Laverne Cox is a First for a Transwoman on the cover of British Vogue!
“Orange Is the New Black” star Laverne Cox has become the first trans person to grace the cover of British Vogue. The trailblazing actress and activist is one of 15 women honored in the September 2019 “Forces for Change” issue.
She says: “I am completely overwhelmed and overjoyed to share this cover. Being on the cover of Vogue magazine has been a dream of mine since I was a child. To get to share this cover with this group of women who inspire me, who are truly forces for change is deeply humbling. That it’s British Vogue is even more special to me because British Vogue was the first to feature a black model on its cover, Donyale Luna in May 1966. Thank you so much Edward Enninful and Guest editor Her Royal Highness, The Duchess of Sussex for including me.”
Salut!
#RHOA: The Girls hit Carabana in Toronto without NeNe!
The ‘Real Housewives Of Atlanta’ took over Caribana in Toronto, Canada and shut the whole set down!
Porsha Williams, Kenya Moore, Marlo Hampton, Cynthia Bailey, & Kandi Burruss tackled the six in all their housewife flare.
Caribana is a huge party that celebrates Caribbean culture and is topped off by a massive parade where each camp adorns themselves with brightly colored, feathery costumes.
The group snapshots comes just after Nene shared a cryptic message that led fans to believe there’s more bad blood brewing between castmates. NeNe’s August 4 Instagram post held a lengthy message where she insisted she’s been pegged as the “bad guy” too often. “Sitting on my flight this morning reflecting/thinking about how i’ve had to make amends with People who actually wronged me and the way that has made me fee,” she wrote. “When your a big personality, the fingers get pointed in your direction a lot as the bad guy. It’s just crazy to me how society judges from the outside in, instead of the inside out. I’m just grateful to God that i was given great discernment! Happy Sunday #yourdayiscoming PS: some people play victim well,” her telling message read.
Well whatever is going on with you NeNe Get well soon!
#Empire: Lee Daniels’s Beverly Hills House Is Minimalism at Best!
It’s all his business manager’s fault, really. Oscar-nominated director, writer, and producer Lee Daniels never wanted to set up a permanent home in Los Angeles (“I’m a New Yorker,” he says), but hotel living apparently adds up, and so he finally realized, with some prodding from his business manager, that buying a home would actually be a more economical option.
But even as Daniels was house-hunting last year, the Empire cocreator knew he didn’t want to go big. “So many of my friends’ homes are pretentious or they’re just big for no reason other than being big,” he says. “I liked the bones of this house because I knew that I would be able to furnish it—the more minimal, the better.” When he moved in last spring, he says, “it felt like I was putting on a pair of jeans,” and he furnished the whole thing, with the help of his friend Roxy Sowlaty, in a month and a half.
a living room space with a fireplace and a black piano
Daniels doesn’t play the piano (“But I love to sing!” he says), so his friends Lenny Kravitz and Mariah Carey usually play when they come over. A painting by Barack Obama’s portraitist, Kehinde Wiley, a friend of Daniels’, hangs nearby.
To make himself feel even more at home, Daniels filled the four-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bathroom boxy house in Coldwater Canyon with exact replicas of some of the pieces in his Manhattan apartment, such as the piano, where friends Mariah Carey and Lenny Kravitz play when they visit, and the emerald velvet sofa in the living room. Similarly, most of the art in his Beverly Hills home (including pieces by Obama portraitist Kehinde Wiley and New Orleans–based painter Harouni) have sister pieces in his New York place.
The soothing palette—charcoal, white, black, and wood—was on purpose. ”I was so paranoid about putting anything that would distract from the home itself,” he says, and so other than his chic and calming furniture picks, he only added houseplants, which would mimic the greenery peering through the massive windows.
a bathroom with a glass column shower in the middle of it
At the suggestion of owning the sexiest master-bathroom shower in the world, Daniels laughs. “Or the not-so-sexiest,” he says. “It’s a great reminder to keep your ass in shape.”
Even though having a West Coast crash pad wasn’t always the plan, Daniels has started to see the benefits, especially when it comes to entertaining. He’s an avid cook (though he admits that he’s still figuring out his fancy French convection oven), and he finally has the space to throw a real bash. “I haven’t had a big party yet, I’m so scared,” he says. “The 30-year-old in me sees a big party from the third floor all the way out to the patio, like an Oscar party or something. But the 60-year-old version of me would freak out over my white carpet being stained.” So far, he’s kept most gatherings in the TV room or on the sprawling patio, where he also works during the day.
Besides, a hotel could never offer him the calming feeling this place gives him. “I was just really looking around for the right spiritual connection, a place that was right,” he says. “I walked in and I knew immediately that I belonged here.”
#MusicNews: Lloyd Announces Upcoming “Unplugged” Tour
R&B star Lloyd will be hitting the road this fall to support his album “Tru” album which came out earlier in the year. Just a few months ago, Lloyd was part of the epic Millennium tour alongside B2K, Mario, Pretty Ricky, Bobby V, Chingy and The Ying Yang Twins.
The tour will hit all the major markets such as New York, Atlanta and Chicago before finishing up in Los Angeles. It’s important to note that this tour will consist of acoustic instruments as opposed to the usual DJ track shows that most artists do these days.
Dates:
New York, NY – October 23, 2019
Wilimington, DE – October 24, 2019
Washington, DC – October 26, 2019
Atlanta, GA – October 27, 2019
Chicago, IL – November 13, 2019
San Francisco, CA – November 15, 2019
Los Angeles, CA – November 17, 2019
Make sure you get your tickets!
#HipHopNews: Ghostface Killah Shares "Ghostface Killahs" Cover Art & Tracklist
Last month, Ghostface Killah began the rollout for his next album Ghostface Killahs. As the LP’s August 30 release date gets closer, the Ironman continues his campaign by unveiling the official cover art and tracklist.
The Wallabee Champ’s upcoming solo project will feature 14 tracks. Guests include fellow Wu-Tang Clan members Method Man, Inspectah Deck, Masta Killa and Cappadonna plus affiliates such as Solomon Childs and Sun God.
Check out Ghost’s Ghostface Killahs tracklist below. Pre-order the album here.
1. Killah Intro
2. Me, Denny & Darryl f. Method Man & Cappadonna
3. Burner To Burner f. Inspectah Deck & Cappadonna
4. Flex f. Harley
5. News Report (Skit)
6. Conditioning
7. Fly Everything f. Sun God & Shawn Wigs
8. Party Over Here
9. Pistol Smoke f. Solomon Childs
10. Revolution (Skit)
11. New World f. Eamon
12. Waffles & Ice Cream f. Cappadonna
13. The Chase f. Sun God
14. Soursop f. Masta Killa, Harley & Solomon Childs
Rihanna Condemns Donald Trump Following Dayton & El Paso Mass Shootings
Rihanna is one of many celebrities speaking out about the horrific mass shootings that occurred within 24 hours of each other this weekend. On Saturday morning (August 3), gunfire broke out at a shopping center in El Paso, Texas, leaving 20 innocent people dead.
Only 13 hours later, another shooting erupted outside of the Ned Peppers Bar in Dayton, Ohio, resulting in 10 more fatalities, including the 24-year-old shooter. The Dayton incident served as the 250th mass shooting this year alone.
Like many Americans, Rihanna quickly set her sights on Donald Trump and called United States gun laws into question.
“Um… Donald, you spelt “terrorism” wrong! Your country had 2 terrorist attacks back to back hours apart leaving almost 30 innocent people dead. This, just days after yet another terrorist attack in California, where a terrorist was able to LEGALLY purchase an assault rifle (AK-47) in Vegas, then drive hours to a food festival in Cali leaving 6 more people dead including a young infant baby boy!
“Imagine a world where it’s easier to get an AK-47 than a VISA! Imagine a world where they build a wall to keep terrorists IN AMERICA!!! My prayers and deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of all the victims from Texas, California, and Ohio! I’m so sorry for your loss! Nobody deserves to die like this! NOBODY!
According to The Washington Post, the Dayton shooter is identified as Connor Stephen Betts, a community college student majoring in psychology and employee at a local Chipotle. Betts’ own sister was among the nine people he killed.
CNN reports 21-year-old Patrick Crusius is responsible for the El Paso tragedy and currently in police custody. The US Attorney for the Western District of Texas is treating the event as “domestic terrorism.”
The Justice Department is also “seriously considering” bringing federal hate crime and federal firearm charges, which US Attorney John Bash says carry a possible death penalty.
“We’re going to do what we do to terrorists in this country, which is to deliver swift and certain justice,” Bash insisted.
Rihanna is certainly not alone in her outrage. T.I., Diplo, model Winnie Harlow, Snow Tha Product and fashion designer Marc Jacobs are among the many applauding RiRi for speaking out.
Are you ready? Destiny's Child are planning a reunion!
Are Destiny's Child planning a ten-year reunion tour and new album?
Yep, you read that headline right. Yep, we're still screaming too. Destiny's Child are currently in the process of planning a huge reunion tour for 2020.
15 years after they split to pursue solo careers, Beyoncé has reportedly been secretly squirrelling away and setting up a huge US and European tour to mark the 20th anniversary of the Michelle, Kelly and Bey trio being formed.
Michelle and Kelly are on board, and as the suggestion came from Queen B herself, you KNOW something is going to happen.
A music insider told The Sun: “Beyonce has been desperate to get the girls back together with her in the studio and she can’t think of a better time than 2020, when they will be marking two decades as one of the world’s biggest all-female groups."
It's the summer of #GirlPower that's apparently spurred on our Bey. After seeing the Spice Girls' reunion do so well, (despite some ...ahem... hiccups) she's looking to have a slice of the success pie.
The source added, “She saw the success of the Spice Girls tour and wants to replicate that — but far bigger and better."
This isn't the first time Destiny's Child reunion rumours have circulated. Six years ago the group was meant to return to the big-time after a surprise performance at the Super Bowl during half time, but due to scheduling commitments the plans were scrapped, and we sobbed for approximately 47 days. So we've been burned before.
But after the success of the trio's half time performance in Beyoncé's Coachella set last year, talks about new music started to do the rounds and now a worldwide tour featuring old classics AND new music is apparently in the works.
Aaliyah Will Be Receiving A Wax Figure At Madame Tussauds Las Vegas
This month is usually a somber time for fans of R&B icon Aaliyah, as it marks the anniversary of her untimely death on August 25, 2001 at the age of 22. However, Baby Girl’s estate is hoping to make the occasion feel more special than ever before by announcing that a new wax figure for the multiplatinum award-winning singer/actress will be unveiled at Madame Tussauds Las Vegas.
Announced officially by her memorial social media accounts and her brother Rashad Haughton (@radmax6), the wax sculpture has been highly-requested by fans of the “One in a Million” hitmaker for years now via online petitions, and now it finally will come to fruition.
As stated above by the @aaliyah_haughton_official Instagram account, superfans will have a chance to win a chance to attend the VIP launch party in Vegas by showing off their best Aaliyah looks. No word yet on what outfit the official Aaliyah wax figure itself will adorn, but the photo used in the announcement alludes to a look from her 1997 performance for TNT Presents “A Gift of Song.” While it was certainly a memorable night in her career — she even performed onstage alongside fellow pop diva Celine Dion — other looks, like ones from the “Try Again” music video, 2000 MTV Video Music Awards or her final all-white steez in the “Rock the Boat” music video, might be better choices overall. Either way, we can’t wait for the big reveal!
Sister Charged In Shooting Death Of Portland State Univ Basketball Star Deante Strickland
22-year-old Portland State University basketball star Deante Strickland was tragically gunned down over the weekend and authorities say his big sister pulled the trigger.
A Portland homicide detective arrested Tamena Strickland, 30, on suspicion of murder and attempted murder at 6:52 p.m. at Central Precinct, suggesting she may have surrendered to police. She was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center at 9:33 pm. Friday, according to jail records.
The deadly shooting was reported a little after 2 p.m. in the 6200 block of Northeast 42nd Avenue, near Holman Street.
Damian Strickland, who said he was an uncle to the victim, told The Oregonian/OregonLive that his niece, Tamena Strickland, shot and killed her brother, Deante Strickland.
He said Deante’s aunt and grandmother, both named Shirley, were also shot, one in the knee and in the back, and are at the hospital. Both women’s injuries are believed to be non-life-threatening, police said.
According to his uncle, Deante Strickland’s last words were, “My sister shot me” and “I don’t want to die.”
A motive in the shooting is still unknown. Our prayers and condolences go out to the Strickland family
Ariana Grande Is Rumored to Be Dating Social House's Mikey Foster
There are rumors swirling that Ariana Grande is dating Mikey Foster from the music group Social House.
The two stars just teamed up on the new song “Boyfriend” and they are seen getting pretty close in the just-released music video, which you can watch here.
Ariana also worked with Mikey and his group member Charles “Scootie” Anderson on her songs “Thank U, Next” and “7 Rings.”
The Blast reported over the weekend that Ariana and Mikey are not yet at boyfriend-girlfriend status, but are “just feeling things out.” Page Six now reports that they have “been seeing each other for a while.”
Auli'i Cravalho, Queen Latifah and Shaggy will all be a part of ABC's Live 'Little Mermaid' Concert!
ABC is moving forward with the live concert production of The Little Mermaid and the initial casting has been announced!
Auli’i Cravalho, who voiced the title character in the Oscar-nominated movie Moana, is playing Ariel and Queen Latifah is set to play Ursula.
Reggae singer Shaggy is going to play Sebastian. The live event will happen in front of a studio audience and it will air on Tuesday, November 5 at 8pm. The special will interweave the live performances with clips from the animated movie. Music from the Broadway stage version of the musical will be included.
A live concert production of The Little Mermaid has been staged at the Hollywood Bowl two times so far, with Sara Bareilles and Lea Michele leading the casts. The film played on a big screen and whenever a song happened, the film would pause and the actors would come out on stage to perform the number.
There’s also a live film adaptation starring Halle Bailey in the works!
Tom Brady Gets a Contract Extention From The New England Patriots
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady will be earning $8 million more than anticipated this year after he signed a new contract extension that will give his $23 million for the 2019 football season.
Tom was only supposed to make $15 million this year, ESPN reports, but it looks like the Patriots thought he deserved a bit more money after winning the Super Bowl against the Los Angeles Rams this past February!
You may be surprised to learn that Tom Brady is only the sixth highest-paid quarterback in the league, despite being considered the best quarterback to ever play the game. Well, Tom routinely works with the Patriots to make his contracts “team friendly” so that the organization can continue being competitive in other areas besides just the quarterback.
Seattle’s Russell Wilson, Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger, Minnesota’s Kirk Cousins, Jacksonville’s Nick Foles and Arizona rookie Kyler Murray are all set to make more between salary and bonuses.
Tom just recently celebrated his 42nd birthday
The Chi’s Jason Mitchell Finally Speaks On Sexual Misconduct Allegations
After months of silence on the issue, the actor has finally decided to speak up on the sexual misconduct allegations against him alleged by his co-star Tiffany Boone. And so shortly after reports came out that his character would be killed off on the show's third season. MHe finally decided to speak.
"I think it’s time to make a statement. To everyone commenting without any knowledge of what’s going please stop…and to all my supporters I appreciate you all and I’m sorry I will no longer be in (“The Chi”)..but don’t believe what you read in the media…" were the words he shared via an Instagram post. As of yet, we do not know what to make of it and nothing is set in stone. Though, we will keep you updated as further updates are given.
Actress Afton Williamson Quits “The Rookie”, Claims She Was Sexually Harassed & Racially Bullied On Set
Following “The Chi’s” Tiffany Boone, Afton Williamson is the latest actress to speak out about being mistreated on the set of a major network television show. She starred as the cop Talia Bishop on ABC’s “The Rookie,” which she recently revealed she left. In a lengthy Instagram post, she claims racial discrimination, sexism, and sexual harassment, and negligence after alerting higher ups of the incidents.
Her official statement reads: “@therealaftonw I will not be returning for Season 2 of The Rookie. I owe it to you my amazing fans to share the Truth. Throughout the filming of the pilot, I experienced Racial Discrimination/Racially Charged inappropriate comments from the hair department and bullying from Executive Producers. During the Season, it continued along with Sexual Harassment from a recurring guest star and the racist commentary & bullying from the Hair Dept. Head escalated into Sexual Assault at our Wrap party.The Sexual Harassment though reported directly to the Showrunner/EP remained undocumented and was not reported to HR as promised. The Hair Dept. Head was fired ONLY after the sexual assault and NOT for an entire year of outward racism/racially charged language and bullying behavior in and out of the Hair and Makeup trailer. HR protocol was never adhered to following the above reports given by me to my Showrunner/EP and an investigation was never issued for any of my claims. The only time I was asked to participate in an investigation was after a meeting I called in June following our Season 2 announcement. This meeting included the Showrunner and two other producers as well as my agent and SAG-AFTRA Union Rep. It was clear to all present in the meeting that the Showrunner had not shared my reports with the any of the producers.”
She, later, revealed that her perpetrator was not fired after her reported incident – prompting her to leave the show.
“After my initial report of sexual harassment, I was assured that the actor would be fired. I was also asked to film with him the very next day as a courtesy to the script, even though we had not begun filming the episode yet. This actor reappeared on our call sheet at the end of the season, I was even written in scenes with him. I asked the Showrunner about this and he admitted to me that the actor had not been fired nor had he gotten HR involved. I was asked to return this season, and promised that “everything was handled.” The investigation hadn’t even begun and Season 2 had already started filming. I turned it down and I walked. Now is the best time in the world to be a woman and I have a platform so it’s time to use my Voice. Strength comes from within. It comes from Above. “Greater is He that is within Me than he that is in the world”
Both studios responsible for the show – ABC and eOne Entertainment – have issued statements since Afton’s announcement. An ABC Studios spokesperson told Fox News:
“The allegations involve a production from Entertainment One. In late June, eOne made us aware and informed us that they launched an investigation that is ongoing. The safety of working environments is a top priority for us, and we take this matter very seriously.”
eOne issued this statement to The Hollywood Reporter:
“We take claims of this nature very seriously. We have initiated an independent investigation which is ongoing and as such, it would not be appropriate to comment at this time.”
Meanwhile, this incident is no sweat off Afton Williamson’s back. She’s promoting her appearance in Angela Bassett‘s Netflix film, “Otherhood.”
Wendy Williams Will Reportedly 'Reunite' With Estranged Husband Kevin Hunter
Wendy Williams has been living her best Hot Girl life after divorcing her husband/former manager Kevin Hunter.
The daytime diva was expected to host her “For the record … Umm Hmm Tour" on Friday (August 2nd), but rescheduled at the last minute due to “scheduling issues.” The show has been rescheduled for September 21st in St. Petersburg, FL.
Wendy was set to host her comedy tour on Saturday night in Detroit, but that too was rescheduled for sometime in October. Oh? Unfortunately, scheduling isn’t the only thing that’s destroying the tour. How you doin' Wendy?!
It may seem that Wendy’s Hot Girl antics are finally catching up to her. According to Page Six, sources are complaining about Wendy becoming messier than she’s ever been.
“The tour is shaping up to be a disaster,” says a close source, “As per usual, even without Kevin as Wendy’s manager, she’s proving herself to be messy."
Oh well! Earlier in the year, Williams opened up to her fans about her battle with drug addiction and living in a “sober house” after her very public break up with Hunter.
We will see if Ms. Wendy can bounce back to normal once.But wait! Now, she's considering to reunite with her estranged husband, Kevin Hunter, BUT only for business.
The DailyMail reports the 55-year-old TV host is considering to announce she and Kevin will NOT dissolve their production company, publishing house or charitable foundation in a bid not to damage the "legacy" of the work they've put in. The former couple - who called it quits after 22 years - reportedly held a series of face-to-face meetings and realized they should at least come together for the business side of things.
A source told the site the two still make a "solid team" having built a successful business, which they are now trying to preserve with a carefully negotiated divorce deal. Lord.
R. Kelly hit with new sex crime charges in Minnesota
R. Kelly has been hit with sex crime charges in Minneapolis for allegedly paying an underage girl to strip and then groping her in the Minnesota city in 2001, state prosecutors announced Monday.
Kelly — who is already facing sex crime charges in Chicago and Brooklyn — met the 17-year-old girl in July of that year when she asked the singer for an autograph at a promotional event, and he gave her his phone number and told her to call him, Hennepin County State’s Attorney Mike Freeman alleged.
When the teen called, she was directed to Kelly’s hotel room, where he offered her $200 and told her to dance naked for him, the attorney alleged.
As she danced over him in his bed, Kelly allegedly touched her genitals and breasts, the attorney said. They did not have intercourse, Freeman noted, and afterwards, she was put on the guest list for his 18+ concert that night.
The woman contacted police in January to report the alleged incident.
Kelly was charged with two counts of prostitution with a person under 18, the attorney said.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
‘SERIOUSLY, OUR THOUGHTS & PRAYERS’
Our thoughts and prayers go out to those families effected by this past weekend’s shooting in El Paso, Texas.
EGGPLANT NATION: Meet Kimo Daddy Bear!
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EFREM
