Omari Hardwick, 50 Cent & Co. Get In Closeup For VIBE Mag!
The men of "Power," Starz's sleeper hit, are rocking with VIBE before next month's season 3 premiere. They got into character during the shoot and dropped a few dimes (no snitching though!) about what we can expect from writer Courtney Kemp next season.
On what loyalty means to him vs. what it means to Ghost: Omari Hardwick’s definition of loyalty would definitely be if you’ve been down for me when it was really rough, if you checked for me when I was trying to figure out the terrain of that heavy-ass mountain and how to get up, if not to the top at least somewhat to a satisfactory place, then I’m rocking with you for life. Once you got me, you got me. Ghost, his definition is a little bit more self-serving.
On whether he could ever kill his on screen right hand man, Tommy: I don’t think he could ever do that. I think that’s what people root for. There’s always a twinkle of, like, ‘He can’t kill Tommy’—as our executive producer walks by right now Curtis [Jackson] is playing a character, in Kanan, that can do that. Kanan is a guy that separates himself from a lot of characters we see on dramas, on thrillers, on crime dramas because he is ruthless and could care less. He shot his son. Ghost could not only not shoot his son; he could not shoot his Caucasian brother Tommy Egan. He cannot. He might act like he can, but I don’t think he could ever come to that place.
On Curtis vs. Kanan: It’s an extreme difference because Kanan is on one track. It’s just the hustler, street mentality. Those laws apply to Kanan, and he’s a guy that’s been incarcerated and hasn’t made any adjustments during that time frame; he just got more advanced at the criminal behavior, slicker energy. It’s no difference between the CEO of a corporate company and Kanan. He sees an option of acquiring your business by killing you. That cold-blooded instinct is in that guy who’s in the corporate space because he doesn’t care if everyone in your organization doesn’t have any way to eat.
Joseph Sikora knows the black community is Team Tommy all day. About why folks seemed to have accepted Joseph & Tommy immediately:
My parents were in civil rights. I can’t say I progressed in the exact same way, but part of it was because of the example of my parents and having African-American people in my life since I was a baby. My heart has never been cold or awkward, or anything. I’ve always had the luxury of knowing that people are people. It’s almost, to me, being anything else would have to be pretend, and people can tell. It just translates. If there was ever any a hint of discomfort with anybody else of a different color skin, I think that would translate on television, especially having a brother that is Omari Hardwick, who is African American. I think that is all it is, and the camera doesn’t lie. People pick up on that stuff.
The show's writer and creator, Courtney Kemp, dropped a few nuggets on how to best work with men in the professional arena:
“It’s very helpful when you work with men to be able to be on eye level,” Kemp says between bites of grilled chicken, sweet potato and greens. Her simple, prayed-over lunch is meant to keep her moving and avoid sluggishness, a lesson learned a few weeks prior when she instead opted for fried chicken. “You have to use and evaluate all of your assets, whatever those might be. You may have a great voice. You might sound good on paper. But when you get to a place where you’re managing others, you want to make sure that you know what your assets are–and that you use them.”
Check out the full cover story HERE. "Power" returns July 17th on Starz.
THIS JUST IN! British Prime Minister David Cameron says he will RESIGN!
Prime Minister David Cameron says he will resign by the fall and insists the British people’s will must be respected after voters chose to leave the 28-nation European Union.
Cameron says there can be no doubt about the result of Thursday’s historic vote but that he is not the “captain” that will steer the ship through difficult negotiations with the EU.
He says he will resign by the time of the Conservative party conference in the fall.
British stocks are plunging as the market opens as investors scramble to react to the news. The pound has hit a 31-year low.
Prime Minister David Cameron says he will resign by the fall and insists the British people’s will must be respected after voters chose to leave the 28-nation European Union.
Cameron says there can be no doubt about the result of Thursday’s historic vote but that he is not the “captain” that will steer the ship through difficult negotiations with the EU.
He says he will resign by the time of the Conservative party conference in the fall.
British stocks are plunging as the market opens as investors scramble to react to the news. The pound has hit a 31-year low.
Brexit Wins As The UK Votes To Leave EU In Historic Referendum
The narrow result sent financial markets into a swoon and plunges Britain into an uncertain future.
Remain campaigners hang a large banner from Westminster Bridge as they try to disrupt a flotilla of fishing vessels campaigning to leave the European Union.
The United Kingdom will exit the European Union, as a majority of British voters chose “leave” over “remain” in the country’s EU referendum on Thursday, the BBC projected. The result plunges Britain into an uncertain future, with both serious and immediate political and economic ramifications.
The “leave” campaign took a surprising early lead hours after the polls closed, and edged further ahead as the counting continued. With “leave” leading, the British pound plummeted to the lowest in 31 years, the The Associated Press reported. U.S. financial markets were expected to open sharply lower.
“The dawn is breaking on an independent United Kingdom,” said Nigel Farage, the anti-EU leader of the U.K. Independence Party. “Let June 23 go down in our history as our independence day.”
The U.K. will now enter into a two-year negotiation with the EU on how its exit will be handled, although it could take even longer. The country is bracing for market turmoil and a potential large scale depreciation in the value of the British pound. Focus also turns to Prime Minister David Cameron, who urged Britons to “remain” and is likely to face pressure to resign following the “leave” result.
Polling in the week before the referendum showed an almost dead heat between the “leave” and “remain” camps, with the latter taking a slight lead Thursday. A significant number of voters — around 10 percent — were undecided just days before the vote.
Earlier this month, a number of polls showed the “leave” side pulling ahead after lagging behind for much of the contest. As the referendum neared, however, support for both sides was almost equal.
Meanwhile, Britain’s betting houses split with the polls and odds suggested the U.K. would opt to stay in the Union.
Prime Minister David Cameron called the EU referendum in late February to make good on a campaign promise from his 2015 election campaign, during which he vowed the country would hold a vote on whether to exit the EU if he were re-elected.
The move was intended to quell the rising influence of the anti-EU, anti-immigration UK Independence Party, or UKIP — as well as dissenting voices from within Cameron’s own Conservative Party.
Some of the roots of Brexit go back much earlier, however. While the U.K. joined the EU in 1973, it never really adhered to the ideological goal of a “closer union” between states. Membership in the Union was initially controversial and prompted a referendum in 1975, which the “remain” side won with 67 percent of the vote.
Though Britain stayed in the Union, it opted out of key EU initiatives such as the move to establish a common currency and the Schengen Agreement allowing border-free travel.
‘Remain’ Versus ‘Leave’
Since Cameron officially set the June 23 date for the vote four months ago, British politics has been embroiled in a heated contest between the “remain” and “leave” camps. The debate over Brexit also reverberated around Europe, as rising anti-EU parties backed the prospect of a U.K. departure while central figures in the Union, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Council President Donald Tusk, warned of dire consequences should the U.K. opt to leave.
Politicians backing “remain,” including Cameron and leader of the opposition Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn, campaigned to convince voters that the U.K. would be far better off as a member of the EU. They largely focused on the economic benefits of staying in the world’s largest trading bloc and warned of the potential market turmoil if the country left.
Prior to announcing the referendum date, Cameron also negotiated a deal with the EU to give Britain more autonomy within the organization if it voted to remain. The terms of the agreement give Britain greater control over a range of issues, including social welfare benefits, immigration and political integration with the EU.
On the “leave” side, former London Mayor Boris Johnson and UKIP’s Farage fronted a campaign that focused heavily on immigration and gaining sovereignty from the bureaucracy of the EU. Buoyed by the refugee and eurozone crises in recent years, this anti-EU sentiment resonated among many Britons.
“Leave” campaigners attempted to capitalize on people’s frustrations with the Union, and sometimes played to populist nationalist sentiment. These appeals were often controversial, and proponents of “remain” accused anti-EU individuals of fear mongering and xenophobia. Farage drew condemnation from both sides after debuting a poster showing a group of refugees walking through Europe to imply that Britain had lost control of its borders.
In the darkest moment ahead of the vote, pro-EU Labour Party MP Jo Cox was murdered on the street in the town of Birstall by a man prosecutors say yelled nationalist slogans including “keep Britain independent.” The attacker, Thomas Mair, may have had ties to right-wing extremist groups and family members said he had a history of mental illness. Both the “remain” and “leave” sides suspended their campaigns for days after the attack, amid concern that the Brexit debate’s rhetoric had become toxic.
#RHOA: Phaedra Parks Calls ‘Real Housewives’ A Sorority & The Reason Why Is Actually Really Touching
One aspect of the Real Housewives franchise that has always fascinated me is the authenticity of the women's relationships with each other. Not only do I wonder about whether the friendships are genuine within each show, but I also wonder how Real Housewives from different shows end up connecting. But after speaking with Real Housewives of Atlanta's Phaedra Parks, I feel like the franchise as a whole could be described as Six Degrees of Phaedra. You might be a little surprised by that since Parks isn't someone who shows off every time she hangs out with someone, but the reality star is just more low-key with her friendships.
Anyone who watches Real Housewives of Atlanta knows that Parks has been through a lot in her life and she has not been at all shy to share everything with viewers. Parks explains, "The difference between a good reality show and a great reality show is people being very authentic, genuine, and most importantly, being transparent."
With that said, some of her greatest struggles have been very public, and there's no one who understands that like her fellow Real Housewives. Parks shares some insight about how the ladies connect to each other with a great analogy to describe the franchise: "Being on a reality show is almost like a sorority of sorts. Only another person in the sorority can truly understand the pledging process." That mentality explains why so many of these women across the different shows have formed such strong bonds.
"Since there is nothing so well worth having as friends, never lose a chance to make them." - Francesco Guicciardini It's always fun times with my girl @sonjatmorgan. #RHONY meets #RHOA!! @bravotv #LA #BTS
For instance, I had no idea that the southern belle has some close connections to the Real Housewives of New York City ladies. Parks reveals,
"I know the Countess [Luann de Lesseps] and Sonja [Morgan]. We've had the opportunity to hang out. I just love Sonja's spirit. Sonja and I talked last week and I was encouraging her and she was encouraging me."
I'm sure that was much-needed considering Morgan's storyline on this season of RHONY. It has been very dramatic to say the least and Parks has been making sure to support her friends. Parks says, "They’re having a great season in New York, so you should definitely tune into that." Oh, I am, Phaedra.
Parks has also been in touch with Real Housewives of New Jersey's queen Teresa Giudice. Giudice's husband, Joe Giudice, and Parks' estranged husband, Apollo Nida, are currently serving sentences at the same prison. "Teresa and I obviously have some common things going on," Parks explains. "So we’ve talked about some the issues that I had and she asked me for some advice."
And Giudice isn't the only New Jersey lady who Parks knows. "I talk to Kathy Wakile. She and her husband are so sweet and their whole family has always supported us, as well," she says.
But when it comes to which show she would want to be on aside from her own, Parks answers "Beverly Hills" without hesitation. Aside from talking about how great the shopping and weather are in California, she reveals that she has connections to both Lisas:
"I’ve had the pleasure of working with Lisa Vanderpump. We’ve been on the Women’s Empowerment Tour together. She is so sweet. Lisa Rinna and I have a mutual friend. She is really great and has great children."
These existing bonds provide an authentic reason for Parks to be around just in case she ever wants to make a cameo appearance on RHOBH — which would be amazing.
Parks also mentions something that I have been fantasizing about for years: an all star edition of Real Housewives. She muses,
"Andy Cohen should have a Real Housewives all star team where we all stay together in a house. I think it would be very interesting to bring women from the various cities together since we are all so different. It would be quite entertaining."
This has to be the best idea ever. Hopefully, Cohen will listen up.
Was Taraji P Henson’s Exit from Person of Interest FAIR? The producers speak on it.
Of course TEAM EMPIRE we love Cookie Lyon. But before that she was on the show ‘Person of Interest’. You also know she was killed off the show. Well the producers spoke to deadline Hollywood about the matter. Here’s some excerpts from the interview:
Episode 2 (of Season 1) featured flashbacks, Episode 3 started to tee up Elias, who we met in Episode 7, so the show was consistently serialized from the beginning, and by the third season there are so many different serialized storylines that the show began to feel more mythological. But that was part of the design from the beginning. I’m very proud of how we executed that.
DEADLINE: POI was a rare series that killed off its female lead, played by Taraji P. Henson. Looking back on that decision, is it still something that you feel you should have done or are you having second thoughts now?
PLAGEMAN: I would just say that was a mutual decision. Taraji really wanted to go do other projects and we crafted a narrative that we felt was in keeping with the character. We parted on amicable terms.
CBS
NOLAN: We loved working with Taraji and one of the reasons why we parted on great terms and very proud of the material we did was you have this incredibly talented actor who’s so known for her range in addition to everything else. It’s incredibly exciting watching what she’s doing in Empire. I think one of the things from the beginning that I certainly regret is that, we had a great relationship with Warners and CBS but the decision was made early on not to feature Taraji prominently in the advertising for the show and I think that was a mistake. Greg, jump in if you think I’m being too direct. It’s difficult.
When you start these things off, conversations are had, and we had a lot of arguments back and forth about it, but the decision was made to sell the show as a two-hander and I think, in hindsight, it feels like you have this fantastic, commercially appealing, incredibly talented female lead and she’s not on the poster. It’s always hard to figure out how to market these things in the first place. You don’t want to second guess these things too much but I think that was a mistake. I was never happier than when I was walking down Ventura Boulevard and saw a bus pass with a picture of Taraji Henson on the side of it. I thought that’s fantastic. We’re thrilled for her.
POI-first season DVD
I would change very, very few things about what we did with the show from the beginning. I would have fought even harder to ensure that Taraji was on the poster in the beginning, but I wouldn’t change any of the moves that we made along the way in terms of big character movement. I think part of the reason why our fans are as die-hard and rabid as they are is because the show took risks. We weren’t interested in cashing checks for the rest of our careers.
#NEWMUSIC: Nicole Wray Returns as Lady Wray with Soulful New Single “Do It Again”
You Better Sing Nicole!
R&B songstress Nicole Wray, now known as Lady Wray, has recently returned with the brand new single “Do It Again,” on indie label Big Crown Records.
The triumphant, soul drenched record is the first offering from the singer’s forthcoming album Queen Alone. Over the commanding instrumentation, Wray belts out with outstanding vocals about a lost relationship that she would willing give another chance.
“We rolled the dice, and we lost in the end / Though our luck has run out, I would do it again,” she sings over booming percussion and hair raising horns.
Check out the single and video HERE!
Good to see her BACK!
New Video: 50 Cent feat. Chris Brown – ‘No Romeo No Juliet’
50 Cent and Chris Brown are back at it again. After teaming up in the video for “I’m the Man (Remix),” the two hit the strip club for their latest collaboration, “No Romeo No Juliet.”
Exotic dancers show off their flexibility in barely-there outfits, and one even multitasks, playing the violin while hanging from a pole. Meanwhile, Fif counts his money and Breezy keeps it pimpin’. The clip ends with a teaser for 50’s next video, the Post Malone-assisted “Tryna Fuck Me Over,” which appears on last year’s Kanan Tape.
50 is working on the follow-up, Kanan Reloaded, which is due sometime this year.
Kevin Hart Posts Photo of Burglar Who Robbed His Home *sarcasm*
Kevin Hart has taken to Instagram, to call out the burglar who allegedly robbed his Tarzana home last week for $500,000 worth of belongings. Posting a photo of the alleged thief, the actor writes:
"Here is a picture from the security cameras of the jackass that’s been robbing houses….Real smart move wearing the cool ski mask that shows ur eyebrows & the bags under ur eyes. We are on yo ass man….I’m about to show u the power of social media….One of my followers might recognize u and might not like you which would mean that they could careless about giving u up….Lets play a game of tell on the robber real quick…who knows I might get lucky!!!!! ?????"
The Cleveland Cavs and their Fans Celebrate At Championship Parade
The NBA’s happiest fans (seemingly EVER) showed up and showed out to celebrate the 2016 NBA Championship with LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers during their victory parade to celebrate their very first title. Come inside for the fun….
The city of Cleveland was SUPER TURNT!
Hordes of fans, an estimated 1.3 million people, flooded the streets of downtown Cleveland in their wine and gold Cavaliers gear to celebrate the Cavs’ first NBA Title…ever.
The victory parade got off to a late start due to the sea of fans crowding the parade routes, which in turn caused the rally to last way longer than expected. Like 4 hours long. The celebration was complete with parade floats, marching bands and this year’s NBA Champs riding on the back of cars that roamed the streets.
Finals MVP LeBron James waved at fans as they roared with cheers after he fulfilled his promoise of bringing a NBA title home. LeBron was joined by his family -- including wife Savannah James, sons LeBron Jr. & Bryce, and adorable little Zhuri -- to celebrate as they rolled through the army of fans in downtown Cleveland.
Little Zhuri looked on at the celebration as she sat on her mommy's lap. Adorbs!
Bron Bron confirmed he will STAY in Cleveland for next season to defend his title.
By the way, LeBron James (Best Male Athlete) and the Cavs (Best Team & Best Game) have been nominated for ESPY awards.
Meanwhile, J.R. Smith is STILL shirtless:
During the parade, he told fans he gave his dad his shirt after they copped the championship and has been shirtless ever since. Ha!
Baller Kyrie Irving, who shot the game winning basket, followed suit and went shirtless like his teammate:
Well damn Kyrie. We see folks were on print patrol...
Looks like he purposely blocked the view of that....eggplant...eventually. Or was it just happenstance?
Iman Shumpert also joined in on the shirtless trend. His fiance Teyana Taylor and baby girl Iman Jr. were right by his side for the fun.
Dahntay Jones and his wife Valeisha Butterfield-Jones (founder of WENN) and their kiddies were all smiles as they soaked in all the love.
And here's an aerial view of the victory parade:
Congrats!
Van Driver Cop Accused of Giving Freddie Gray ‘Rough Ride’ Acquitted of All Charges
*Officer Caesar Goodson, the Baltimore Police officer and van driver accused of giving a “rough ride” that killed Freddie Gray, was found not guilty by Judge Barry Williams on Thursday.
Goodson faced the most serious charges of the six Baltimore officers charged in the arrest and death of Freddie Gray. He was found not guilty of 2nd degree depraved heart murder, and also acquitted of three counts of manslaughter, second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office.
Prosecutors argued Goodson had five chances to render aid to Gray after his neck was broken in the back of the van, which they said demonstrated a “depraved heart.” They also said Goodson was the direct cause of the injuries, driving the van in a reckless manner that threw the shackled black man around in the back of the van’s steel cage. As a certified field training officer, prosecutors said Goodson knew Police Department rules and broke them.
But Goodson’s defense argued that officers who checked on Gray didn’t know he was seriously injured, and that Goodson deferred to decisions of other officers not to put a seatbelt on Gray.
Williams, a former city prosecutor who also investigated police misconduct for the Justice Department, heard Goodson’s case instead of a jury.
Four other officers still face charges for their roles in Gray’s arrest and death. The next trial, of Lt. Brian Rice, who is charged with manslaughter, is scheduled to begin July 7.
Evelyn Braxton Approves of Daughter Toni Braxton Dating Birdman: He is a nice man.
Evelyn Braxton, the mother of the famous Braxton sisters and star of Braxton Family Values, hopes that the dating rumors surrounding Toni Braxton are true. As you know, for the past few months, rumors have circulated that Toni, the eldest Braxton sister, is dating Birdman.
And if you were wondering, Ms. Evelyn approves. While visiting The Rickey Smiley Morning Show, with daughters Trina and Towanda Braxton, she said of the speculation:
"I hope so. I think he is a nice man."
During the interview, the conversation switched to whether or not one of the sisters would be on “The Real” next season since their sister Tamar was fired. To this, Trina says,
"I think the chances are slim and none. When something like that happens to your family it’s very personal. When it comes to business and when it comes to family, family comes first every time."
Oh?
#EGGPLANT NATION: Meet Daddy Ron !
Meet Daddy Ron! And you can see more when you 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
‘Hair Of The Doll’
Just a thought for all you parents out there. If you notice your little girl is getting too obsessed over her doll’s hair, step in and do something about it before it turns into a serious adult problem.
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND EVERYBODY!!!!!!!!
EFREM
