
“Braxton Family Values” star Towanda Braxton was forced to go back to school and learn some things about how to manage her money after having to file for bankruptcy.
According to court documents obtained by The Blast, Braxton recently completed an online class on personal financial management.

Braxton completed her class on May 18 and now is one step closer to having her $450k in debt wiped clean. The class was required as part of her bankruptcy and teaches those with money problems how to properly manage their finances moving forward.

As reported, Towanda Braxton filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy last month, listing $277,650 in assets but $547,056.39 in liabilities.
She says her monthly income is $4,692 but expenses per month total $6,020, leaving her in the red.
has vandalized his home, and now he wants the man kept away.
Her assets include a new Georgia home she bought recently (worth about $275k), $1,500 in household goods, $1k in clothing and only $150 in her checking account … with zero in her savings.

Towanda’s debt includes $417,715 to a mortgage company, $76k to her former landlord, $982 to Comcast, over a thousand to collection attorneys, $8,480 to Covenant Christian Academy, $6,211.30 in medical bills, $35,000 to her sister Tamar who gave her a personal loan and various other debts.

The case is ongoing.


Tamron Hall Spills Tea on Megyn Kelly Taking Her ‘Today’ Show Time Slot, Why She Hid Her Pregnancy
On March 4 Tamron Hall seemingly shocked many when she announced that she wasn’t only married but pregnant. The former “Today” host shared the news in her 32 second week of pregnancy and explained why she waited in a new interview with People.

“My doctor said, ‘This is your body, your health. You share of your journey what you want to share,'” said the 48-year-old. “I was terrified I would lose this baby, and I would have to go back and tell everyone that now it was bad news, and after this pregnancy had gone so far.”
“I just wasn’t mentally prepared to deal with that,” she added. “That’s why I waited. And trust me, if I could’ve gone the whole way to delivery, I would’ve.”

Hall and her husband, music manager Steven Greener, welcomed their son Moses on April 24, and the new mom said her pregnancy was high risk — not only due to her age, but because of “other medical factors.”
Moses is also Hall’s first child, and she talked about trying to conceive back in her younger years.

“I knew that the clock was not on my side” she explained. “When I tried in my 30s, I still felt like I had some time, and the fertility clinic felt like a bright room. In my 40s I saw all the gray: The faces looked gray, the walls were gray, nothing seemed shiny and optimistic.”
“Just like with my job search during that time, there were so many frustrations: I’m putting in the work, I’m taking care of my mind and my body and I’m being rejected,” she added. “I’m thinking, ‘Wait a minute. What have I done wrong here?'”

And regarding Hall’s career, things suddenly shifted when she left NBC and stopped co-hosting the third hour of “Today,” “Today’s Take.”
She suddenly learned the time slot was given to Megyn Kelly, who would eventually be terminated for defending people wearing blackface on Halloween.
But Hall said she holds no bitterness towards the ousted host.
“Let me be clear, I have no ill will toward Megyn,” she explained. “They made her an offer she couldn’t refuse. And they made me an offer I could refuse. But afterward, after 25 years in the business, I felt some of the offers that were coming in were insulting.”

“Like, ‘Wait a minute. I’ve been doing this a long time, and you’re coming to me with these odd little things?'” added Hall. “I felt like, ‘Wow, I’ve put in all this work thinking the right thing will come.’ Well, it was June, and the right thing had not come.”
The Texas native has a new syndicated talk show that premieres Sept. 9, and in retrospect she believes the career change was a huge blessing.
“I’m from the South, and there’s a saying: ‘It’s not a setback; it’s a setup for something else,'” she stated. “That loss set me up for, yes, a dream job but also my baby, my husband, my family. I just couldn’t see it coming.”


Trump Administration Postpones Harriet Tubman $20 Bill Release
Harriet Tubman will not grace the front of the $20 bill until 2028, Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Wednesday.
Tubman, known as the female Moses, is one of the first Black women who risked her life as a slave to free others through the Underground Railroad. Tubman’s efforts as an activist and abolitionist were honored nearly two years ago when it was decided she would be replacing Andrew Jackson as the new face of the $20 bill.

The Obama Administration initiative specified the bill would be released in 2020 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote. But Mnuchin says the bill “most likely” won’t be printed until 2028. 

“It’s not a decision that is likely to come until way past my term, even if I serve the second term for the president,” Mnuchin told the House Financial Services Committee on Wednesday. “So I’m not focused on that for the moment.”

Mnuchin said a redesign of the bill’s security feature will come out in 2020. However, the bill itself won’t be revealed for eight years. He did not explain why the bill wouldn’t be produced at this time. Mnuchin’s announcement sparked many opinions, including from Democratic Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts. Pressley took to Twitter and pointed out Mnuchin’s questionable decision. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

“People other than white men built this county. And Sec Mnuchin agrees, yet he refuses to update our #currency.”


Sam Champion returning back home to WABC's 'Eyewitness News'
Weather forecaster Sam Champion is returning to WABC/7, where he had been a popular presence from 1988 to 2006 before going on to "Good Morning America" and The Weather Channel. The station, the flagship of ABC network, announced Wednesday that Champion will join the weekday morning and noon teams starting June 3.

"Sam has a fascination and passion for weather that is absolutely contagious," said WABC president and general manager Debra O'Connell in a statement. "I am thrilled to have Sam join our outstanding Eyewitness News team, bringing with him a tremendous track record for accuracy in weather forecasting along with his genuine care for our tri-state area communities and viewers.”

Champion, 57, has not commented on social media.


AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
‘INSERT SPACKLE HERE’
Why do all the cracks always need something on the bottom shelf?


#EGGPLANT NATION Meet KING! 
Meet KING! Well to see more you can GO HERE TO SEE THE PICS!  And remember they’re NSWF!

DISCLAIMER: WE DO NOT OWN any images posted on this blog. All images are found online or submitted.

ENJOY!


HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND EVERYBODY!!!!!!!!
EFREM
Posted by at 6:38 PM 0 comments
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

Followers