New Music: Daley feat. Jill Scott – Until The Pain Is Gone!
Take a moment and escape into a world of soulful bliss!
More than a year after previewing the song for fans, Daley has finally released the studio version of his collaboration with Jill Scott, “Until The Pain Is Gone.”
The intoxicating duet is the first single from the UK crooner’s upcoming EP, which follows his acclaimed 2014 debut album, Days + Nights. Everything we love about Daley and Jill is experienced throughout this soul-stirring ballad that plays with our heartstrings in all the right ways.
“Try to see this through my eyes / ‘Cause you’re not the only one confused / In this world where love is prone to lose,” sings Daley. While Jilly from Philly responds to his requests to pursue real love, “Can you convince me? / Change my mind / We can leave all those demon days behind / Cause didn’t I mention, I have nothing but good intentions for you.”
The song hits close to home for Daley, “The song kind of came out of frustration I was feeling in a relationship,” he told Billboard. “The situation was going nowhere because we both weren’t really fully able to admit how we felt about each other and just be honest. And that situation didn’t really work out, but for the purposes of writing this song, I just kind of gave it a happy ending and idealized it a little bit.”
While writing the song, he felt Jill Scott would be the perfect collaborator on the record. “When I was in the studio writing the song, I just had a feeling, and I kept hearing Jill’s voice in the mix when I was writing. It was kind of strange, almost like it was asking for her energy.”
CONGRATS: JUMPING THE BROOM JILL SCOTT JUST GOT MARRIED!
Soul singer Jill Scott tied the knot with her beau Mike Dobson this weekend.
The 44-year-old Grammy-winning singer looked stunning showing off her curves in a gorgeous white low-cut gown paired with a silver belt. She wore her hair up with delicate white clips. Just beautiful.
During a speech at the wedding reception, Dobson said, “I teared up when she came…I’m gonna tear up now.”
The groom’s friend DJ Mars shared videos on his Instagram page about the couple jumping the broom. Mars explained that Dobson had asked him to deejay his wedding last year, but he had no idea that the bride was Jilly from Philly.
“So my man called me a year ago and said, ‘Mars I need you to DJ my wedding…don’t get booked on June 25th 2016! He came to my house and gave me the deposit early, but he didn’t say he was marrying Jill Scott!!!!! Damn homie!!!!!!!!!!,” he wrote.
For the entertainment, iconic rapper Big Daddy Kane performed.
Michael B. Jordan attached to film based on award-winning book ‘Just Mercy’
Rising actor Michael B. Jordan is set to star in an upcoming film based on the award-winning book Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption.
The book is based on the true story of Bryan Stevenson, a young lawyer who founded the Equal Justice Initiative, a legal practice designed to defend the poor, the wrongly accused and incarcerated, and women and children.
One of the first notable cases the EJI took on was that of Walter McMillian, a young man who was sentenced to death for a gruesome murder he denied committing. Stevenson soon discovered a web of lies and red tape associated with the case that forever changed his views of the justice system.
A hot commodity among all the major studios, the film will be produced by Gil Netter for Broad Green Pictures and directed by Destin Cretton (I Am Not A Hipster, Short Term 12 ), who will also serve as screenwriter along with Andrew Lanham.
“We are privileged to bring Bryan’s memoir to the world as a major motion picture,” said Gabriel and Daniel Hammond, Broad Green Pictures CEO and chief creative officer. “Destin is such a collaborative, thoughtful and talented filmmaker, he is going to inspire the world with this powerful true story. He’s part of an amazing team alongside Gil, Michael and Andrew, and together they will make a historic film.”
Adding to the buzz surrounding the film is the word that stars such as Denzel Washington and Will Smith have expressed interest in being a part of the production when shooting begins.
As for Jordan, the 28-year-old actor looks to have a very busy second half of 2015 as he has two major movies set to hit theaters. First up the heavily anticipated Fantastic Four adaptation currently scheduled to be released on July 30. Then he is set to as the title character in the Rocky franchise spin-off, Creed, which will open on Nov. 25.
EMPIRE NEWS! The Writers of ‘Empire’ to be Featured at 9th Annual ‘Leimert Park Village Book Fair’
The book fair will be held on Saturday, August 1, from 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza in Los Angeles
The Leimert Park Village Book Fair (LPVBF) will feature a distinguished panel discussion among writers for the runaway hit, “Empire,” on Fox Television.
Empire is one of television’s top rated new programs with over 16 million viewers.
“Empire” writer and producer Attica Locke (Black Water Rising, Pleasantville) along with co-producers and writers, Eric Haywood, Joshua Allen, JaNeika James, JaSheika James and Carlito Rodriguez from the show will discuss what goes on behind the scenes at the show.
The book fair will be held on Saturday, August 1, from 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, located at 3650 West Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., in Los Angeles.
The “Empire” Panel, moderated by acclaimed author Tananarive Due (My Soul to Keep, The Living Blood, Blood Colony), will be a highlight of the book fair. Promoting 80’s style glitz, glamour, and the impact of Hip Hop culture in America!
The 1980’s: The Decade That Made Us will be the theme for the 2015 book fair. As such, theme related exhibits include a display of an 80’s classic car collection curated by the Petersen Automotive Museum, an exhibit of vintage 1980’s toys and a vinyl album display curated by the iconic Amoeba Music. The book fair presents “Writers and Their Typewriters,” featuring Ernest Hemingway’s personal typewriter, from Steve Soboroff’s collection. The LPVBF will also present an exhibit curated by Cornell University entitled, “Hip Hop Revolution: Roots, Rhythm, and Rage,” featuring more than 40 images by pre-eminent photographers that helped capture and record the Hip Hop movement.
The Leimert Park Village Book Fair (LPVBF) was voted “One of LA’s 5 Best Annual Book Festivals” by The Culture Trip, a one-stop digital platform for global culture and lifestyle. “We’re definitely proud of the fact that for nine years, we have brought a world class literary event to South Los Angeles. There’s no other event like this on the west coast.” said LPVBF Chairman Dr. Bernard W. Kinsey. Kinsey is a renowned art collector, philanthropist, and historian. His coffee table art book, The Kinsey Collection: Shared Treasures of Bernard and Shirley Kinsey – Where Art and History Intersect, will be available at the book fair.
LPVBF will also commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Watts Riots with a panel discussion moderated by Starlett Quarles, host of the internet talk show The Dialogue. Distinguished panelists Johnie Scott, Tim Watkins, J. Stanley Sanders and Dr. Bernard W. Kinsey will discuss the growing racial tensions, economic disparities and other underlying causes that sparked the unprecedented events of the Rebellion.
A special screening to mark the 30th anniversary of the landmark film adaptation of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize winning book The Color Purple will be held on Thursday, July 30th at the Rave Cinema Baldwin Hills. Other screenings during the book fair include Krush Groove (1985), a mini Children’s Film Festival and acclaimed documentaries: The Angry Voices of Watts (1965) and Wild Style (1982) documentaries.
Authors from a variety of genres will converge on LPVBF’s stages meeting and interacting with attendees. Actress Garcelle Beauvais and Sebastian A. Jones (I am mixed, I am Awesome) will be joining the festivities at the Children’s Reading Corner, the Author’s Pavilion and Main stages will host, among others, former model and author Kathleen Bradley (Backstage at the Price is Right: Memoirs of a Barker Beauty), attorney and award-winning author Pamela Samuels Young (Anybody’s Daughter, In Firm Pursuit, Murder on the Down Low); and actress Erika Alexander and husband, screenwriter Tony Puryear (Concrete Park) will join the Comic Book Writers’ Panel discussion and on the Healthy Cooking (demonstration) Stage, celebrity chefs Alice Randall and Caroline Randall Williams (Soul Food Love: Healthy Recipes Inspired by One Hundred Years of Cooking in a Black Family ).
“With the support of festival partner, Baldwin Hills Crenshaw, our sponsors and numerous supporters, we are able to offer a full literary experience for the community,” said LPVBF Producer and Founder Cynthia E. Exum. “Panel discussions, book readings and signings, interviews, film screenings, special exhibitions, children’s activities, awards and honors, plus musical performances— this book fair has it all.”
ITS’ AN "EMPIRE" ENGAGEMENT: Trai Byers & Grace Gealey Are ENGAGED!
We've been watching these two for several months: Always hugged up in pics and interviews (spotted above at a pre-Oscar event this past February), doing solo lunches away from the rest of the cast, and having that look. Yep, we knew something as up, despite neither of the two ever publicly stating their feelings for the other.
Until now. Just in time for September's second season return of "Empire," Boo Boo Kitty & Andre Lyon Grace Gealey & Trai Byers are engaged, this according to Us Weekly
American-Caymanian dual citizen Grace just celebrated her 31st birthday over the weekend, and that's supposedly when 32-year-old Trai popped the question.
Us reports:N“He surprised her on her birthday. He popped the question and she was totally surprised and elated. She can’t stop looking at the ring! They celebrated all night.”
Grace posted pics from the fun night, without mentioning said engagement:
Trai posted pics below saying, “Had so much fun celebrating @gracegealey's life!! Happy Birthday to an exquisite human being! Thank you @kinmontchicago for hosting us. Amazing spot, wonderful food, UNFORGETTABLE night.”
Awww.
Interestingly: Trai and his on-screen wife Kaitlin Doubleday share the same birthday, which was earlier in the month. Grace posted:
The HAPPIEST of BIRTHDAYS to these dolls right hurrrrrrr. Not only do they play husband and wife on TV but they share the same birthday!! Loving, kind, smart, funny - it's such a blessing to have you both in my life. Here's to an upcoming year filled with everything you could possibly dream of and desire. You both deserve the world and more. Love you guys @kaitlindday @traibyers
Grace and Trai have something else in common other than age range and their current job. Both have studied the art of acting to the utmost degree. Trai attended the Yale School of Drama, while Grace has a Bachelor’s Degree in Theater Arts from the University of South Florida and later attended the University of California, Irvine to receive her Master’s of Fine Arts in acting.
Congrats to the gorgeous couple!
Well Looky, Looky Claudia Jordan & Demetria McKinney Go Clubbin’!
Reality TV BFF’s Claudia Jordan and Demetria McKinney were spotted clubbing last night at Atlanta’s The Loft at Mansion Elan.
The two — who may or may not be returning to BRAVO’s Real Housewives of Atlanta — seem to be in great spirits poppin’ a few bottles and partying. Credit: @onsitefotos
Do you like their attire?
Bobbi Kristina Brown’s $20 Million Goes To Grandmother Cissy Houston
Following the tragic death of Bobbi Kristina Brown, it turns out the $20 million she inherited from her late mother Whitney Houston will be divided among the Houston family.
According to court documents, the aspiring singer was set to receive the fortune on the occasion of her 25th birthday, and since she was only 22 years old the $20 million was being held in a trust.
Given Bobbi’s demise, her grandmother Cissy Houston and her uncles Gary and Michael will each get a portion of the cash. Originally Whitney’s ex-husband Bobby Brown was included in the deal, but given their 2007 divorce he’s no longer on the list.
Angry Chief Keef wants to run for Mayor and issues a THREAT to Chicago’s Mayor
Chicago rapper Chief Keef is looking to transcend his musical career by entering politics. The rapper took to social media to announce his candidacy after current mayor Rahm Emanuel blocked the rapper from hosting a stop the violence benefit concert in the city.
Keef wanted to perform by hologram because there’s an outstanding warrant for his arrest in Chi-town on charges related to child support. How he plans on running a campaign in a city where he’s a wanted man is beyond us. Regardless, Keef urged his Twitter followers to call Rahm’s office to deliver this message:
Emanuel’s office blocked Keef’s benefit concert because they argued that it posed a “significant public safety risk.” The rapper was hoping to raise money for the families of his friend Capo, and 1-year-old Dillan Harris who was killed by a car fleeing the scene of Capo’s shooting death.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT! JILL SCOTT PERFORMS ‘CLOSURE’ ON ‘GMA’
While promoting her newly-released fifth album Woman, Jill Scott rose bright and early for an appearance on “Good Morning America” on Tuesday. The Grammy-winning soulstress hit the Times Square studio to perform “Closure,” delivering a powerful rendition of the track with a full backing band. The song mixes Scott’s R&B vocal flourishes with funky instrumentation, including three background singers and a robust horn section.
WATCH JILLY FROM PHILLY sing ‘CLOSURE’
You can catch Jill in a city near you on her 30-city tour in session NOW!
Mariah Carey To Receive Star On Hollywood Walk Of Fame!
Mariah Carey is finally going to receive an honor that’s been a long time coming.
On Aug. 5, the world-renowned singer will receive the 2,556th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. A handful of Carey’s close friends will speak at the ceremony, including L.A. Reid, Lee Daniels, and Brett Ratner. As it turns out, Carey was supposed to receive the star back in 2007, but she wasn’t available.
Now, finally, she’ll get the honor that she richly deserves.
In a statement, Ana Martinez, producer of the Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremonies, praised Carey. “Finally, all questions regarding when Mariah Carey will be honored with a star are answered! Fans have repeatedly asked us when their favorite singer would be honored, and now is the time,” stated Martinez, adding, “We are thrilled that we can add one of the world’s biggest talents to our Walk of Fame.”
Carey recently wrapped the first leg of her “#1 to Infinity” residency at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. She will return for more dates in February 2016.
And yet Another Black Woman Found Dead in a Jail Cell
Another black woman has been found dead under mysterious circumstances while in custody.
Ralkina Jones, 37, was found dead in a Cleveland jail cell on Sunday, just days after Sandra Bland, 28, and Kindra Chapman, 18, committed suicide while in custody in Texas and Alabama jails.
Jones was arrested in a Cleveland suburb on Friday night after assaulting her ex-husband in a grocery store.
Jones reportedly pursued her ex-husband out into the parking lot and broke out the driver’s side window of his car.
According to the police report obtained by Cleveland.com, Jones grabbed a tire iron and swung it at him.
The violence didn’t stop there. Jones got the behind the wheel of her own car and stomped on the gas.
“During the incident, Ralkina’s 12-year-old daughter was in the back seat of her vehicle, which she attempted to run Brandon [Jones] over with,” the police report said.
Cops charged Ralkina Jones with felony assault, domestic violence and child endangerment.
Jones was transported from jail to a local hospital after jailers noticed she looked “lethargic.”
A few hours later, Jones was released from the the hospital and taken back to jail.
Corrections officers made “periodic checks” on Jones throughout the night.
She was found dead on Sunday morning, according to Cleveland.com.
No cause of death has been reported, but police said Jones was administered medication for high blood pressure.
Jones’s family members say they are waiting for answers from Cleveland police.
“You can’t just tell me one minute I seen my sister, then the next day she dead,” Jones’s sister, Renee Ashford told Cleveland.com. “That don’t even make sense. And it’s just, ‘I can’t help you. I can’t tell you.’ Like, no. That’s un-human.”
Russell Wilson turned down $21 million a year from the Seahawks!
He he wants a game-changing deal!
Russell Wilson has set a deadline for later this week to work out a long-term contract with the Seattle Seahawks, and now we have more evidence that Wilson is seeking to become the highest-paid player in the NFL.
Wilson has turned down an offer worth "nearly $21 million per year," according to what Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk has heard through the grapevine. Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network appeared to confirm the nature of the offer when he called Florio's number "essentially accurate."
In the NFL, only four players have a contract with an average annual value greater than $20.5 million:
Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers — $22.0 million (five years, $110 million)
Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers — $21.85 million (four years, $87.4 million)
Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers — $20.76 million (five years, $103.8 million)
Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons — $20.75 million (five years, $103.75 million)
Presumably, the Seahawks' most recent offer to Wilson falls somewhere in the neighborhood of Newton and Ryan, but almost certainly in the top five ahead of Joe Flacco, whose deal has an average annual value of $20.1 million.
But this is the NFL, and contracts are never this simple. Just as important as, and possibly more important than, the average annual value is the amount of guaranteed money and the amount of money the player receives up-front. The latter is typically the only "fully guaranteed" portion of an NFL contract, with the rest of the guarantees coming into play only in the event of an injury.
While Florio's report says there is "significant guaranteed money" in the offer, according to Rapoport, the Seahawks' offer to Wilson includes "below $20 million cash up-front," with the rest being injury guarantees.
That is well below the $31 million that Newton received up front or the $30 million that Ryan received up front in fully guaranteed money in the form of first-year salary and bonuses. Rather, the offer appears to be much closer to the $18.1 million in up-front cash the Bengals gave Andy Dalton in his six-year, $96 million deal.
That is nothing to scoff at, but Russell Wilson is not Andy Dalton.
Peter King of Sports Illustrated takes it a step further and points out that Rodgers signed his deal in 2013, when the NFL salary cap was $123 million and his salary represented 17.9% of the cap. The cap is now $143.3 million, and an equivalent percentage would be a salary of $25.6 million, suggesting Wilson is being lowballed with a $21 million offer.
Wilson has said he wants a deal in place before the start of training camp, which is later this week, or he will play the 2015 season under his current $1.5 million salary. Based on what the Seahawks' most recent offer appears to be, it doesn't look as if a deal will get done.
Brittney Griner REBOUNDS From Failed Marriage With a New Girlfriend...named Lola!
That was fast! After a very rocky year which included a dosmetic dispute, a suspension from the WNBA, a wedding AND a divorce/annulment, it looks like Phoenix Mercury star Brittney Griner has finally found her "happy." We were snooping around Instagram earlier and we came across Brittney boo'd up with a new woman....her name is Lola.
We've learned that Lola works at Red Revolver Lounge in Phoenix and that's where she and Brittney met. Based on their Instagram photos and outings, the two seem to be a very happy couple.
Outside of her new relationship, Brittney still has a messy situation to clear up with Tulsa Shock player Glory Johnson. You'll recall that Glory and Brittney had a huge public brawl, followed by a huge wedding, a 28-day marriage and an even bigger split!
Since then, messy court document have been leaked, revealing that Brittney alleges Glory had a sexual relationship with a man leading up to their engagement, and continued to text with an ex-boyfriend after the engagement. Because of these allegations, Brittney wants an annulment, saying she NEVER would have married Glory had she known these deets.
Meanwhile, Glory is pregnant with their twins (although the babies will have no biological connection to Brittney) and she wants $20K per month in spousal support, plus a $10,000 advancement toward attorney fees.
We'll let you know how that all plays out...in the meantime, congrats Brittney!
Nick Gordon’s Mother Speaks Out About Her Son & Bobbi Kristina
Gordon’s mother, Michele Gordon, has spoken out on behalf of her son and their family following the death of his longtime love Bobbi Kristina Brown, explaining that her son is devastated and “has suffered greatly” these past several months.
“The passing of Bobbi Kristina is devastating to Nick and our family. Nick loved and cared for Krissi deeply, and he has suffered greatly each and every day they’ve been apart,” she said in a statement to NBC News. “Nick and our family are in mourning, and we ask that you respect our privacy. Our thoughts and prayers are with both the Houstons and the Browns during this difficult time.”
“Bobbi Kristina Brown passed away July 26, 2015, surrounded by her family,” the Houston family confirmed to E! News in a statement late last night. “She is finally at peace in the arms of God. We want to again thank everyone for their tremendous amount of love and support during these last few months.”
Bobbi Kristina became romantically involved with Nick after Houston’s death, and tensions between the Houstons and Gordons were part of the storyline on Lifetime’s short-lived 2012 reality series The Houstons: On Our Own.
Bobbi Kristina’s family has been questioning the circumstances leading up to her near-drowning, with some wondering if Nick might somehow be to blame. Through it all, Nick has maintained his innocence. Still, Bobby had banned Nick from visiting Bobbi Kristina at the hospital, leading him to make public pleas for admittance. Nick, who also checked into rehab in March, currently lives with family in Florida.
Nick is also facing a $10 million lawsuit filed by Bobbi Kristina’s conservators. In the papers, they accuse him of domestic abuse and stealing money. In response, Nick assembled a high-profile legal team to help him investigate what happened the day Bobbi Kristina was found unresponsive in her bathtub.
“The initial portion of the autopsy has been completed,” the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office said in a statement released midday Monday. “The autopsy does not show an obvious underlying cause of death and no significant injuries were noted. No previously unknown medical conditions that could have contributed to death were identified.
“Additional laboratory testing will be performed. Subpoenas have been issued to obtain needed documentary information. We do not plan to complete the death certificate or determine a cause and manner of death until all test results are completed and all investigative, medical, and other documentary records are received and thoroughly reviewed. We anticipate that these processes will take several weeks.”
Funeral plans have yet to be announced.
Lil B Admits To Being “Transphobic”
Aside for a select few NBA players, California rapper and motivational speaker Lil B appears to love everybody. A sentiment he recently owned up to save for those “men turned women.”
After enduring a great deal of backlash for the alway-losing “transgender locker room joke,” the rapper born Brandon McCartney owned up to the discrimination that plagues his soul.
“I got love for the gays! I got love for humans I want to attract more good people and women that love me! Not men turned women,” he signed on Twitter with a frowning face. “I am transphobic and I need help to learn to accept I’m scared because I’m not comfortable with my self I love u I love born girls.”
He also slipped in a “no homo” which is ironic, seeing that his most commercially visible album was titled I’m Gay in 2011.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
Jill Scott, Hallmark’s scholarship for inner-city kids
Jill Scott’s Blues Babe Foundation to Launch National Scholarship in partnership with Hallmark
Jill Scott, a Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter, is in partnership with Hallmark’s Mahogany brand. Scott’s Blues Babe, a registered 501(c)3 foundation, established a national, merit-based scholarship for college students interested in pursuing a career in the writing arts. The collaboration unites Mahogany’s commitment to a genuine, progressive and optimistic reflection of African American culture with the Blues Babe Foundation’s extensive work in initiatives supporting minority students pursuing a college education.
“To be able to give inner-city students the opportunity to receive a scholarship and pursue a career in writing is phenomenal,” JIll Scott says in a statement to press. “My love and passion for writing is reflected in my music and my poetry and I am sincerely grateful that Mahogany decided to partner with the Blues Babe Foundation to help nurture young creative minds.”
Currently enrolled college students interested in applying for the scholarship may visit hallmark.com/truemahogany to submit qualifying information, a writing sample and an essay for consideration. Two winning applicants (as selected by representatives from Mahogany and the Blues Babe Foundation) will each receive a $10,000 scholarship. Both winners also will be invited to Hallmark’s headquarters in Kansas City, Mo. for an all-expenses paid workshop with Mahogany’s team of writers during the summer of 2016. This personalized workshop will help students hone their craft over a three-day period and fully immerse them in the day-to-day experience of a Mahogany writer.
Mahogany and the Blues Babe Foundation will promote the importance of education and creative writing skills during sessions at this year’s Camp Jill Scott. CJS is an annual summer enrichment camp for underserved middle school students in the North Philadelphia area. Mahogany writers will work directly with the campers, serving as positive role models and inspiring them to explore their creative writing abilities through guided activities.
“Our greeting cards’ messages are rooted in inspiration, positivity and cultural connection,” said Tara Frank, vice president of multicultural strategy for Hallmark Cards. “This partnership provides an avenue for us to put that message into action — nationally and locally — and we’re excited to partner with Scott’s Blues Babe Foundation to do so. We hope that our shared vision leads to rewarding and enriching opportunities for college-bound students.”
Applications for the Mahogany & Blues Babe Foundation Scholarship will be accepted through Oct. 30, 2015. For more information and official rules, visit www.hallmark.com/truemahogany
PRAY! FOR BOBBI KRISTINA BROWN, IT’S IN GOD’S HAND NOW!
Sadly, Bobbi Kristina Brown is showing no signs of improvement.
A source close to the family tells ET exclusively that Bobbi Kristina is now off all medications and could pass away at any moment. Another source tells us that her organs are failing.
"Despite the great medical care at numerous facilities, Bobbi Kristina Brown's condition has continued to deteriorate," Pat Houston told ET in a statement Wednesday. "As of today, she has been moved into hospice care. We thank everyone for their support and prayers. She is in God's hands now."
Bobbi Kristina -- the only child of the late Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown -- has been on a ventilator in a medically-induced coma since she was found unresponsive in a bathtub on Jan. 31. She turned 22 on March 4, and was moved to an Atlanta rehabilitation facility later that month.
Just last week, Bobby Brown's lawyer slammed reports that Bobbi Kristina was being brought home to die. "Bobbi Kristina is not going home to die as numerous news affiliates and websites have reported," attorney Christopher Brown said.
Janet Jackson To Receive Ultimate Icon: Music Dance Visual Award At BET Awards
Janet JacksonJanet Jackson will receive the first-ever Ultimate Icon: Music Dance Visual Award at this weekend’s BET Awards. The announcement was made on twitter that pop icon will be honored during the 15th annual BET Awards show at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, June 28, at 8 p.m.
.@JanetJackson will receive the 1st ever Ultimate ICON: Music Dance Visual award! #BETAwards LIVE SUN JUNE 28 8P|7c pic.twitter.com/6g8zq3jRIC
— #BETAwards (@BETAwards) June 23, 2015
But before she accepts her award, the 49-year-old singer will receive a dance tribute from Chris Brown, Ciara, Jason Derulo, and Tinashe. Other performers hitting the BET Awards stage Nicki Minaj, Kendrick Lamar, Meek Mill, Ne-Yo, and the cast of Fox TVs “Empire.”
Janet released her new single “No Sleep” earlier this week, and her first album in seven years is scheduled to be released this fall on Rhythm Nation. Congrats ICON!
R.I.P Dick Van Patten Passes Away at 86
Given his prolific presence in Tinseltown for multiple decades, it’s no wonder the entertainment industry is mourning the loss of Dick Van Patten.
The “Eight is Enough” star passed away at the age of 86 on Tuesday (June 23) in a hospital bed at Saint John’s Hospital in Santa Monica, California.
Van Patten’s rep told press that he died due to complications related to type II diabetes and he is survived by his wife of more than 60 years Pat Van Patten and his sons Vincent, Nels and Jimmy. Dick starred in memorable projects such as “The Love Boat,” “Spaceballs,” “Robin Hood: Men in Tights” and recently had a cameo on “Hot in Cleveland.”
Meet HK Edgerton … The Black White Supremacist and a COON!
Meet North Carolina native HK Edgerton. Over the years, Edgerton has made a name for himself by dressing as a Confederate soldier and parading the Confederate flag around the South. Edgerton describes himself as an activist for Southern heritage and has appeared at dozens of rallies in support of the flag and its history.
Earlier this week, just hours after “Black Lives Matter” was spray-painted on a Confederate monument in Asheville, Edgerton appeared on site to lash out at the vandals. “I’m not going to blame it on a Yankee, because I’ve seen some southern folk around here that are real questionable too, that don’t know anything about who they are and their families and the honorable people in the southland of America… red, yellow, black, white and brown!” Edgerton said in an interview with the local NBC affiliate.
Edgerton, a former president of the North Carolina NAACP, is a real life Clayton Bigsby. As for people who have an issue with his outlook, he remarked in a separate interview, “I don’t know why anyone would complain about an old handsome Black man standing here, embracing the flag of his ancestors and his homeland.”
The Confederate flag has become a hot topic after Dylann Roof, a White man photographed wearing the symbol, entered a Black church last week and opened fire on nine Black people, killing them. Wal-Mart, Amazon and eBay have all announced that they will no longer sell merchandise with the flag on it, and politicians in several Southern states are working to have the flag removed from state flags and license plates.
MENTAL ILLNESS IS A DISEASE!
Prince's Ex-Wife Writing a Tell-All Book
Prince's ex-wife Mayte Garcia writing a tell-all book about their marriage…
Former Hollywood Exes star Mayte Garcia is writing a tell-all about her three-year marriage to rocker Prince and hopes to have it in stores by Christmas.
Mayte will open up about their bizarre lifestyle and the struggle of dealing with the loss of their child, who died days after his birth of a rare genetic disorder, which ultimately lead to their divorce.
Mariah Carey and James Packer Talking Marriage, ALREADY?
Earlier this week Mariah Carey went public with her new romance with Australian billionaire James Packer.
Now insiders are claiming the happy couple are already talking marriage…
Sources tell TMZ James is utterly obsessed with Mariah and has already told her he wants to marry her.
Apparently Mariah is very open to the idea.
The couple, along with Mariah's twins, have been sailing the Mediterranean on James' yacht over the past month.
Autopsy Report: Freddie Gray Suffered “High-Energy Injury” To The Neck & Spine
Freddie Gray’s autopsy report was obtained by the Baltimore Sun yesterday (June 23). According to the details, Gray suffered a “high-energy injury,” to the neck and spine, likely brought on by riding in the police van, which abruptly changed directions several times.
Gray was not belted in, which is against police. The coroner concluded his death to be a homicide after examining the vehicle and speaking with witnesses. An autopsy was completed on April 30, but has not been made public as of yet.
Reports the Baltimore Sun: The state medical examiner’s office concluded that Gray’s death could not be ruled an accident, and was instead a homicide, because officers failed to follow safety procedures “through acts of omission.”
Though Gray was loaded into the van on his belly, the medical examiner surmised that he may have gotten to his feet and was thrown into the wall during an abrupt change in direction. He was not belted in, but his wrists and ankles were shackled, putting him “at risk for an unsupported fall during acceleration or deceleration of the van.”
The medical examiner compared Gray’s injury to those seen in shallow-water diving incidents.
“Reportedly, Mr. Gray was still yelling and shaking the van,” wrote the medical examiner. “He was removed from the van and placed on the ground in a kneeling position, facing the van doors, while ankle cuffs were placed, and then slid onto the floor of the van, belly down and head first, reportedly still verbally and physically active.”
According to the report, after the vehicle made five separate stops, Gray was found kneeling and slumped over the in the van. His hands and feet were shackled, and he also appeared “lethargic with minimal response to direct questions.” There’s a possibly that he could’ve suffered a seizure as well. Opiates and marijuana were reportedly found in his system.
Baltimore State Attorney Marilyn Mosby brought charges against six officers involved in Gray’s arrest. “I strongly condemn anyone with access to trial evidence who has leaked information prior to the resolution of this case,” she said following the autopsy leak.
Georgia Man Claims He Was Beaten With Baseball Bat for Being Gay
South Fulton County police are searching for a man they say assaulted another man with a baseball bat for making a pass at him.
It all started when Adrian Wilson spotted a man fixing a flat tire outside his apartment on Cascade Road in southwest Atlanta. Wilson said the man asked him for help fixing his tire.
The man, who police later identified as Denzale Johnson, was wearing his pants sagging low. Wilson said Johnson asked him how much money he wanted for the help.
Wilson probably took that as a sign that Johnson was trade — gay slang for a young heterosexual man who is willing to trade sex for cash or other favors.
“I said you already gave me a free peep show, so I’ll go ahead and do it for free,” Wilson told Channel 2 Action News.
Wilson said Johnson didn’t take kindly to the sexually suggestive comment.
“He asked me then if I’m straight, and I said, ‘No, I’m gay,’” said Wilson. “He went off telling me, he wasn’t gay he was straight, he hated gay people.”
Wilson said he turned to leave and Johnson struck him from behind with a baseball bat.
“He said he hates gay people. I’m gay, he hit me with a bat so apparently he hated something about me,’ said Wilson, who received 13 stitches to close a head wound.
South Fulton police are looking for Johnson who is wanted on aggravated assault charges.
Georgia is one of 5 states that has no hate crime legislation on the books. So Johnson won’t be charged with a hate crime.
But critics of hate crime legislation say the law is used unfairly in cases where victims instigate violence.
New Google App Let’s You Get Your ‘Oops!’ Email Back!
Don’t all of these apps start getting on your nerves after awhile? It seems “there’s an app for that” now applies to everything you do, think, feel, or care to be.
Damn. Even the things designed to make life smoother for us can become overwhelming.
But sometimes, not often, but at times, an app comes along that seems to be right on point. And that app appears to be Google’s latest revelation: “The Oops, I didn’t mean to send that to him app.”
Well, that’s not the formal name for it, but that is what is was created for.
Here’s an example:
You: “I can’t stand this damn job. My supervisor is so stupid. You won’t believe what he came in here and said to me this morning. I swear, sometimes I think a monkey could do the job better than him. I’ll talk to you later girl.”
You press send.
You: “Wait. What? But I thought …No! No! Noooooo!”
You thought you were sending it to your gal-pal. But you actually sent it to the “supervisor” you referred to.
Oops!
Not to worry, now you can get it back…Retrieve it before they ever see it. Whew! (I hear your sigh of relief way over here.)
But first, you’ll need to have a Gmail account, because it is this email account that it works through.
Using the “Undo Send” button, you can utilize a delay on your outgoing messages by at least five seconds. And if you are a member of the “I’m so paranoid” set, you can add delay time in the form of a 30-second lag.
Now, of course, this still may not be enough time. Especially, if you’re like me, and that nagging thought that I may have sent it to the wrong person catches up to me say, 10-minutes-later. But oh well…
For those who already have a Gmail account, the “undo button” is not really new. You may have already gone to Gmail Labs, the experimental section of the site since 2009, and installed it.
But now the Google crew has seen how popular it has become, so they decided to give it an upgrade on Monday. Wonder why they waited so long?
To turn it on, click “Settings” under the gear icon, and choose your cancellation time period. Users who had already opted for the function under Google Labs will have their preferences turned on by default.
Jada Pinkett Smith Hosts ‘Magic Mike XXL’ ATL Screening; Porsha Williams, Monyetta Shaw, Phaedra Parks & More Attend
Jada Pinkett Smith hosted a private screening of Magic Mike XXL in Atlanta last night. The screening also doubled as a celebration for Porsha Williams‘ 34th birthday, and Monyetta Shaw, Keshia Knight Pulliam, and Phaedra Parks were also spotted.
Rockin’ a bright yellow dress, Jada was accompanied by a number of shirtless men, while introducing the movie. Catch a few more candids from the evening inside.
Fab times! MAGIC MIKE XXL grinds into theaters nationwide on July 1st!
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
