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. (more…)
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: (more…)
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.’ (more…)
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: (more…)
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. (more…)
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. (more…)
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: (more…)
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… (more…)
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… (more…)
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. (more…)
Trey Songz Shows Men How to Wear the Sports Jacket in GQ
Ooooh I love me some Trey! In the March 2012 issue of GQ, Trey has a 10 page feature dubbed ‘The Most Important Items In Your Wardrobe’, where he shows off the best sports jacket and blazer looks for the fellas. He rocks styles by J. Crew, Salvatore Ferragamo, Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren Black Label, Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, Emporio Armani & Etro. According to GQ, if you are a guy and you don’t already own a well-fitted sports jacket, it should be the first thing on your list to add to your wardrobe.
While getting ready for his 2012 release of his album ‘Chapter V,’ Trey dished to GQ about possibly changing up his music style in the future by following in Marvin Gaye’s footsteps and making music that changes lives. He also dished on why he thinks Twitter and Facebook take away the mystery of an artist’s “persona”:
On Making Music Like Marvin Gaye — Love Songs to Changing Lives
I could make a hundred “Bottoms Up’s but they won’t change nobody’s life. Marvin Gaye sang love songs to a certain point, and then it was like, ‘F–k this; I’m not clean-cut no more. I’m putting this skully on, letting this beard grow out, and I’m doing whatever the f-ck I wanna do.On if he’ll change up his style
I might. Give me a couple of years, though.On Social Networking and whether it ruins the Mystery of Artists
What made Prince, Prince is, you didn’t know shit about him. As an artist, you need a persona, a mystique. When you step into Twitter, Facebook, all of that, you’re giving a piece of it away.
Check out some of Trey’s looks from the spread: (more…)
Idris Elba Set to Play Nelson Mandela in Biopic
2012 has began in a big way for Brit actor Idris Elba. With rumours that his hit show Luther may be headed to the big screen, Idris has now signed on to play the role of Nelson Mandela, in an official biographical film about the iconic South African human rights leader. The film will be based on the book Long Walk to Freedom, penned by Mandela himself, and will begin filming later this year.
Doing the press rounds for “Ghost Rider: Spirit Of Vengeance,” Idris Elba caught up with HipHollywood and revealed that later this year, he’ll start lensing on another Mandela project. ”My big project this year, I’m gonna go play Nelson Mandela in ‘Long Walk To Freedom’, an autobiographical work written by Nelson Mandela himself, which highlights his early life, coming of age, education and 27 years in prison… That’s where my head is geared to this summer,” he said. Will Smith and Denzel Washington had been considered for the role, NME reports, but in the end, it appears as though the best man has won big. (more…)
Janet Jackson Talks Secret Marriage, Whitney Houston & Seeing Drugs For The First Time on Anderson Cooper
At 45, Janet Jackson still looks amazing and seems to be getting better with age! She was a special guest on ‘Anderson’ to help media personality Anderson Cooper celebrate the 100th episode of his daytime talk show. While there, she chatted about why she chose to keep her marriage to James Debarge a secret in the early 90′s, as well as seeing crack for the first time at age 11. She also dished on Whitney Houston, why she and her brothers never called their father ‘Dad’ and her self-esteem issues throughout the years. Check out the excerpts:
On Why she never called her father ‘Dad’
I never asked why and I just left it as it is. When our parents tell us something you don’t question it. It is what it is and you just leave it alone because if you don’t, it’s going to go to another level that you don’t want it to go to. So I left it at that but I never asked my other brothers and sisters why they didn’t call him “Dad”. Well, I tried one day to call him “Dad” but he said “My name is Joesph; you call me Joseph. I’m Joseph to you.” (more…)
Boris Kodjoe & Nicole Ari Parker on How to Have A Successful Marriage
Nothing inspires you to want great love in your life more than seeing it in action, right in front of you. Boris Kodjoe and Nicole Ari Parker, have been married for seven years after meeting on the set of Showtime’s Soul Food over ten years ago. Now, the two are ready to dish on how they have managed to maintain a successful marriage.
They caught up with Essence.com during the Valentine’s Day season and dished on the keys to a successful marriage. Boris says that being best friends is number one on the list. Nicole tells the ladies to tone down the nagging and stop following the ‘how to keep your man’ advice from your girls (Can I get an AMEN???). According to Nicole, your man will notice a good home cooked meal before he notices how great you look in those new shoes or purse.
Boris: I think what’s important is that you’re friends and that you like each other. That’s number one. If you like each other, you have fun with each other and you make each other laugh. You enjoy each others presence then that’s a great foundation to have, first of all. We make each other laugh and keep it sexy. It’s like with everything else — if you want to be successful in a business you have to work everyday to make that happen. A relationship is no different. If you want a relationship that’s flourishing and great and fun and successful, you’ve got to put effort into it every day. We try to do that for each other and with each other. (more…)
IMAN Cosmetics Partners With Somali Twin Sisters
Supermodel and cosmetics guru Iman has announced IMAN Cosmetics’ partnership with Mataano, the chic fashion design label with a global flavor. Mataano, founded by Somali twin sisters Ayaan and Idyl Mohallim, will debut its new partnership during their Fall 2012 runway show with IMAN as the lead sponsor. “I saw in the twins the drive and inspiration I had at that point in my life. Our shared Somali background and creative visions are a natural fit,” Iman, CEO and Founder of IMAN Cosmetics said in a press statement. “We’re confident this is just the beginning of a successful and thriving partnership,” Iman added. “I’m grateful to have reached a certain point in my life and career where I can inspire young, motivated women to follow their dreams, take a risk, and never accept defeat.”
As part of the new partnership, the Mataano founders will become brand ambassadors for IMAN. They will also work with the brand to assist with future global events, Fashion Week shows, a limited editorial color collection and IMAN’s Fall 2012 campaign.
“It’s an honor to represent and have the support of a makeup giant like IMAN Cosmetics,” Idyl Mohallim said in a statement. “IMAN Cosmetics is about providing options for all different shades of skin and acknowledging and addressing variety in beauty and cosmetics.” Her sister, Ayaan, also stressed the importance of ensuring that their runway models represent the diversity of Mataano’s brands and that the support of IMAN would assist in completing that look.
Originally from Somalia, Ayaan and Idyl relocated to Washington D.C. with their family for a better life. (more…)
Adele Covers March 2012 Issue of Vogue Magazine
British superstar Adele, who picked up 6 Grammies this past weekend, covers the March 2-12 issue of US Voguemagazine. Adele stuns in all of the images in the spread (taken by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggot). She declares, “I’m a big personality,” and in her first American Vogue cover, she is larger than life and as gorgeous as any of the models also featured inside the issue. The cover is a little suggestive, but tastefully so, as Adele shows just a hint of cleavage, with her voluminous hair blown back. It’s sexy in the most subtle of ways. In the close ups of her face inside the mag, which hone in on our her peaches and cream complexion and her expressive eyes, traced in black winged eyeliner, she looks like a human Barbie doll.
The 23-year-old chanteuse, who was born Adele Laurie Blue Adkins, talks about how her life has changed since her multi-platinum 21was released, and how she has had to adjust since throat surgery threatened to end her career.
Here’s what the 23-year-old singer had to share: (more…)
R.I.P. Whitney Houston…
I knew I was going to have to write this but had no idea how I would begin. I guess I should just start with the fact that the legendary Whitney Houston is dead. She is gone and I, for one, am already missing her terribly. I never ever stopped rooting for Whitney, even when it seemed she was down and out. I was one of the happiest people for her when she made her come-back, and I honestly believed that she would scale even greater heights. So when my husband woke me up on Sunday morning to tell me she was gone, I cried. I cried because of the wasted potential and talent she still had to share with us, with me…
Whitney passed away on Saturday 11/02/2012 at The Beverly Hilton Hotel. Police say there were no obvious signs of foul play. Whitney was found just before 4pm PST by a bodyguard in the bathtub of her suite at The Beverly Hilton Hotel. Police found bottles of prescription pills in her room, including Xanax. According to reports, Whitney always took Xanax for anxiety before big shows to relax (if taken with alcohol it can cause sedation). At the time, her stylist, hairdresser and two bodyguards were in her room and became worried after she was in the bathroom for over an hour. Her hairdresser went to check on her (more…)
Hot Trend Alert: Giuseppe Zanotti Body Belt Necklace
You can always count on Queen Bey to be on top of the latest fashion trends. I would never have dared to wear a body belt necklace but Bey showed us how to work it in her ‘Girls Who Run The World Video’ last year. She pulled it off so effortlessly that we are now seeing it on red carpets and runways. You can cop this body belt necklace clad with silver-tone galvanized brass plates for yourself at Giuseppe for just $995.
Angela Simmons was spotted at New York Fashion Week in Manhattan hitting up a few shows including BCBG MaxAzria. She wore a black knee-length dress that she paired with Giuseppe Zanotti leopard print pony wedges and a gold Giuseppe Zanotti body belt necklace. Serena Williams was also spotted wearing a black dress combination with the gold neckpiece last year while attending the 8th Annual Keep A Child Alive Ball.
Check out pics of the girls working the piece after the break. (more…)
Tyler Perry: I Owe My Success to the Grace of God
Tyler Perry is a controversial man. People either love his work with a passion, or hate it with a passion. Some have even slammed him for his stereotypical depiction of black people. The one thing everyone can agree on is that he is amazingly successful at what he does. Perry wrote and produced many stage plays during the 1990s and early 2000s. In 2005, he released his first film, Diary of a Mad Black Woman. In 2011, Forbes named him the highest paid man in entertainment, earning $130 million between May 2010 and 2011.
All his success didn’t happen overnight but you too can learn his secret to success. Earlier this week, Perry posted a video blog on his Facebook fan page that gave a lot of inquiring minds an answer to the million dollar question –“How did you make it?” In the video, he reveals that a lot of people try to have hundreds of trades in hopes that something will pop off and they will become a millionaire but Perry believes you should try something simpler. “Narrow your focus to one idea and make it work. It will give birth to all the others,” he said.
This is what he had to say about his journey of how he went from living in his car to being one of the highest paid men in entertainment:
There’s only one answer for that and I say this all the time in the press but people cut it out of articles or they don’t want to print it or they don’t want to say it. The truth be told, it was nothing but the grace of God. Nothing But The Grace of God.
You can plant seeds all day long; you can go around giving your business cards to people. You can go around knocking on doors and auditioning; you can do all of that every day of your life and for most people nothing happens. When a seed is planted in the ground all you can do it water it. You cannot control the sunshine. You cannot control the weather and you cannot control what the locust will come and try to destroy. All you can do is plant your seed in the ground, water it and believe. That is what allowed me to be in this position right now. (more…)
VH1 Working on TLC Biopic
How excited am I? Finally we’ll get to know the story behind the story of TLC! Man, I loved this group. They almost had me going to school with condoms plastered all over my uniform! During a recent interview with LSO radio, Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins revealed VH1′s plans to do a biopic on the legendary girl group.
Yes… TLC is doing a movie. They’re starting to do movies on VH1. So they’re doing icons and legends and we’re the first of the movies to be picked. Yaaaay!
It’s exciting. It’s like Waterfalls being made, it’s scary. Like ‘Oh My God.. if I tell you my story are you gonna do it right?’
I almost wanted to do it like The Jacksons’… break it down into like 5 episodes or something cause we have so much stuff….
According to Rodney Ho of the AJC, it was Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas’ ties to VH1 through her now defunct, “What Chilli Wants” dating reality show that opened the door for TLC’s story to be told. VH1 has also confirmed that they will be doing a scripted biopic about the Atlanta-based girl group: (more…)
Estelle Talks Love and Pain in ES Magazine
I’ve been a huge fan of Estelle since she first hit the scene with “American Boy.” She’s starting of the year on a high note bringing sophistication to the cover of London’s Evening Standard. But things weren’t always so glamorous for the British singer. Inside, she talks what it was like growing up with six siblings and one parent and how she transformed from a “skinny, black girl in the ghetto” to the stunning black woman she is today.
After her first label dropped her in 2007, Estelle moved to New York City to try to breakthrough in America, and a chance run-in with Kanye West led to the production of her Grammy-winning single “American Boy.” Estelle is busy promoting her new project ‘All of Me’, and she shared her emotional connection to her newest single “Thank You,” written by Akon.
On how she met Kanye
“I’d been working with a producer in Los Angeles and it hadn’t been going well. So I flew to New York and listened to Kanye West’s ‘Can’t Tell Me Nothing: The Official Mixtape’ in my hotel room. Then I went out for a walk and saw him in a fricking restaurant. I prayed to God for him to come out. And he did. We chatted. I said, ‘I love you. I also want to meet John Legend; I want to work with him.’ Kanye told me that John was inside, eating. (more…)
Taye Diggs: Tyson Beckford Helped Me Love My Skin Colour
Happy New Year Everyone!!! First off, I have to apologize for my absence. I was busy planning my wedding and yes, I did finally get hitched. Best feeling in the world! See me on the side and I’ll tell you all the details later 
What better way to start the year than with the big hunk of chocolate goodness that makes you get your groove back! Yes, it’s none other than Mr. Taye Diggs! Taye says he wasn’t always comfortable in his own skin. It wasn’t until he was an adult that he could overcome and get past all the insults he had heard growing up because he’s dark-skinned. He has written a children’s book called ‘Chocolate Me!’ where he draws from hurtful personal experiences from when he was younger and teaches kids to be happy just the was they are.
He also recently sat down with MyBrownBaby.com and revealed that it wasn’t until he accidentally came across an article about Tyson Beckford that he was proud to be dark. As a dad with a 2-year-old interracial son, Taye discusses raising a mixed race child, how race affected him growing up, his parent’s making sure he always had positive black influences and how he feels Denzel and Wesley Snipes created a “shift” in the industry for the dark chocolate brothas.
On Growing Up With the ‘Light vs Dark’ Stigma (more…)
Kim Kardashian Voted Most Annoying Celebrity
Kim Kardashian has been named the ‘most annoying’ celebrity in a new poll. The reality TV star was voted just above Charlie Sheen and Jersey Shore‘s Snooki into the top position with 29% of the total vote. Charlie Sheen followed close behind with 27 percent and Snooki was in third with 21 percent. Lindsay Lohan was voted into fourth place in the list, with entrepreneur and Apprentice host Donald Trump and Bachelor star Brad Womack completing the chart. It’s unclear exactly how large the sample size was for this poll, but I know quite a few people who are allergic to anything Kardashian, including yours truly.
That’s not all the bad news for Kim. In a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll, she landed at No. 7 on a most unpopular celebrities list, far behind the top vote-getter, Paris Hilton. This suggests that: a) being famous and annoying and being famous and unpopular are slightly different things, or b) Kardashian’s approval rating has plummeted since her wedding to Kris Humphries. I think she’s always been exceptionally annoying but that’s just me
Other useful facts we learn from the Parade/Yahoo poll: (more…)
Introducing J. Cole…
Jermaine Lamarr Cole is an American rapper and producer, better known by his stage name J. Cole. In 2009 he was the first artist signed to Jay-Z’s label Roc Nation. Born in Germany and raised in North Carolina, the 26-year-old started testing his skill when he was 12 and began making beats at 15 after his mom bought him a beat machine. Years later, he decided to go to college in New York at St. Johns University so that he would be closer to the record labels as he was confident about getting a deal. After graduating college, he had a chance meeting with Mark Pitts, the former manager of Notorious B.I.G., who introduced him to Jay-z and the rest is history.
After many delays that left his fans wondering if his album would ever come out, his debut ‘Cole World: The Sideline Story’ finally hit stores yesterday. It’s been a while since I’ve been this excited about a rapper. I like his music because it gives me a Kanye West vibe from his College Dropout days. Ladies and gentlemen, I think we’re witnessing the birth of a star. Necole Bitchie recently caught up with J. Cole at his sold out show at Nokia Live in Los Angeles and he opened up about his recent collaboration with Missy Elliot, what it felt like to see his CD for the first time and his refusal to sell out for commercial gain:
Necole Bitchie: You recently released a track titled ‘Nobody’s Perfect’ with Missy Elliot. How did the collaboration come about? (more…)
