Mary J. Blige Bares All In LA Confidential

Mary J. Blige, to me, is the true definition of the strength of a woman. She’s been from the bottom, to the top, to the bottom and back up to the top. Blige, 42, has been an indomitable force in the music business for more than two decades, ever since Sean “Diddy” Combs, her friend, mentor, and executive  producer of her first album, took her under his professional wing. She has gone  on to sell more than 50 million albums and is the only artist to have won Grammy  Awards in four categories (R&B, Rap, Gospel, and Pop), having been nominated  for the award 29 times, and winning nine. She has also begun an acting career. She’s been in the requisite Tyler Perry  movie and last fall completed the upcoming Lifetime Network film Betty and  Coretta, about the widows of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr., in which  she stars as Dr. Betty Shabazz opposite Angela Bassett’s Coretta Scott King.

She’s featured in the newest issue of LA Confidential where she leaves no stone  unturned as she dishes on her past drug use, including sniffing cocaine at the  Grammy’s, and how she used alcohol to cover  up the issues that she had within herself.  She blames her drug addiction  on being molested when she was just five years old and says she is still  reminded of the incident when she smells a certain type of lotion.  She also  reveals how she was affected by Whitney Houston’s death and  why she never sought out rehab to help her with her drug and alcohol abuse.

KEVIN SESSUMS: I think a lot of Betty Shabazz’s empathetic—even  wounded—dignity can be traced back to when she was the daughter of an unwed  teenager herself back in Detroit. Can your empathy, your dignity, be traced back  to your own wounded childhood?

MJB: I still have the child within  me. She’s more around now than ever. She wasn’t around in the early days because  I was pushing her back. I didn’t want anybody to hurt her.

KS: Somebody did hurt you. You were molested. I’ve  written about my own molestation—though some people think those kinds of things  should be kept to oneself.

Toni Braxton Opens Up on VH1′s Behind The Music

I love to hear other people’s stories of triumph through diversity. Toni Braxton is a testament to the strength of a woman. One can have all the money in the world, but life sometimes has the habit of reminding us that deep down we are all human. What matters is how you deal with the blows and the low points, and find the inner strength to jump right back in the saddle. Which is what Toni has been doing for years! Braxton has won six Grammy Awards, seven American Music Awards, and five Billboard Music Awards and has sold over 60 million records worldwide. She topped the Billboard 200 with her 1993 self-titled debut album and continued that streak with her second studio album Secrets, which spawned the number-one hits “You’re Makin’ Me High” and “Un-Break My Heart”.

VH1 Behind The Music special aired Monday night, and folks tuned in to find out exactly why, after winning a bunch of Grammys and selling over 20 million records worldwide,  she had to file bankruptcy not once,  but twice throughout her career.  According to Toni, she signed a slave  contract with LaFace/Arista Records and was left with just $2,000 after the  label recouped their money for her travel, wardrobe, hair, make up and  everything that went into making her a star. I hope upcoming artists, especially the new crop of fame hungry Kenyan artists, are paying attention to that. She was also bombarded and  sued by creditors after she had to cancel her gig in Vegas after being diagnosed  with Lupus.  On top of the bankruptcies, she had to deal with a divorce and finding out her son had autism. You know most of you out here would crack under the pressure!

During the special, Toni also revealed that she felt humiliated by Oprah  after a visit to her show because she felt as though Oprah was painting her as  an over-spender. She also talked about always feeling the pressure to help her  sisters with their own careers while bringing them in as background singers and trying to get them record deals:

Tamera Mowry Speaks on Sex Before Marriage

So much has been said about whether or not to remain celibate before marriage. Times have changed, people’s views have changed, and even social standards for relationships have changed. Through it all, some people prefer to hold fast to tradition and keep sex within the marital institution. I think it’s remarkably difficult, but as some have proven, it’s something that can be done.

Ebony Magazine recently caught up with newlywed Tamera Mowry Housley and it looks as though she is quite passionate about ‘no sex before marriage’. She  revealed to the publication that she was  abstinent before she got married to Fox News Anchor Adam Housley and she  does not believe a couple should live together before marriage.

EBONY: Tamera you mentioned in an interview that you and [your husband, Fox News Correspondent] Adam [Housley] not only didn’t live together, you also remained celibate until you married last year. Why did you choose that route and do you have any advice for your fans who are trying to follow in your footsteps in that regard?

TAMERA: Adam and I took a break from dating for about a year. We missed each other and something was drawing us together, but more than that, we wanted to make sure that this relationship was what God wanted for our lives.  [In order to know] if we are meant to be together, we said, ‘it’s got to be God’s way and not our way.’ We didn’t want to half-step anything [or have clouded judgment]. So our right way was the way we felt God wanted us to do it which was being celibate. We said to God, ‘This is who we are, I know you take us as we are, our faults, our fears, our joys, our hope as a couple and have your way.’

Solange Knowles Covers Elle South Africa November 2012

I like to think that part of Solange Knowles’ charm is her girl-next-door look that makes her seem so approachable, despite having a sister who has reached iconic status. She’s not scared to just be her amidst all the drama that must come with being a Knowles. After filming her latest video ‘Losing You‘ which was filmed in Cape Town, she’s followed it  up with her latest cover and photo shoot for Elle Magazine South Africa. Throughout the shoot she rocks fabulous South African kitenge designs.

For the shoot, Solange assisted stylist and fashion editor Asanda Sizani with  picking out pieces  by South African designers that most suited her style.  They chose tons of mix and match patterns and the yellow cover was chosen in post  production to fit her ‘sunny personality’. According to the feature writer, who  interviewed Solo:

My interview with her was an incredible experience. We sat in her penthouse  at 15 on Orange on the Thursday night and chatted while she had her nails done.  It didn’t feel like a formal interview at all, and we chatted our way through  the points I wanted to cover. The sense I got throughout the interview was that  she is a real person; a young mom who is doing what she loves.

Check out a few behind the scenes photos below:

Jennifer Hudson Opens Up About Family Murders

Hi guys! I’m back! Finally getting back the strength to blog. My mum regularly commented on my blog and I really miss her. What better way to come back than with Jennifer Hudson, a person who has shown such tremendous strength in the face of debilitating tragedy. Jennifer and her fiancé, David Otunga were featured on Own’s Next Chapter last night in a very candid interview with Oprah  Winfrey. During the interview, Jennifer talked about her family murders and whether  she’s forgiven William Balfour as well as her weight loss and feeling the pressures of Hollywood.  Meanwhile, David  chatted about whether or not she was sexier before the  weight loss, wanting a daughter and the two revealed that they are  planning to get married within the next two years.

Check out some excerpts:

On If She’s More Comfortable At This Size:

I’ve always  been comfortable in my skin. I like the skin that I’m in. I don’t ever feel like  I was uncomfortable. I honestly don’t. Yes, at times I feel sexier. At times.  [when asked if she feels prettier:] I was always cute.

David On if He Thinks She’s Sexier at a Size 6 or 16:

You  know honestly, it’s pretty much the same. It hasn’t really changed that much to  be honest. She’s a little more confident now and that kind of sticks out but to  me, but I liked her then too. Very much so. I kind of like the curves. I love  the way she looks now but I’ll be honest, I enjoy  the curves.

One of the things that’s sexiest to me is when she’s doing motherly things.  It’s just like, it’s a complete different side.

Tichina Arnold: Every Person Deserves Two Marriages

We all remember Tichina Arnold from the hit TV show Martin, where she played Pam Jones, Martin’s arch nemesis. After winning us over in the 90s as Pam, she went on to land one memorable TV role after another. These days, she calls the set of TV Land’s Happily Divorced home. On the show, she plays star Fran Drescher’s best friend Judi Mann, and they’re both 40-something woman still single and looking for love. In real life, Arnold’s found true love with her fiancé Rico Hines, an assistant NCAA basketball coach with whom she is planning a dreamy Hawaiian wedding. 

Essence.com recently caught up with the Queens native and asked her to open up about her romantic past and how it has shaped her present day relationship. She even revealed some juicy wedding details. Here’s what she had to say about relationships, marriage and her upcoming wedding:

ESSENCE: What have you learned from past relationships that has prepared you for the one you have today?
ARNOLD: To not be so bossy. You know, when you’re single, you’re very independent. Very independent women raised me. We didn’t have a lot of male figures as the head of our household, so I got, and took on, a lot of that strong spirit from the matriarchs in my family. It allows you to get on through life a lot easier, but the downside is that you don’t have that experience of watching a male figure interact with women in the home. When you come from an all-female household, when you’re in a relationship, you get into situations you don’t really know how to handle, which I didn’t.

Love Jones: 15 Years Later…

My favourite movie of all time has got to be Love Jones! I loved it when it first came out, and I still love it today. As a matter of fact, I force my hubby to watch it with me all the time and I’ve been to so many Love Jones themed parties. The chemistry between Darius Lovehall (Larenz Tate) and Nina Moseley (Nia Long) was explosive and titillating in the love story set in Chicago.

The film, released on March 14, 1997, was written by 24-year-old director Theodore Witcher, who based it on his own dating experiences living in Chicago. Though the movie didn’t do well by Hollywood standards — it made a little over $12 million at the box office — it quickly became a cult classic thanks to its stellar soundtrack, which included now-classic tracks by Maxwell and Lauryn Hill, and, of course, word of mouth.

On the movie’s 15th anniversary, leads Tate and Long, and co-star Isaiah Washington (who played Darius’ married friend Savon Garrison) reminisced on their favorite memories of creating the classic love story as well as if there will be a sequel with Essence.com:

Drake Covers GQ’s First Ever Style Bible

For everything a man needs to know to look his best in 2012, please grab a copy of GQ’s first ever Style Bible. The April 2012 issue features multiple cover stars: Drake, John Slattery and Dave Franco. Of course you know where my interest lies. Drake gets suited up, lined up and exfoliated in the Spring photo shoot.

The interview concept is really interesting. He practiced his perfect first date on Claire Hoffman, the female reporter who wrote his cover story. Check out how she describes Drake’s mansion:

The backyard of Drake’s mansion is indistinguishable from the set of one of those late-night Lifetime soft-core romance flicks. Waterfalls gush all around, surging over enormous boulders. Bronze animals—lions, elephants, giraffes!—checker the lawn, glimmering in the last light of the San Fernando Valley sun. A giant fire, fit for a king from Middle-earth, burns in an outdoor fireplace, and a flat-screen TV plays Sixteen Candles.

First, there was dinner by the pool while Sixteen Candles played on a flat screen. Next, he poured up some white wine spritzers before giving her a tour of the crazy pool at his Hollywood mansion. Then, she asked to see his closet. And when he showed her to his security-coded bedroom hidden behind a bookshelf with a California King Bed inside with custom sheets and a projector screen floating above, he asked the hypothetical question, “We had wine and dinner by the pool, I brought you inside, I brought the projector down; are you or are you not sleeping with me?” I know many of you ladies would be screaming “YES!!!” at the top of your voices, never mind that it’s supposed to be a first date…

Melanie Fiona on Her 2 Grammy Awards & Heartbreak

Not many people are aware that Melanie Fiona won 2 Grammy Awards this year. If you’re one of them, don’t beat yourself up because she was among those who got their awards prior to the live broadcast of the show. Melanie and Cee Lo Green won 2 Grammy Awards for their song “Fool For You” in the categories of Best Traditional R&B Performance and Best R&B Song. Jimmy Jam presented the award, and almost accepted it on their behalf; however, Melanie had other plans. Wearing high heels and a floor-length gown, she came running to the stage to accept the award. Fiona humbly accepted the award and thanked Whitney Houston for paving a way for artists like her.

Melanie recently dished about her new album The MF Life which hits stores March 20th, the Grammys, Whitney, Love and the secret she’s been holding inside:

Tell me a secret?
My heart is breaking right now.

Why’s your heart breaking?
Someone broke it. It breaks for the disappointment I feel for that person.

Interesting. We’ll get back to that. You just won two Grammy’s. What does that feel like?
It is the absolute definition of dreams coming true. Not like when you fall in love or get the job you want. When you really dream of something your entire life, to be able to actually achieve that…and there’s no ‘almost’ achieving it. You either win a Grammy or you don’t. So it’s more than amazing.

Take us through the day of the Grammy’s…

Estelle Talks New Album & Whitney Houston

This week, Estelle released her long awaited third album “All of Me” with its lead single “Thank You” already getting positive reviews. ESSENCE.com caught up with the 2012 ESSENCE Music Festival performer to talk about her third album — and its comparisons to The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, rapping, her fond memories of Whitney Houston, and more:

ESSENCE.com: What have you been working on since 2008′s Shine?
ESTELLE: I’ve been living and working on this album. I feel like I needed to take some time off and grow and be a regular human being. Live a little bit. There was actually a point where I didn’t feel like I was growing, and I didn’t know how to go about it. My time off has given me things to sing about. I went through a long three-year relationship. It’s been real life. It’s been everything that comes with it. I was writing through the good times and the bad situations. The approach I took with this album was being more vulnerable — being a little more open with everything. I’m just going to live and if I feel angry today, I’m going to go and sing about it.

ESSENCE: Some listeners may be surprised to hear you’re rapping on All of Me. Is that something you’ve always done?
ESTELLE: Always. My very first single I did in the UK was a rap song… I’m a rapper, I don’t identify myself as a singer. That’s where I write from and where I hear everything from.