Hip Hop music group Rae Sremmurd Covers Essence Magazine Digital Issue!
Brothers Aaquil and Khalif Brown (best known as popular rap duo Rae Sremmurd) already had a few hits under their belt when they caught the attention of mainstream music lovers in 2016. Their single, “Black Beatles,” reached No. 1 that year after it became the soundtrack to the Mannequin Challenge. The rest is hip-hop Internet dance craze history.
Fast-forward to present day and the pair have kept the momentum going, separately and together. Released in May 2018, their latest album, SR3MM, gave fans a chance to hear how each of the talented siblings had perfected the art of holding their own as individuals on a track and complimenting each other as members of a duo. (SR3MM was a triple release: one group album, one album from Aaquil and one from Khalif.)
Though the brothers continue to give fans more of the collaborative sound that helped them dominate the airwaves early on in their careers, their pursuits as solo artists have also generated a fair amount of buzz in recent months. While promoting SR3MM, the duo sent fans into a frenzy when Aaquil (better known as Slim Jxmmi) tweeted that he was not a part of the group with brother Khalif (aka Swae Lee).
With a 2019 Grammy nomination for his guest appearance on Travis Scott’s “Sicko Mode” and a standout feature on the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse sound track, Lee responded by stating that he and his brother are still together, but that solo projects are, in fact, in the works.
“As for Rae Sremmurd, we dropped three classic albums already; it’s time for the fourth. The fans have been patient. It’s time to give them what they’ve been waiting for,” he says. “And I’m about to drop a solo album, composed of all original music.” Jxmmi tells us he’ll also be experimenting with new sounds on his own upcoming effort, adding, “I hope fans enjoy it.”
Get more at Essence
New York Mets Legendary Pitcher Tom Seaver is diagnosed with dementia at 74
NEW YORK (AP) — Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Seaver, the star of the Miracle Mets 1969 World Series championship team, has been diagnosed with dementia at age 74.
His family made the announcement Thursday through the Hall and said Seaver has retired from public life. He will continue to work at Seaver Vineyards, founded by the retired player and wife Nancy in 2002 on 116 acres at Diamond Mountain in the Calistoga region of California.
Seaver was diagnosed with Lyme disease in 1991, and it reoccurred in 2012 and led to Bell’s Palsy and memory loss, the New York Daily News reported in 2013.
Seaver has limited his public appearances in recent years. He did not attend the Baseball Writers’ Association of America dinner in January where members of the 1969 team were honored on the 50th anniversary of what still ranks among baseball’s most unexpected champions.
A three-time NL Cy Young Award winner and the 1967 NL Rookie of the Year, Seaver was 311-205 with a 2.86 ERA, 3,640 strikeouts and 61 shutouts from 1967-86. A five-time 20-game winner nicknamed Tom Terrific, Seaver was elected to the Hall in 1992 when he appeared on 425 of 420 ballots for a then-record 98.94 percent. His mark was surpassed in 2016 by Ken Griffey Jr. and this year by Mariano Rivera, the first unanimous selection.
Seaver pitched for the Mets from 1967 until 1977, when he was traded to Cincinnati after a public spat with Mets chairman M. Donald Grant over Seaver’s desire for a new contract.
“My biggest disappointment? Leaving the Mets the first time and the difficulties I had with the same people that led up to it,” Seaver told The Associated Press ahead of his Hall induction in 1992. “But even that I look back at in a positive way now. It gave me the opportunity to work in different areas of the country.”
He pitched his only no-hitter for the Reds in June 1978 against St. Louis and was traded back to New York after the 1982 season. But Mets general manager Frank Cashen blundered by leaving Seaver off his list of 26 protected players, and in January 1984 Seaver was claimed by the Chicago White Sox as free agent compensation for losing pitcher Dennis Lamp to Toronto.
While pitching for the White Sox, Seaver got his 300th win at Yankee Stadium, and he did it in style with a six-hitter in a 4-1 victory. He finished his career with Boston in 1986. He was a 12-time All-Star and led the major leagues with a 25-7 record in 1969 and with a 1.76 ERA in 1971. The Mets retired his No. 41 in 1988.
“From a team standpoint, winning the ’69 world championship is something I’ll remember most,” Seaver said in 1992. “From an individual standpoint, my 300th win brought me the most joy.”
A star at the University of Southern California, Seaver was drafted by Atlanta in 1966 and signed with the Braves only for baseball Commissioner William Eckert to void the deal because the Trojans already had played exhibition games that year; baseball rules at the time prohibited a club from signing a college player whose season had started. Any team willing to match the Braves’ signing bonus could enter a lottery, and the Mets won out over Cleveland and Philadelphia.
Among baseball’s worst teams from their expansion season in 1962, the Mets lost more than 100 games in five of their first six seasons and had never won more than 73 games in their first seven years. With cherished Brooklyn Dodgers star Gil Hodges as their manager, a young corps of pitchers led by Seaver, Jerry Koosman, Gary Gentry and a still-wild Nolan Ryan, and an offense that included Cleon Jones and Tommy Agee, the Mets overtook the Chicago Cubs to win the NL East with a 100-62 record.
They swept Atlanta in the first NL Championship Series to reach the World Series against highly favored Baltimore, which had gone 109-53. Seaver lost the opener 4-1 in a matchup with Mike Cuellar, then pitched a 10-inning six-hitter to win Game 4, and the Mets won the title the following afternoon.
His most memorable moment on the mound was at Shea Stadium on July 9, 1969, when he retired his first 25 batters against the Chicago Cubs. Pinch-hitter Jimmy Qualls had a one-out single to left-center in the ninth before Seaver retired Willie Smith on a foulout and Don Kessinger on a flyout.
“I had every hitter doing what I wanted,” Seaver recalled in 1992. “Afterward, my wife was in tears and I remember saying to her: ‘Hey, I pitched a one-hit shutout with 10 strikeouts. What more could I ask for?’”
We send Prayers and well wishes to him and his Family!
#RHoA: See Kandi Burruss and Cynthia Bailey Performs at Her Sexy Burlesque Show!
Kandi Burruss has big plans for her burlesque show, and those plans include Cynthia Bailey! A preview of the March 10 episode of The Real Housewives of Atlanta gives you a first taste Kandi’s super sexy show in action. Kandi is featuring Cynthia during her show for a “little demonstration.” Kandi hasn’t told Cynthia anything about what’s going on during the show, so she’s just going with the flow. “I don’t have any script. I don’t have any direction. Okay!” Cynthia says before going on stage. Both Cynthia and Kandi look incredible in skintight white outfits.
“I did not tell Cynthia everything she would be doing on stage because I want the reactions to the best part,” Kandi says. Cynthia walks out on stage during the show, and Kandi doesn’t waste any time taking things to a whole new level. “Tell me how wet you are,” Kandi says to Cynthia seductively. When Kandi says those 6 words, everyone’s jaws hit the floor. Kandi is going there! The preview ends before Cynthia can answer her. Kandi certainly knows how to put on a show because of her past with Xscape and more.
WATCH
The event, described as a burlesque show/dungeon party, was thrown Oct. 12 in Atlanta. “Experience your darkest fantasies at this interactive event inviting everyone to an evening of overall liberation. Elements of sensuality and soul will combine, creating jaw-dropping burlesque performances plus DJ sets that will keep you dancing all night long,” the event description reads. The Real Housewives of Atlanta season 11 airs Sundays at 8 p.m. on Bravo.
#Empire: Jussie Smollett Will Appear in Next Week's Episode of 'Empire'
When Empire returns next Wednesday, March 13, Jussie Smollett will be appearing in the spring premiere episode.
On the show, the 36-year-old actor plays Jamal Lyon, the son of Lucious (Terrence Howard) and Cookie Lyon (Taraji P. Henson), who run a hip-hop and entertainment company.
When the show left off on in December, Jamal defended his father against his fiance Kai, who wants to expose Lucious. While Smollett will not be appearing in the season's final 2 episodes, it is unclear how Jamal's story will wrap up this season. Per Fox, the synopsis for the upcoming episode states: Jamal and Kai try to figure out where they stand and a mystery begins to unravel.
News of Smollett’s appearance in next week's episode comes roughly two weeks after the 36-year-old actor was released on a $10,000 bond after being charged with filing a fake police report, a class 4 felony which carries with it a maximum penalty of three years in prison.
The allegations against Smollett stem from an alleged staged attack on the actor in late January, which Chicago Police now believe to be a hoax orchestrated by Smollett to further his career. They also allege that, prior to the attack, he sent himself a threatening letter, which did not receive the attention he had hoped it would.
After his arrest, Smollett's legal team fiercely proclaimed his innocence, writing in a statement: "Today we witnessed an organized law enforcement spectacle that has no place in the American legal system. The presumption of innocence, a bedrock in the search for justice, was trampled upon at the expense of Mr. Smollett and notably, on the eve of a Mayoral election."
"Mr. Smollett is a young man of impeccable character and integrity, who fiercely and solemnly maintains his innocence and feels betrayed by a system that apparently wants to skip due process and proceed directly to sentencing," the statement continued. Soon after he was charged in February, Empire’s executive producers announced that Smollett had been removed from the season’s final two episodes.
"The events of the past few weeks have been incredibly emotional for all of us. Jussie has been an important member of our Empire family for the past five years and we care about him deeply," the EPs’ statement read. "While these allegations are very disturbing, we are placing our trust in the legal system as the process plays out."
"We are also aware of the effects of this process on the cast and crew members who work on our show and to avoid further disruption on set, we have decided to remove the role of Jamal from the final two episodes of the season,” the statement continued.
However, we have learned that Smollett will be paid for the two episodes he won’t appear in.
#NewMusic from Jagged Edge “Closest Thing to Perfect”
Last month legendary R&B group Jagged Edge announced to their fans that their new single “Closest Thing to Perfect” would be releasing at the beginning of March. Now we get the opportunity to hear the song as the group have just unleashed it to the world.
“Closest Thing to Perfect” was written by twin group members Brian & Brandon Casey, and seems to emulate a similar formula that the group has followed in recent years. The song subtly borrows from modern hip hop production wise, but the song in essence pays tribute to a woman. Jagged Edge have always had unique ways of expressing love in their lyrics and this is no different.
LISTEN HERE
The group is currently working on their 10th album which is set to release later this year. They last released the album “Layover” in 2017 which was a bit of a departure from their signature sound and more trendier than they had gone before.
#HipHopNews: DJ Khaled Readies ‘Father Of Asahd’ For May!
DJ Khaled’s “best album to date” is coming this May.
The hip-hop mogul has announced a May release for his 11th studio album Father of Asahd. Taking to social media, Khaled made the big announcement by sharing a series of videos of him speaking to Epic Records executives in a meeting.
“I wanna unload all of it,” he said. “I’ma be like anyone act up, I let it all go. I wanna fuck the game up.”
Khaled, who has called the album his “best body of work up to date,” promises that it will feature nothing but hits. “I’m a guy that only wants to make hits,” he explained. “When I roll this album out, I’ma let people know, ‘It’s time to get hits again, ’cause y’all been oversaturated with so much music that y’all forgot what hits are.'”
Epic president Sylvia Rhone agreed. “Every single track…It’s the best album you’ve ever made,” she said.
Named after his two-year-old son, Father of Asahd follows 2017’s Grateful, and is expected to feature blockbuster collaborations with Chris Brown, Travis Scott, Big Sean, Post Malone, and more.
Just last month, Khaled and Cardi B went in front of the lens to shoot an “epic music movie” for an unnamed song off the project.
Paul Manafort sentenced to 47 months in prison
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — The Latest on Donald Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort (all times local):
Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort has been sentenced to 47 months in prison for tax and bank fraud related to his work advising Ukrainian politicians.
Judge T.S. Ellis III imposed the sentence Thursday, capping the only jury trial following indictments stemming from special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation.
A jury last year convicted Manafort on eight counts, concluding that he hid from the Internal Revenue Service millions of dollars he earned from his work in Ukraine.
Federal sentencing guidelines had called for a term of roughly 20 years, but few observers had expected he would receive a sentence that long.
Manafort spoke to the judge while seated in a wheelchair in an Alexandria, Virginia, courtroom. He says that "saying I feel humiliated and ashamed would be a gross understatement."
He says he has had time to reflect on his actions during months of solitary confinement and does not recognize the person he has been made out to be in the media. He says he hopes to have an opportunity "to show the world who I know I really am."
Manafort was prosecuted as part of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation, but this case isn't related to Donald Trump's campaign. It stems from his overseas work advising politicians in Ukraine.
Manafort still faces sentencing in the District of Columbia, where he pleaded guilty in a separate case connected to illegal lobbying.
Taylor Swift Stalker Arrested After Second Break-In At Apartment In A Year
The singer recently expressed how a “fear of violence has continued into my personal life” due to multiple home invasions.
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The day after Taylor Swift expressed fears over her safety after multiple home invasions, a man seemingly obsessed with the singer broke into her New York City apartment for the second time in less than a year.
Florida native Roger Alvarado, 23, was arrested early Thursday morning after he reportedly climbed a ladder to the second-floor window of Swift’s townhouse in the Manhattan neighborhood of Tribeca, a New York City Police Department spokesperson told HuffPost.
Alvarado then allegedly used a concrete brick to break in through a glass window, which tripped an alarm and alerted the police. He then entered the premises and attempted to remove items from Swift’s apartment, according to ABC News.
Officers arrested Alvarado at the scene around 2:30 a.m. He faces charges of stalking, burglary, illegal entry, criminal mischief, criminal contempt and possession of burglary tools, the NYPD spokesperson confirmed.
Swift, who’s recently been spotted in Los Angeles with boyfriend Joe Alwyn, was not at home at the time of the break-in, as the apartment is reportedly being renovated.
Representatives for the singer did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.
In December 2018, Alvarado pleaded guilty to attempted burglary and criminal contempt after breaking into Swift’s New York City home in April, taking a shower and falling asleep.
The home invader served six months in prison and was ordered to complete a mental health program.
Alvarado had been previously arrested for trying to break into the same property “with a shovel” in February 2018, according to The Associated Press.
In a candid essay for Elle published on Wednesday, Swift explained how the “fear of violence has continued into my personal life” because she is a frequent target of stalkers.
“I carry QuikClot army grade bandage dressing, which is for gunshot or stab wounds. Websites and tabloids have taken it upon themselves to post every home address I’ve ever had online,” she wrote. “You get enough stalkers trying to break into your house and you kind of start prepping for bad things.”
Swift reportedly used facial recognition technology for attendees at a recent concert to cross-reference them against a database that included hundreds of people who had stalked her.
Idris Elba To Replace Will Smith In ‘Suicide Squad’ Sequel
Award-winning actor and Hollywood heartthrob, Idris Elba, has been tapped to replace Will Smith in the ‘Suicide Squad’ sequel.
It looks like Idris Elba will be suiting up and replacing Will Smith in Warner Bros’ Suicide Squad sequel.
Smith didn’t sign on to reprise his role as Deadshot due to other obligations and his hectic schedule, but I’m not mad one bit at them tapping Idris to replace him.
He will be hosting “Saturday Night Live” this weekend March 9.
Jason Priestley Posts Forlorn Tribute To Luke Perry: “Goodnight Sweet Prince”
Jason Priestley posted a heartfelt farewell today to the late Luke Perry, his Beverly Hills, 90210 co-star and the victim of a massive stroke that ended his life this week at age 52.
Even via social media, the pain lacing Priestley’s words came across as he explained his delayed response to a death that has staggered Perry’s friends, family, fans and industry collaborators. “It’s taken me a couple of days to figure out how to write this. … My dear friend of 29 years, Luke Perry, was one of those truly special people who really cared.”
Priestley and Perry portrayed pals Brandon Walsh and Dylan McKay, respectively, on Beverly Hills, 90210, though their affable screen alliance was tested by their love triangle with Kelly Taylor (Jennie Garth). The pair became bad-boy heartthrobs for a generation of viewers who made the 1990-2000 show a signature success for 10 seasons and a touchstone of the 1990s.
Priestley on Instagram searched for words to express the spirit and heart of Perry: “Luke was not only a star, he was an incredibly bright light that was extinguished far too soon… and that is why I, and so many others, are in so much pain today.”
Filming on the CW’s Riverdale resumed Wednesday after a two-day shutdown to allow the cast and crew to mourn Perry, who died Monday from complications of a massive stroke. Perry played Fred Andrews, father of Archie Andrews (KJ Apa), who hails from the classic Archie Comics but has been reframed in a hit teen drama that has some soapy similarities to Beverly Hills, 90210.
Fox had closed a deal for a new series reuniting original Beverly Hills, 90210 cast members Priestley, Jennie Garth, Ian Ziering, Gabrielle Carteris, Brian Austin Green and Tori Spelling. Titled 90210, the show from CBS TV Studios had a six-episode order to air this summer.
Jamie Foxx Who’s your Dinner Companion you’re Hugging?
Jamie Foxx was seen saying goodbye to one of his dinner companions by giving her a hug outside of Mr. Chow on Wednesday (March 6) in Beverly Hills, Calif.
The 51-year-old actor then made his way to his ride.
If you missed it, just a few weeks ago, Jamie was overheard telling people that he is “single.” He had previously been linked to Katie Holmes for several years. He was also seen hanging out with former Gossip Girl actress Jessica Szohr.
Former Florida Cop Found Guilty Of Manslaughter For The Slaying Of Corey Jones
Fired Florida police officer, Nouman Raja, has been convicted of manslaughter and attempted murder in the 2015 fatal shooting of stranded black motorist, Corey Jones. Raja is the first officer in the state to be convicted of an on-duty shooting in 30 years and now faces up to life in prison.
Raja was in plain clothes and an unmarked white van when he drove the wrong way up a dark off-ramp to Jones’ stalled SUV. Jones was returning home from a nightclub performance when his vehicle stalled. He had a .38-caliber handgun in his possession, which he purchased days earlier to protect his $10,000 drum set – which was also in the SUV. Prosecutors said audio recording revealed Raja never identified himself and approached Jones aggressively, causing him to believe he was being robbed. Jones pulled his legally possessed handgun in self-defense and ran before Raja shot him, repeatedly.
Prosecutors said Raja, unaware of the tow-truck dispatch recording, tried to deceive investigators, telling them in a video-recorded interview hours after the shooting he said “Police, can I help you?” as Jones jumped from the SUV. He told investigators Jones pointed his gun, forcing him to fire and as Jones ran, he turned, and pointed his gun again, forcing him to fire more shots. Raja’s defense cited Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law, but it didn’t stick.
Jones’ brother, former NFL player C.J. Jones, said he is grateful that the jury convicted the ex-cop. State Attorney Dave Aronberg said the six-person jury “took time out of their busy lives” for two days to hear the case against Raja before their guilty verdict. Raja now faces a sentence of between 25 years and life in prison.
Jones’ father, Clinton Jones Sr., told journalists outside the courthouse, “The truth will always prevail. Regardless of how many bad cops there are, the truth will always prevail.” He added, “And this is what happened today: It was the truth that convicted him. It was the truth that brought him to justice. It was the truth that sent him to jail. It was the truth — that gave us justice for Corey.”
The last time a Florida officer was tried for an on-duty killing was in 1989 in Miami. Hispanic officer, William Lozano, fatally shot a black motorcyclist who he said tried to hit him. A passenger died when the motorcycle crashed, and the deaths resulted in three days of rioting
#RHoNJ: Teresa Giudice Reveals Plan to Divorce Husband After Deportation: ‘I’m Not Doing a Long-Distance Relationship’
Teresa and Joe Giudice may have reached their breaking point following the news of his extradition.
Tensions were already high between “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” couple after Teresa openly admitted to resenting Joe for her 11-month stint in prison – especially since it forced her to lose time spent with her mother, who passed while she was away. Now, as Joe prepares for his release, the realization of further action against him is setting in for the Jersey housewife.
A judge decided in October to deport Joe back to Italy once his prison sentence is over, which sparked a new question – “What’s the next step for Teresa?” Well, the reality star made her decision very clear on the “RHONJ” season 9 finale.
When asked if she’ll move her family to Europe with the “love of her life,” Teresa admitted that it’s not in the cards because of her girls. The mother of four told host Andy Cohen, “It’s like starting a whole new life. And they’ve been through so much already. So, I mean, I’m not doing a long-distance relationship. I’m just not doing it. I want somebody with me every day. I know exactly what happens, I’m sure he’ll be with other women. It happens. We do the long-distance thing? It’s not going to work. I’ll be like, ‘bye-bye.'”
“Unless my kids say, ‘Mommy, we want to move to Italy,’ [we won’t go]. Gia’s going to college next year. I haven’t spoken to Milania or Audriana about it, we haven’t gotten there yet, and Gabriella already voiced her opinion to me. She was like, ‘That would be so hard for me, Mommy.’ She doesn’t speak the language. She’s like, ‘That would kill me even more.’”
Teresa was poised when talking about her husband of almost 20 years. However, photos surfaced of the soon-to-be single lady out and about with a much younger guy in Miami back in February.
Common Releases A Memoir ‘Let Love Have The Last Word’
Grammy award-winning musician, activist, and author Common took to Instagram to announce his latest book, a memoir titled Let Love Have The Last Word. In a caption he writes, “Yes, you can preorder now. Link in bio.”
Let Love Have The Last Word will explore the ideas of love through God, self-love, partners, children, family, and community. In the book, Common talks about things such as wanting to be a better father to his daughter to where he feels like society has become so divided due to issues such as race and politics.
Let Love Have The Last Word retails for $26 and can be purchased from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, and BAM.
Will you be reading Let Love Have The Last Word?
#POLITICS: Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown Announces He Will NOT Run for President
Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown announced today that he will not seek the Democratic nomination for President in 2020.
In a statement, Brown expressed gratitude to the workers and families that he and his wife Connie Schultz have met on their "Dignity of Work" tour over the past several months. But he said that the best place for him to continue fighting for American workers, against the "phony populism" of Donald Trump, is in the Senate.
Brown appeared alongside other Democratic hopefuls on the cover of TIME Magazine last month, and leaves a field brimming with challengers who, on the whole, are embracing more progressive platforms than in 2016. Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris, Corey Booker, Elizabeth Warren and others have all announced their candidacies.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
‘HE’S GOT THE LOOK’
Quite a look there. Unfortunately I think it limits your job opportunities to like (1) hemp jewelry sales, (2) drug sales (3) holding a cardboard sign asking for money or a ride to the west coast.
#EGGPLANT NATION Meet Bearnardo!
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
