Friday, February 28, 2014

Lupita Nyong'o Addresses 'Black Beauty' In Moving ESSENCE Acceptance Speech



Lupita Nyong'o has become a household name over the past few months. Her critically acclaimed role in 12 Years a Slave has landed her awards and accolades from almost every respected critic. Last night another honor was bestowed upon the young actress as she received the award for Best Breakthrough Performance at the ESSENCE Black Women of Hollywood Luncheon. Just as relevant in the media as her talent, her peculiar face and skin tone took a life of it's own. It's rare to see women of Lupita's beauty being praised so much in Hollywood.

ESSENCE Black Women of Hollywood Luncheon (videos/photos)


Essence Magazine hosted their Black Women of Hollywood luncheon last night in Beverly Hills. Some of everybody was in attendance to celebrated the many beautiful brown faces in entertainment. Everyone seemed to be really excited to share their photos with one another on their various social media accounts. The likes of Brandy, Oprah, Lupta Nyong'o, Kerry Washington, and more were all in one room to show love to one another. 


Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Stream Pharrell's New Album G I R L


Pharrell's highly anticipated album G I R L is just a week away from release. The hit producer is experiencing one of the greatest runs of his career. To add to his amazing run, he's set to perform his hit song Happy at this years' Academy Awards.

Rihanna Joins Drake On Stage In Paris Performs Take Care + Pour It Up



Amidst rumors that they are romantically involved again, Rihanna and Drake have been spotted spending a little time together in Paris. He's there on tour and she's there...I guess for Fashion Week maybe? Fans and media have been reporting all weekend that she was spotted at his hotel and out to dinner with him and Pharrell a few nights ago.

Beyonce Releases PARTITION Video featuring JayZ


 

If you've been living under a rock for the past few months and haven't seen this VERY sexy video Beyonce did for her record Partition, you can check it out below.

Chris Brown & Usher Pose Together, Is A Collaboration In The Works?



Chris Brown and Usher are among the most comparable artists in the game. Since CB made his debut he's been compared to Usherbaby. The details of their actual friendship have been in question here and there. They were meant to tour a while back.. that didn't happen, and of course rumors will always swirl about whether there is jealousy or bad blood.

Monday, February 24, 2014

Super Dope Duo Dead Right Releases New Visual for First Single - Rising Tide


I'm totally into this new electro pop band Dead Right. Composed of all around artistic maven Graham Knoxx and the super hot and talented producer Alex Goose, Dead Right offers a soulful yet electro twist to your ears. The two met while working under the same management team in LA. They first collaborated on another fave record of mine by Graham entitled Dollar.

A Little Monday Giggle



I'm sorry that this video is not very clear, but it made me laugh so I wanted to share it. There is really nothing happening here except a few babies are really tickled by their dad. For some reason laughter is infectious, especially when it's the genuine laughter of children. The way they all chuckle in this video had me chuckling right along with them.

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Brandy Was All Smiles As She "Received" Her Image Award Last Night



Last night the our fave Brandy was honored at the NAACP dinner with an Image Award for best supporting actress in a comedy. Her character Chardonnay Pitts on BET's hit series The Game is undeniably funny, so this is befitting. Brandy stunned as she soaked in love from her peers. Thanks to her personal instagram account, we got to see some photos!

Lupita Nyong'o talks career, Miley Cyrus, & Jared Leto with Ellen



The magnificent Lupita Nyong'o stopped by Ellen to have a small chat. I'm a huge fan of Ellen, mainly because what she does seems so effortless. She really is just a funny person to me, so I pretty much enjoy any interview she does.

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Happy Birthday Rihanna, Here Are a few of our favorite performances





Today is Rihanna's 26th bday. She's spending it in Aspen with her closest friends enjoying a much needed break and some outdoor activities. The photos from their fun in the snow are a mix between some high end modeling shoot and LOADS of fun. For our celebration of Rihanna's bday (since we werent invited to Aspen) we decided to share some of our favorite performances from the singer. People love Rihanna as an artist, philanthropist, fashionista, and for those who know her personally.. just as a person.

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Pharrell Finally Addresses The Vampire Rumors In New Interview



It has definitely come to this. You've seen the many memes and gifs floating around the Internet questioning Pharrell's mortality. There are photos that appear to be him that date back hundreds of years, there are photos of him when he was in high school, and then.. there are photos of him now- at 40, and if you're careful in your examination you will notice that he hasn't aged a bit. Not one bit. Many people have started to question how in the world the Grammy Award winning super producer, writer, and artist stays so youthful.

Stepping into Adulthood


Now that you are an adult, you have to look in the mirror and realize you are the blame for a lot of emotional pain and bullshit that comes your way. You have to be honest with yourself about the role that you played in the situation. And while there are other parties who contributed to the problem, you have to remember you let them into your space. You're the one who chose to stay a minute too long in their company. I'm learning that adulthood is more than being a certain age and performing a set of actions that prove that you aren't a child anymore. It's going through life knowing that nobody else is responsible for your emotional well being, and those you would like to care about it, may have no interest whatsoever. In knowing all of that, you also have to be okay with it. The sooner you accept it, the sooner you can truly be accountable for your happiness. One thing that seems to be forgotten in it's obviously glory, is that adulthood is about maturing mentally and being willing to accept 100% of the responsibility of your actions.

Monday, February 17, 2014

Rihanna Wins Settlement Against Ex Accountant- What She can Teach Us All About Self Investment



Last week a series of posts were written on how our fave pop icon Rihanna was knocking on bankruptcy's door in 2009. It's hard to believe that such a powerful figure in music today was so close to being broke during a time where she was on every radio and tv station in the world. During that time, Rihanna was seeking financial advice from Peter Gounis and the firm Berdon LLP. She recently sued the firm- reporting they ill advised her, and caused her to lose almost everything.

Jojo Releases New #LoveJo Mix Tape Proving Her Talent and Versatility



Just a month after Jojo's exciting news that she's FINALLY FREE FROM HER CONTRACT WITH BLACKGROUND RECORDS (whew..excuse me, a lot of excitement in that statement)..she's back with another mixtape. You guys know I love Jojo. I've been keeping a very close eye on her over the years waiting and praying with her that she'd get free from being locked down and out by her former label and give us the music we all love.

Sunday, February 16, 2014

Watch: Kendrick Lamar NBA All-Star Performance


Kendrick Lamar is definitely one of the hottest rappers out right now. He's managed to place himself on high demand, so it was only befitting that he rock the stage at the All-Star games this year. He hit the stage just before the infamous Dunk Contest Saturday night to get the crowd hype.

Friday, February 14, 2014

JAY McSwain Debuts New Single Broken Hearts + New Website!




I'm really super excited to dedicate this day on my blog to one of the loves of my life, my big little brother Jay. As most of you know, he is a singer/songwriter and has been dropping feel good music for years. Today, he's debuting a new record, Broken Hearts ft. Cribbs- a song not so befitting for Valentines Day, but I guess the people not in love need a little music to jam to as well.

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Drake Says He's Done With Magazine Interviews Post Falsified Rolling Stone Article




Drake is a man of very few words on twitter, but this morning he went on the unlikely twitter rant and for very good reason. Just yesterday Rolling Stone posted an article that triggered a lot of commentary and dialogue. The article brashly depicts an interview with Drake where in he allegedly made a few indecent comments about Kanye West and a few others.

Amina Buddafly Talks Atheism, Loving Peter Gunz, and more with Sway (video)




Amina Buddafly stopped by Sway's radio show this morning for some small chat. While some listeners may have felt they knew a lot about Amina through her role on the show Love & Hip Hop, Amina opened up a little more about who she is as a person. Amina - who we recently learned is pregnant with Peter Gunz' baby was pretty chill as she discussed her career's journey, and even her personal life.

Congrats: Rapper Lil Kim and Her Baby Bump Steal NYFW!


Yes! Another baby post :) This one was so unexpected. I literally had to do a double take. We haven't seen much of Lil Kim lately, and when she showed up at NYFW looking very pregnant.. all eyes were on her.

New Video: Nicki Minaj- Lookin A** Ni**a {Explicit}


Staying true to her word in her Danny Glover remix verse, Nicki Minaj has released Lookin Ass-Ni**a.. an ode to the fronting and lame dudes of the world. In Danny Glover she referenced the track said to be featured on her upcoming album , The Pink Print, but I'm not sure we knew what she meant until now. 

New Video: Asher Monroe ft. Chris Brown- Memory



Asher Monroe and Chris Brown collide in this exciting visual for their record, Memory. These two work well together vocally. The record is definitely something you'd expect from both as single artists, but it's made even better as a collaboration. The visual definitely holds your attention with bright laser lights, and of course these two cuties.


Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Happy 35th Birthday Brandy! Kim Burrell Sings Tribute At Surprise Party (video)



We couldn't let BRANday go by without wishing this angelic voice and spirit a very happy birthday! When it comes to singing, humility, grace, and perseverance Brandy is the epitome! Her talents have inspired a whole generation of singers and most of them don't carry the sense of humility that is so easily demonstrated by Brandy. This woman deserves the best, and I'm hoping that this year of her life will bring all of that.

Michael Jordan and Wife Yvette Welcome Twin Girls


Yes, I love baby posts! This time, it's basketball legend Michael Jordan (50) and his wife Yvette (35). The two who were married almost a year ago announced that they were expecting in November. Sunday, they welcomed identical twins into their blended family. This is Yvette's first go at the parental rodeo, but MJ has three children from his previous marriage.

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Looking Back At College Dropout



I first paid attention to Kanye West as the producer who made the soulful sound of Jay-Z's The Blueprint.  I remembered copping a DJ Clue mixtape on Jamaica Ave my senior year of high school and towards the end of it I heard him rapping overt the "Girls Girls Girls" remix because it was his track.  I wasn't too crazy about it.  I did like his verse on the Roc-A-Fella posse cut "Champions" off of the Pain in Full Soundtrack.  He was a decent rapper but no one I knew was really checking for him.  But I paid attention.  I could see glimpses of his personality when I'd read articles in The Source where he said as a producer who raps to "Save all the heat for yourself."  That's how I knew the album was coming.

The Extinction of Privacy and Social Networking Sites


My relationship with social networking sites is turning into a mixture of more hate, and less love. As an introvert, the overload of information that hits my brain already causes a slight buzz. However with all the extra TMI pieces that come my way, that buzz turns into a unpleasant hangover headache. From my Facebook feed, to Twitter and the images on Instagram, lately my response to what I see is to scratch my head, and mutter "What the heck??".

It's not that I'm only seeing ratchet, coontastic things on my timeline, but more so the play by play of someone's drama, the checking into various places that most people other than yourself don't need to know (or even care about). Do you really think someone cares that you are at your Gynecologist appointment? Do we really want to see your girl half naked, cooking up a meal for you? Better yet, do we really want to know about your beef with your baby's father via text gram on Instagram? Heck. No. I get it though, you're expressing yourself, showing us the things you like/dislike. And maybe I really don't have the right to get mad at what people post; especially when it's easy to unfollow. However I am just super confused as to how social networking sites have become this platform where there is more airing of (dirty) laundry than actual networking and positive exchange of information.

Monday, February 10, 2014

Roc Nation Writer Chase J Hosts New Video Premiere Party for New Single 'Casualty of Me'



Photo cred: Freddyo



Last week a crowd filled Atlanta's Icon Lounge to watch the reveal of Roc Nation's Chase J's brand new video. The song, Casualty of Me reveals a part of love that is extremely complicated. Chase's incredible voice sheds light on what it's like to end a relationship with someone you thought you loved. The mid tempo track has a little bounce to it, and as the video played live- heads were bobbing in unison.

Friday, February 7, 2014

Pharrell's HAT is back.. This Time in Gray


Pharrell, his wife Helen, and his now infamous Mr. Hat were spotted out and about in London yesterday. It appears that Pharrell has a few Mr. Hats as this is the same hat he rocked to the Grammys, only this one is gray. Outside of the actual awards given and performances, Pharrell's hat was without a doubt one of the biggest topics of the night.

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Ashanti Reveals New "Braveheart" Album Cover & Release Date




It appears yet another cover for Ashanti's anticipated Braveheart album has appeared. This time, the singer/hit songwriter is centered beautifully on the cover with her her eyes closed. It's a gorgeous shot. Ashanti has collaborated with the likes of Rick Ross, French Montana, and Busta Rhymes for Braveheart which will be her first album in over five years.

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Essence Magazine Debuts Black Hollywood Cover feat. Oprah, Forrest Whitaker, Chiwetel Ojiofor, and Michael B. Jordan


Totally loving this new Essence Cover honoring Black Hollywood. 2013 was an incredible year for Black film overall. There were incredible movies made, directed, and acted out by some of the best in the industry and those people happen to be black. Following Black History Month, Essence Magazine is releasing this star studded collectors edition. Within it's covers the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Forest Whitaker, Michael B. Jordan, and Chiwetel Ojiofor are highlighted.

Rihanna Offers To Assist Family of Murdered Rihanna Navy Member




I wasn't going to blog today, but I couldn't let this story go unreported. I report every monumental career moment of these celebs, but the awards and accalamations are not what will matter in the end really are they? It's the stuff that they do off the camera that defines who they really are. The stuff they do when it's no longer entertainment..when it's just being a human being. It's become very evident over the years that Rihanna shares a very special bond with her fans. She truly cares about them, their lives, their struggles and they in return show the most solid support for her career in any way possible.

Monday, February 3, 2014

Inspiration Meet Seattle Seahawks' Derrick Coleman Deaf Since The Age of 3, Now Super Bowl Champion



"The hardest thing about being in the deaf community is getting over wall one. Everything I do is going to affect them in terms of perception. Everything they do is going to affect me. What I’m doing now, getting the opportunity to play for the Seattle Seahawks and getting the chance to play in the Super Bowl, that’s basically saying that when people are hard of hearing now, you can do it too."
Derrick Coleman, a Seattle Seahawks Fullback knows the pressure that comes with winning a football game very well. He's been playing the game for years. I doubt that many of his peers understand the added pressure brought on by him having been deaf since the age of 3. Coleman has used his Super Bowl platform to share his story, and to share that struggle. Not knowing if he'd actually come out a Super Bowl champion, he still wanted to encourage other hearing impaired individuals.

With the help of Duracell, Derrick shot this brief commercial telling his story from his point of view. It puts his journey into perspective in just a  matter of minutes. Derrick says he was told no many times, but he never listened.. a bit of a joke, but such a powerful statement. He refused to let his struggle with hearing hold him back. He is an advocate for the hearing impaired off of the field, but he has to advocate for himself on the field.

Sunday, February 2, 2014

Bruno Mars + RHCP Super Bowl Halftime Show 2014


Bruno Mars has proven himself as an incredible showman on many stages, but tonight he may have conquered one of the most difficult. In what was a pretty darn good set, Bruno Mars grooved out the Super Bowl Halftime show. He performed his hit records, including Locked out of Heaven and Just the Way You Are.