“Pose” star Angelica Ross is Rocking The pages of Interview Magazine!
“Pose” star Angelica Ross is featured in the latest issue of Interview magazine photographed by Malik Aamir and Amiyah Scott.
“I was born for this time. I was born to show yet another example: a dark-skinned Black trans woman can show you how she can raise the vibrational frequency of her life to do something great for this world. It’s not specifically that anybody can do what I’m doing, but it is that anybody can fully blossom. Whatever fragrance you’re meant to bring into this world is what you’re meant to bring into this world, and you have every opportunity to uproot yourself and replant yourself in an environment that is affirming to your growth.”
“I think we need to continue to realize that Black people, since the beginning, have always been able to make a way out of no way. That’s where we come from—resilience. You’ve got to check in on your strong friends and the leaders. Check in on the folks, because so many times I’m making it look so much easier than it is.”
Style Credits: Bodysuit by House of CB | Shoes by Christian Louboutin
Hair, makeup and styling by Amiyah Scott
Amy Cooper Charged After Calling Police On A Black Bird Watcher!
The Manhattan District Attorney's office announced charges Monday against Amy Cooper, the white dog walker who was caught-on-tape threatening to call police on a Black bird watcher in Central Park.
The Manhattan District Attorney's office announced charges Monday against Amy Cooper, the white dog walker who was caught on tape threatening to call police on a Black bird watcher in Central Park.
She is charged with filing a false police report.
Defense attorney Robert Barnes, who has previously represented Alex Jones and Wesley Snipes, is representing Amy Cooper.
"Once all the facts are known, Amy Cooper will be found not guilty of the single, misdemeanor charge filed in this case," Barnes said. "The rush to judgment by some in the public, in this cancel culture epidemic, will be proven as wrong as cancel culture itself. She lost her job, her home, and her public life. Now some demand she lose her freedom? How many lives are we going to destroy over misunderstood 60-second videos on social media?"
Christian Cooper was birdwatching in June when he asked Amy Cooper to put her dog on a leash because it is against the rules in the Ramble, a secluded section of Central Park popular with birdwatchers, for dogs to be off leash.
Ina Facebook post, he claimed the dog was "tearing through the plantings" and told her she should go to another part of the park. When she refused, he pulled out dog treats, causing her to scream at him to not come near her dog.
He pulled out his phone and started recording Amy calling the police to report she was being threatened by "an African-American man."
The widely watched video posted on social media sparked accusations of racism and led to Amy getting fired from her job and surrendering her dog.
The group that took the dog did return it to Amy after an evaluation from a veterinarian and a coordinated effort with law enforcement.
Amy Cooper released an apology through a public relations service after the initial incident, saying she "reacted emotionally and made false assumptions about his intentions."
"He had every right to request that I leash my dog in an area where it was required," she said in the written statement. "I am well aware of the pain that misassumptions and insensitive statements about race cause and would never have imagined that I would be involved in the type of incident that occurred with Chris."
Christian Cooper told "The View" he accepts Amy Cooper's apology, but he believes the incident is part of a much deeper problem of racism in America that must be addressed.
"I do accept her apology," Christian said. "I think it's a first step. I think she's gotta do some reflection on what happened because up until the moment when she made that statement ... it was just a conflict between a birder and a dog walker, and then she took it to a very dark place. I think she's gotta sort of examine why and how that happened."
The woman at the center of the Central Park dog incident caught on camera has been fired, her employer confirmed on Tuesday.
New York City's Commission on Human Rights also launched an investigation into the verbal dispute.
#RHOA: Here’s What It Was Really Like with Kenya and Marc's Relationship on the Show!
Kenya Moore let fans of The Real Housewives of Atlanta into her personal life like never before in Season 12 as she and her husband, Marc Daly, went through a rough patch in their marriage. Cameras captured everything from the couple's tense moments to Kenya's estate planning to the sudden news of their separation.
In fact, RHOA producers revealed during an enhanced version of Season 12, Episode 16, which originally aired on June 7, that Kenya "never tried to put a positive spin on her marriage" this season. “She was very open and honest about what was going on," they said.
Producers also said that they could tell things were rocky between Kenya and Marc upon her return to RHOA this season. “It only got progressively worse as we continued filming," they noted.
However, the producers admitted that they never really saw Kenya and Marc argue while filming. “It was clear in our opinion that they just didn’t get along," they said, adding that it was "definitely uncomfortable" every time they filmed with the couple.
According to producers, Marc seemed to be in a "weird mood" when he arrived at his charity event for Black Man Lab in the episode. Cynthia Bailey and Eva Marcille could also sense some tension between Kenya and Marc at the event, producers said.
Producers said that they were sad to see how things had developed for the couple during the season. “We knew how much Kenya wanted her marriage to work," they shared.
This episode memorably ended with the news that the day after the charity event, Kenya and Marc announced they were filing for divorce. Producers said that Kenya did not tell them about the announcement until right before it hit the media.
Kenya gave an update on where she and Marc stand during Part 1 of the RHOA Season 12 virtual reunion, which aired on May 10. "We're working on it, we're in counseling, and Marc had made a complete [180]. He just seems like he's fighting for his family, and that's all I ever wanted him to do," Kenya shared. "I had blocked him, then he started to ask to speak with me and send me emails and just become more humble in the relationship, and he just basically said he really wants to work on it."
#MusicNews: Ralph Tresvant Feat Johnny Gill ‘All Mine’!
New Edition frontman Ralph Tresvant has largely been out of the spotlight, unlike the rest of his bandmates. Beyond appearances on projects from other NE members and touring, the “Sensitivity” singer has been ghost on the solo tip since his 2006 album, Rizz-Wa-Faire. Now almost 15 years later, he’s popping up with a new single “All Mine,” featuring fellow New Edition alum and Heads of State member Johnny Gill.Produced by Gregg Pagani, “All Mine” is a sweet slow jam with R&B and trap soul elements.
Ralph takes on the lion’s share of the vocals, while Johnny contributes to the chorus and some ad-libs. This pairing works well, as Johnny’s strong baritone contrasts with and compliments Ralph’s signature vocals.
LISTEN HERE
According to Ralph, "'All Mine’ to me is a statement record. It’s a grown folks record that says good R&B music executed properly always has a place in the music industry. It also shows that addressing the subject of love never gets old!" Indeed it doesn't.
#HipHopNews: Stream Pop Smoke’s Debut Album ‘Shoot For The Stars Aim For The Moon’!
Nearly five months after his death, Pop Smoke’s debut album Shoot for the Stars Aim for the Moon has arrived. Executive produced by 50 Cent, who vowed to carry out Pop’s vision, the 19-track album features appearances from Quavo, Lil Baby, DaBaby, Swae Lee, Future, Polo G, Tyga, Karol G, King Combs, and Rowdy Rebel. 50 and Roddy Ricch also team up on the standout “The Woo.”
Prior to his passing, the self-proclaimed King of New York spoke about his new direction. “I’ll be talking more to the ladies in 2020,” he told Complex. “I gotta feed them, too. I don’t wanna make songs for ni**as all the time. There’s no money in that. You think I wanna go to the show and see a thousand ni**as? I might as well be in jail.”
The posthumous album features a new rose-adorned cover after the original artwork, designed by Virgil Abloh, was panned by fans.
The project follows Pop’s EP Meet the Woo 2, which was released in early February. Less than two weeks later, on Feb. 19, he was shot and killed in a home invasion in Hollywood at the age of 20. But his legacy lives on.
STREAM HERE
“Pop’s music belongs to everyone. This album is a celebration of where Pop was headed and where he wanted to be,” said his manager Steven Victor. “The process of working on this album with all our friends, peers and heroes has been amazing and we thank everyone for their support.”
#RIP: Broadway Actor Nick Cordero Has DIED at 41 due to Coronavirus!
Nick Cordero, the beloved Broadway star whose battle with coronavirus caught the hearts of a nation, died Sunday, his wife announced. He was 41.
The “Waitress” star had spent just over 90 days in the hospital, much of it on a ventilator. He had endured numerous complications, including multiple lung infections, sepsis and blood clots that forced a leg amputation. His lungs were so damaged that he would most likely need a double transplant, his wife, fitness trainer Amanda Kloots, had reported.
“God has another angel in heaven now,” Kloots wrote on Instagram Sunday evening. “My darling husband passed away this morning. He was surrounded in love by his family, singing and praying as he gently left this earth.”
“I am in disbelief and hurting everywhere,” Kloots wrote. “My heart is broken as I cannot imagine our lives without him. Nick was such a bright light. He was everyone’s friend, loved to listen, help and especially talk. He was an incredible actor and musician. He loved his family and loved being a father and husband. Elvis and I will miss him in everything we do, everyday.”
Kloots had been a relentless advocate for him. In April he had received a temporary pacemaker, which was removed on Wednesday, according to People.
Cordero and Kloots, 38, had just moved out to Los Angeles so he could star in “Rock of Ages” when he was hospitalized with what they thought was pneumonia. Soon afterward he tested positive for coronavirus, and his health continued to deteriorate.
He had been put on a ventilator at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where he’d been hospitalized since late March.
After being taken off the ventilator, he awoke and was responsive, Kloots said in one of her numerous daily updates. Kloots rallied for her husband, exhorting him to wake up, then posting regular updates.
As recently as last week Kloots was still holding out hope – even though, she confessed to anchor Gayle King on “CBS This Morning,” that she has had her moments.
“He can still open his eyes, and when he is alert and awake, he’ll answer commands,” she said. “When I’m asking him, he will even try to smile. I call it the vicious circle or the ICU dance because you just feel like you’re in this momentum of going around, around, around like a hamster wheel, and I just want to get us out of the hamster wheel.”
Kloots said she has been told at least four times it was the end, but each time he has bounced back.
The two met in 2014 as fellow castmates of “Bullets Over Broadway,” for which Cordero earned a Tony nomination. He went on to originate the role of Earl in “Waitress,” according to Playbill, and from there to star as mob boss Sonny in “A Bronx Tale: The Musical,” earning a Drama Desk Award.
Cordero is survived by Kloots, and their 10-month-old son, Elvis.
ABC Cancels 'Strahan, Sara and Keke'!
ABC's morning show lineup will look a little different in the fall. The network's Strahan, Sara and Keke has been canceled, multiple sources told Page Six on Thursday. The talk show hosted by Michael Strahan, Sara Haines and Keke Palmer will be replaced with GMA 3: What You Need to Know.
The changeup won't be too jarring for Good Morning America viewers, as new episodes of Strahan, Sara and Keke haven't aired since March when ABC replaced it with Pandemic: What You Need to Know, a daily coronavirus report anchored by Amy Roach, Dr. Jen Ashton and sometimes TJ Holmes. A source told Page Six that it was "initially supposed to be a two-week experiment and the show did really well." Eventually, Pandemic morphed into GMA 3 to include other topics in the news cycle.
ABC has yet to announce the official move, but a spokesperson told Page Six, "We're proud of our teams at SSK and GMA3 and how quickly they transitioned to producing a daily show to give people the news and information they need during an unprecedented pandemic, and conversations continue about how the show will evolve in the months ahead." Another insider told the outlet the Strahan, Sara and Keke "is put on hiatus and it doesn't look like it's going to come off." Staffers from the show will work on GMA 3 with producers from ABC News Live.
Strahan, Sara and Keke has seen a few format changes in its day. Actress Palmer — known for Hustlers, Akeelah and the Bee, and True Jackson, VP — joined the show last year when it was changed from Strahan and Sara. Haines announced in summer 2018 that she was leaving The View to host a new show after GMA with Strahan called GMA Day. After ratings trouble, the show was rebranded as Strahan and Sara in early 2019, and later that year brought in Palmer. NFL alum Strahan still hosts Good Morning America, and it appears as if Palmer and Haines won't be hurting for a job either. "Everyone is still getting paid. There's space for everyone. They're actively in contract," a source said. "They're figuring out what the future will look like."
"It's unfortunate, but the hope is that they'll be a big part of [GMA 3] down the road," another insider added. "Everyone was feeling good about their show. It was nominated for three Daytime Emmys. It finally found its rhythm. Ratings were stabilized and were starting to tick up when they went off-air."
Taraji P. Henson Doesn’t like the Term The 'Strong Black Woman' Label: Says 'It Belittles Us'!
Taraji P. Henson doesn’t want you to call her a “strong Black woman”.
In a discussion with Essence, the 49-year-old actress is explaining why she has an issue with the label.
“It dehumanizes our pain. It belittles our tears. It belittles our pain. We’re supposed to be able to watch our brothers and sons and fathers get murdered in the street but we can take it because we’re strong,” she said. “We can deal with it, we can handle it, and that’s just not true.”
Taraji added that the phrase tokenizes Black women.“We’re not fairies. We don’t magically rebound from pain,” she shared. “We hurt and suffer just like others.”People need to be “very careful with that term,” Taraji continued. “Strength is in being vulnerable, and that’s what I want my people to understand. The strength is in being vulnerable and being honest with yourself and saying, you know what, I’m scared right now. Or, I honestly don’t know what to do right now.”
“Maybe if we fix how we define strength and weakness in people, it can stop being a potentially damaging, diminishing or even life-threatening descriptor for Black women.”
Crowd Gathers On Fire Island Beach Sans Masks, Social Distancing!
FIRE ISLAND PINES, N.Y. — Photos and video of a large crowd gathering on Fire Island over the holiday weekend are drawing the ire of some on social media.
Suffolk County police were called to the beach in Fire Island Pines, a hamlet on the barrier island, twice on Saturday for reports of large groups of people not social distancing or wearing masks, a department spokesperson said on Sunday.
A video of one of those incidents posted on Instagram shows dozens of people standing closely together without masks. A photo of the same gathering shows a Suffolk County police vehicle responding on the sand.
Several people who said they live in the area spoke out in the photo’s comments, condemning the actions of the crowd and arguing that local residents and businesses have been following state coronavirus guidelines.
Police said officers walked through the gathering and reminded people of social distancing requirements and to wear a mask. No citations were issued, according to police.
The gathering was one of several on Fire Island reported on social media Saturday.
Long Island, which was once considered a major hot zone for coronavirus cases, is currently in Phase 3 of the state's reopening plan and county officials are preparing for the start of Phase 4, which is expected on Wednesday.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Sunday reminded local governments of their responsibility to enforce social distancing rules.
"As we end this holiday weekend, I urge everyone to be New York Tough: wear a mask, socially distance, use hand sanitizer and continue the smart practices that have made our state a national leader in combating this virus," the governor said in a statement. "I also remind local governments of their duty to enforce the standards that have made [New York's] reopening safe and successful."
Oscar-Winning Movie Composer Ennio Morricone Dead At 91!
ROME, July 6 - Ennio Morricone, whose scores for movies such as “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,” “The Mission” and “Cinema Paradiso” made him one of the world’s most famous and prolific screen composers, has died, ANSA news agency said on Monday. He was 91.
ANSA said Morricone, who won two Oscars and dozens of others awards including Golden Globes, Grammys and BAFTAs, broke his femur some days ago and died during the night in a clinic in Rome.
His last Oscar was in 2016 for best original score for Quentin Tarantino’s “The Hateful Eight.”
He first declined the job, but then relented, demanding that Tarantino allow him a “total break with the style of Western films I wrote 50 years ago.”
Morricone wrote for hundreds of films, television programs, popular songs and orchestras, but it was his friendship with Italian director Sergio Leone that brought him fame, with scores for Spaghetti Westerns starring Clint Eastwood in the 1960s.
They include the so-called “Dollars Trilogy” - “A Fistful of Dollars,” “For a Few Dollars More,” and “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.”
Morricone used unconventional instruments such as the Jew’s harp, amplified harmonica, mariachi trumpets, cor anglais and the ocarina - an ancient Chinese instrument shaped like an egg.
The music was accompanied by real sounds such as whistling, cracking of whips, gunshots and sounds inspired by wild animals including coyotes.
He always tried to shake off the association with the Spaghetti Westerns, reminding people, particularly outside Italy, that he had a very creative and productive life before and after the films he made with Leone.
An Arrest Haas been made in fatal shooting of 8-year-old boy at Riverchase Galleria in Alabama!
Sunday, July 5th: Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis says a suspect has been arrested in the shooting death of Royta Giles, Jr. The suspect was identified as Montez Coleman, 22, of Birmingham. Coleman is in the Jefferson County Jail at this time, charged with Capital Murder and three counts of Assault 2nd Degree.
Hoover Police says a verbal argument between a group of males lead up to shots being fired between multiple armed people. All four gunshot victims were innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire. The injured victims were treated and released. Hoover Police continues to search for four other suspects, possibly five other suspects at this time.
Hoover Police says a verbal argument between a group of males lead up to shots being fired between multiple armed people. All four gunshot victims were innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire. The injured victims were treated and released. Hoover Police continues to search for four other suspects, possibly five other suspects at this time.
Vandals Deface Martinez ‘Black Lives Matter’ Street Mural!
Authorities intensified their search Sunday for a man and woman who defaced the “Black Lives Matter” mural painted on a downtown Martinez street.
The Martinez police released links to YouTube videos of the vandalism incident and released a photo and description of their truck.
The vehicle was a Nissan pickup truck with the word “NICOLE” on the right side of the tailgate in silver lettering. The truck has a camper shell and the license plate is 52701B1.
According to a release from police chief Chief Manjit Sappal office, community members had obtained a permit from the city to paint “Black Lives Matter” on Court Street in downtown on July 4.
“The community spent a considerable amount of time painting this mural only to have the suspects destroy it by dumping and rolling paint over part of the message,” the release said.
Investigators said once the street mural was complete, community organizers left the area. It was then that an unidentified white male and white female arrived.
While the male made comments to a group of onlookers his companion began painting over the mural’s yellow letters with black paint. At one point she made a statement that this was not “happening in my town.”
She also asked the male to get her another can of paint to continue with the act of vandalism. It appeared that the couple came to the mural with several cans of paint and a roller with the specific purpose of vandalizing the mural.
The police were called but by the time they arrived, the suspects were gone. A witness provided them with a photograph of the suspect’s vehicle.
The case is currently under investigation and if any members of the public can identify the male and female involved in this incident please call our Dispatch Center at 925-372-3440 with the information.
“The community spent a considerable amount of time putting the mural together only to have it painted over in a hateful and senseless manner,” the release said. “The city of Martinez values tolerance and the damage to the mural was divisive and hurtful. Please help us identify those that are responsible for this crime, so they can be held accountable for their actions.”
“What happened yesterday to deface that mural was hostility in an ugly form,” city councilwoman Noralea Gipner said Sunday morning on social media. “Permission was given to put that there but permission was not given to deface it.”
More than 100 people — all wearing masks and almost all showing concern for social distancing — had helped paint the words over a five-hour period Saturday. This “public art project” was organized by the local group Martizians for Black Lives, which asked the city of Martinez Recreation Department for permission to paint the mural.
Justin Gomez of Martinez, a lead facilitator for Martizians for Black Lives, said the project came together quickly. It was spurred not only by the similar murals in other cities but by the discovery by two people June 28 of anti-Black Lives Matter fliers about a half-block apart on a residential sidewalk near downtown Martinez. Those fliers ignited a community-wide discussion of how people are treated.
“People have now seen racism in their community; now we have to confront it,” Gomez said as dozens of people used rollers to apply yellow paint to the street in front of the Justice Wakefield Taylor Courthouse a few feet away.
Rachel Deikman, a Martinez resident, agreed. “Black lives are marginalized and there needs to be a difference made,” she said. “And now’s the time.”
It was no accident the big yellow letters “Black Lives Matters” were applied in front of a courthouse, Gomez said. He said the legal system is a “gateway to mass incarceration” that has disproportionately made Black people and other people of color victims, and has helped perpetuate institutional racism.
“The ‘system’ is made up of millions of little systems,” Gomez said. “We have to look locally first.”
He said he has been heartened by the swift denunciation of the racist fliers by local elected and civic leaders. One of those leaders was city councilman Mark Ross.
“Our town will not be deterred and such hateful acts will only coalesce us as the kind and forward leaning community we are,” Ross wrote on social media the day after the fliers were reported.
Getting the street mural approved so quickly, Gomez said, is further proof the city is committed to addressing the issue.
As of Sunday afternoon, the one block of Court Street was still blocked off, the mural intact, now surrounded by dozens of chalk images.
Harry Potter Scribe JK Rowling In Another Twitter Tussle Over Hormone Prescriptions!
JK Rowling took another tossing on Twitter Sunday as she Tweeted that “many health professionals are concerned that young people struggling with their mental health are being shunted towards hormones and surgery when this may not be in their best interests.”
The comment was one of a string as she defended herself after being called out for ‘liking’ a Tweet that compared hormone prescriptions to anti-drepressants, which were overprescribed to teenagers in the past with sometimes harmful results. It’s the second social media tussle the Harry Potter scribe has faced in two months after angering the LGBTQ community and supporters in Junr over remarks some called “transphobic.”
“Who had money on JK Rowling pivoting to supporting thse who call people who take mental health medication “lazy”?” wrote one critic Sunday.
Rowling hit back “I’ve ignored fake tweets attributed to me and RTed widely. I’ve ignored porn tweeted at children on a thread about their art. I’ve ignored death and rape threats. I’m not going to ignore this,” she Tweeted. “Many, myself included, believe we are watching a new kind of conversion therapy for young gay people, who are being set on a lifelong path of medicalisation that may result in the loss of their fertility and/or full sexual function.” She added, “The long-term health risks of cross-sex hormones have been now been tracked over a lengthy period. These side-effects are often minimised or denied by trans activists.”
Actor and transgender activist Scott Turner Schofield, a Daytime Emmy nominee for Amazon series Studio City, said, “JoKaren Rowling is weaponizing victimization, spreading scientifically debunked theories, making anti-trans hate speech sound reasonable, and participating in a coordinated political campaign against a marginalized and powerless minority,”
The June war of words was launched by a personsal essay where Rowling said some demands by transgender activists could be dangerous to women. It resulted in two big Harry Potter fan sites (Leady Caldron and Mugglenet) denouncing her views and declining to provide links to her personal website or use her photos.
Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe and Eddie Redmayne, (Fantastic Beasts) criticized her, as did GLAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation).
Rowling’s corporate partners, including Warner Bros., Scholastic and Universal Parks & Resorts, home to Harry Potter rides and attractions, said last month, respectively, that they recognized a responsibility to foster empathy, are opposed to discrimination of any kind, and hold diversity and inclusion as core values. Scholastic supported the author”s “right to express her personal views and beliefs.”
Rowling had been embroiled in a similar controversy last year for supporting Maya Forstater, a researcher who stated that people cannot change their biological sex.
Kendall & Kylie Jenner Respond to Accusations That They Failed to Pay Bangladesh Workers!
Kendall and Kylie Jenner are responding to the backlash after accusations spread that their fashion brand, Kendall + Kylie, did not pay factory workers in Bangladesh.
The rumors began circulating after Instagram users found out that Global Brands Group (GBG) wasn’t paying workers. The sisters are now clarifying that their company is not owned by GBG.
“We would like to address the unfortunate and incorrect rumor that Global Brands Group owns the Kendall + Kylie brand and that we have neglected to pay factory workers in Bangladesh as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,” the sisters said in a statement. “This is untrue. The Kendall + Kylie brand is owned by 3072541 Canada Inc., not GBG. The brand has worked with CAA-GBG in the past in a sales and business development capacity only.”
“We know these are trying times for the fashion industry and garment workers as a whole, and we continue to support all of our partners working in factories who produce our products,” the statement continued.
“We manufacture in countries all over the world and have not received any concerns from the factories who produce our goods,” they added.
This is not the first controversy either of the sisters has been wrapped up in during the pandemic – find out why Kendall had to defend herself at the start of lockdowns.
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
‘BALLS OUT’
I’m at the stage of quarantine when I look at this thirsty Instagram model post and all I think to myself is “Dammit, I miss sports.”
HAVE A GREAT DAY EVERYBODY!!!!!!!!
EFREM
