Courtesy of EBONY.com

The suburban Detroit homeowner on Friday was charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter in the death of Renisha Marie McBride, a 19-year-old woman who was shot in the face with a shotgun as she stood on the man’s porch in the middle of the night nearly two weeks ago.

The shooting in Dearborn Heights has stirred racial tensions both in Detroit, a mostly Black city, and in its Whiter suburbs, including Dearborn Heights, which sits just across the city line. Much remains unclear about what happened in the early morning hours of Nov. 2, when Ms. McBride, who was Black, crashed her car and hours later ended up on the doorstep of the defendant, who was identified as Theodore Wafer, 54, who neighbors say appears to be White.

Though the case has been compared to the shooting of Trayvon Martin, the unarmed Black teenager killed last year in Florida, the Wayne County prosecutor, Kym L. Worthy, said at a news conference Friday morning that “race is not relevant.”

Ms. Worthy said Ms. McBride knocked on the exterior screen door of Mr. Wafer’s Dearborn Heights home around 4:30 a.m. on Nov. 2. Ms. McBride had been in a car accident about three hours earlier, and tests have subsequently shown that she was legally intoxicated. Witnesses said that after the car accident, Ms. McBride appeared to be disoriented and walked off into the darkness before returning, then walking away again.

Continue at EBONY.com…

Kendrick Lamar might be all smiles on the cover of GQ‘s “Man of the Year” cover, but he’s none too happy with his write-up inside of the men’s magazine. He was recently crowned Rapper of the Year, yet he and his Top Dawg Entertainment crew believe the accompanying story was “disrespectful.”

Earlier this week, Lamar was pulled from performing at the “Man of the Year” party in Los Angeles by TDE CEO Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith who believes the feature written by Steve Marsh displayed the rapper in a negative light. On Friday, he released the following statement:

“In 2004, I founded Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) with the goal of providing a home for west coast artists and a platform for these artists to express themselves freely and to give their music to the world. From our beginning in 2005 with Jay Rock, to developing Kendrick Lamar, ScHoolboy Q, and Ab-Soul, to most recently singing Isaiah Rashad and SZA. We, as TDE, have always prided ourselves in doing everything with heart, honor, and respect.

This week, Kendrick Lamar was named one of GQ’s 2013 Men Of The Year, an honor that should have been celebrated as a milestone in his career and for the company. Instead, the story, written by Steve Marsh, put myself and my company in a negative light. Marsh’s story was more focused on what most people would see as drama or bs. To say he was “surprised at our discipline” is completely disrespectful. Instead of putting emphasis on the good that TDE has done for west coast music, and for hip hop as a whole, he spoke on what most people would consider whats wrong with Hip Hop music. Furthermore, Kendrick deserved to be accurately documented. The racial overtones, immediately reminded everyone of a time in hip-hop that was destroyed by violence, resulting in the loss of two of our biggest stars. We would expect more from a publication with the stature and reputation that GQ has. As a result of this misrepresentation, I pulled Kendrick from his performance at GQ’s annual Man Of The Year party Tuesday, November 12th.

While we think it’s a tremendous honor to be named as one of the Men Of The Year, these lazy comparisons and offensive suggestions are something we won’t tolerate. Our reputation, work ethic, and product is something that we guard with our lives.”

Lamar has yet to respond to the matter, by GQ’s Editor-in-Chief Jim Nelson had this to say:

“Kendrick Lamar is one of the most talented new musicians to arrive on the scene in years. That’s the reason we chose to celebrate him, wrote an incredibly positive article declaring him the next King of Rap, and gave him our highest honor: putting him on the cover of our Men of the Year issue. I’m not sure how you can spin that into a bad thing, and I encourage anyone interested to read the story and see for themselves. We were mystified and sorely disappointed by Top Dawg’s decision to pull him at the last minute from the performance he had promised to give. The real shame is that people were deprived of the joy of seeing Kendrick perform live. I’m still a huge fan.”

Have you read the article? Let us know your thoughts below.

By Raphael Greene

Music figures took over Instagram over the weekend and it is safe to say it was for a good cause. From Trinidad James to Drake to Elle Varner, IG feeds were bursting with flavor, style, and creativity – and even a few family moments.

Check out what all the buzz was about.

MMG rapper Stalley picks up some cool gifts. Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

Drake and friends shows us how the guys party.

Singer Neyo heading to the studio to work on his new album.

Tamera Mowry and family hit Disneyland for the Christmas Parade.

Dwyane Wade is photoshoot fresh as he models his new bowtie line  The Gentlemen Collection.

Trinidad James giving back to the community at an Adidas event.

The sexy Elle Varner stops to show us “who’s bad” – and it is evident that she is.

Joe Budden up late night with his gigantic pets.

Model Rosa Acosta giving away kisses to the young one.

New father Wiz Khalifa sends out some appreciation to his own dad.

Monday’s can be a drag but Tyler Perry gives his fans a laugh as Iyanla Vanzant Fixes Madea’s Life in a newly released spoof being used to promote A Madea Christmas, Perry’s December 13 film.

In the hilarious spoof, YANANANNA FIXES MADEA’S LIFE, Tyler Perry mimics his OWN counterpart Iyanla Vanzant’s interview style by calling Madea “my beloved.”

“Do not play this if you are driving, pregnant, have asthma, operating heavy machinery, at work, on a plane or eating!” Perry warns viewers before watching the clip.

I suggest you take heed.

In Denzel Washington‘s latest action film 2 Guns, Paula Patton joins him on screen as Deb. She’s a fellow DEA Agent and his on-and-off lover, who is pulled into a complicated scheme after he decides to use her house as a holding cell. When asked why he did, Washington’s character, Bobby Trench replies, “You said I could drop by any time.” In 2 Guns, Patton matches Washington line for line, as many of his costars do. And he’s not afraid to share the screen with a strong female character.

Check out our list of Denzel Washington’s best leading ladies after the jump. 2 Guns will be available on Blu-Ray and DVD Tuesday, November 19.

In Man On Fire, Washington plays Creasy, a former CIA operative and assassin hired to protect tiny Pita Ramos, played by Dakota Fanning. Fanning was just 9-years-old in the film, but she and Washington had no trouble communicating. They shared some special moments, including one where she tells him that she is not afraid of him. When she asks if he is afraid of her, he says, “I used to be at first, but not anymore.”

Mila Kunis costars in The Book Of Eli, where she and Eli (Washington) navigate through a post-apocalyptic wasteland defending the last known copy of the Bible. They fight off robbers, cannibals, and a nefarious politician on their trek across North America. Kunis’ character, Solara, learns about faith and fearlessness, and eventually continues Eli’s legacy.

2 Guns is not the first time Paula Patton has acted opposite Washington. In Deja Vu, she plays Claire Kuchever, a woman doomed to death if she is not saved by ATF Agent Doug Carlin (Washington) ahead of time. The time-travel thriller also features a love story, as attraction develops between the two. In the film, Carlin asks her, “What if you had to tell someone the most important thing in the world, but you knew they wouldn’t believe you?” Claire says, “I’d try.”

The Preacher’s Wife is a classic holiday film that stars Denzel Washington as Dudley, a Godsend who is called to help Reverend Henry Biggs (Courtney B. Vance) save his church and his marriage. But along the way, Dudley charms Henry’s wife, Julia, played by Whitney Houston. When Dudley realizes he is falling in love, he averts his efforts and fixes the family’s problems and gives them an ornate Christmas tree, before erasing their memory of him.

In Angelina Jolie‘s breakout role, she is Amelia Donaghy, a young police officer who happens upon a crime scene set by a serial killer. Lincoln Rhyme (Washington), who was once the city’s best forensics expert, is confined to a hospital bed and a computer and is plotting an assisted suicide, when he learns of the case. He and Donaghy work together to solve the case and find The Bone Collector.

In American Gangster, Frank Lucas (Washington) has a beautiful wife, Eva (Lymari Nadal). But it is Ruby Dee who steals the show as Mama Lucas. She delivers a poignant speech in the film, where she tells Frank, after slapping him, “Do you want to make things so bad for your family that they’ll leave you? Because they will. I will leave you.” Dee was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role.

Kimberly Elise stars in John Q as a hostage-taker’s wife, Denise. When the family is out of money and out of options, and the hospital tells her they plan to release their son to die, she calls John and tells him that he must do something. Her emotion in the film is heartfelt, even when it is reserved. She famously tells insensitive hospital administrator Rebecca Payne (Ann Heche), “I would tell you what I think of you, but I am a Christian woman.”

In possibly Washington’s most famous film, Malcolm X, Angela Bassett plays his devoted and loving wife, Betty Shabazz. In the powerful assassination scene, we see her, scream in fear and clutch her children, as the room erupts in gunfire. She then crouches over his lifeless body, sobbing and yelling, “They killed him!” When she stops crying, the audience is left wondering who she is referring to, when she says “they.”

Jay Z defends moving forward with the launch of his BNY SCC collection as he has been granted a leadership role that will steer racial politics with the luxury retailer. Instead of backing away from the corporation, the music mogul views this as an opportunity to use his voice to affect change in luxury retailers.

“The easy position would have been to walk away and leave policymaking to others hoping that someone addresses the problem,” he said in a statement.

In his new role, Jay Z (nee Shawn Carter) is spearheading two separate investigations of racial discrimination allegations and has been in touch with the New York State Attorney General.

Philanthropy played a factor in deciding to release the collection he reiterated. Carter’s position is to hit the major corporation in their pockets and divert the funds to disadvantaged students, many who cannot afford the holiday collection’s pricey items which include offerings from Lanvin, Balenciaga, Balmain, Proenza Schouler, Rick Owens and Moncler.

The collection’s launch this Wednesday comes with a generous fundraising perk for The Shawn Carter Foundation, a 401c3 that supports educational opportunities for disadvantaged students. The organization will receive 100 percent of the sales from the collection as well as an additional 10 percent of all Barneys.com and in-store revenue generated on November 20.

Barneys New York said in a statement that it guaranteed raising a minimum of $1 million Wednesday to be donated to the foundation.

Well this is certainly surprise news! Kelly Rowland is engaged to her manager Tim Witherspoon. Did anyone even know that she was in a relationship?!

Apparently, she and Witherspoon are a longtime couple, but they’ve kept things uber-private. I guess Kelly learned from one of the best about how to keep things under wraps since one of her BFFs is Beyoncé.

There has been no official announcement of the news, but insiders have confirmed the rumors. Perhaps the biggest confirmation was an Instagram video that Kelly posted wishing one of her friend’s kids a happy birthday (below). At the end, she blows a kiss and you can see the beautiful ring on that tell-tale finger.

Congrats to the couple!

Women who use birth control pills for three or more years are more susceptible to blindness later in life.

Researchers from the University of California, San Francisco; Duke University School of Medicine; and Third Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China have found a link between prolonged use of oral contraceptives and glaucoma, which is a leading cause of blindness in the United States.

It’s already known that low estrogen levels following menopause are a contributing factor to glaucoma in women, and although scientists are unsure why this happens, years of using birth control pills can add to this problem because the pills lower estrogen levels.

“We believe at this point, by analyzing the data, there is an association between long-term birth control use and glaucoma,”  said Elaine Wang, of Duke University and an author of the study.

“Why? We’re not sure. The next step is to examine the eyes carefully and look at exactly what is happening to a woman’s vision when she’s on birth control pills. We need to verify these findings.”

Although the study authors say they need to do more research, they are stressing the importance of ophthalmologists screening their female patients who use the pill for glaucoma. African-American women are highest risk cases for glaucoma, so this is especially important for us.

The findings were presented Monday at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Source

[Image: Shutterstock]

The Best Man Holiday had an impressive opening weekend, almost edging out Thor for a box office victory but  Twitter was buzzing with comments mocking the USA Today headline that labeled the sequel a “race-themed film”.

“’Holiday’ Nearly Beat ‘Thor’ as Race-Themed Films Soar” was the original headline given to the box-office race resulting in Thor nabbing the top spot with $38.4 million as the sequel pulled in $30.5 million, earning back the $17 million budget and then some.

Malcolm D. Lee’s sequel reassembled the original cast to reprise their roles in the sequel and tackle more emotional territory. During a week-long massive promotional push the actors highlighted universal themes of “friendship, family and loyalty” among a group of friends that happened to be black. Instead of including the Best Man Holiday in the romantic comedy genre, the movie was lumped as race-themed. USA Today’s article also includes mentions of the success Fruitvale Station and The Butler, movies with predominately black casts. The headline and article threw movie-goers for a loop and they took their concerns to Twitter.

“Wait– #BestManHoliday is a race themed movie? I thought it was a sequel to ensemble movie about a group of friends…” Elon James White ‏said via Twitter.

Noah’s Arc filmmaker Patrik-Ian Polk tweeted, “Dear @USATODAY: Just say ‘black’. Sincerely, @PatrikIanPolk”

USA Today ultimately edited the headline, resulting in “’Best Man Holiday’ Nearly Beats Mighty ‘Thor.’”

The Best Man Holiday did exceptionally well in the box office this weekend, raking in an estimated $30.6 million. It was second only to Marvel’s Thor: The Dark World, which is in its second weekend.

This is just the latest in a string of successes for “Black films” this year. Hopefully, this denotes a shift in the attitude surrounding films with predominantly Black casts. It would be wonderful to live in a world where the term “Black films” doesn’t even exist and a good movie with a Black cast is simply a good movie.

Although being second place in its opening weekend is a wonderful accolade, Buzzfeed took a closer look into the numbers and yielded some more impressive stats:

• On Friday, The Best Man Holiday grossed roughly $200,000 more than Thor: The Dark World, indicating it was a genuine “must see” for its core audience.

• That core audience: 75% female, 63% 35 and older, and 87% African-American — rarely do any of these three appear as the main demo for a box office success in modern Hollywood, and even more rarely do they all appear together.

• Every demographic, meanwhile, out-and-out loved the film: The film earned an equally rare A+ from the audience polling firm CinemaScore — and that’s from men and women, both over and under 25 years old.

• Over the full weekend, The Best Man Holiday had the best per theater average among all wide releases, with $15,100 per location.

Basically, The Best Man Holiday is kind of a big deal, especially given that it’s reprising a story that was first introduced 14 years ago.

One important distinction that was made is that the many of the successful films with Black casts were also good movies. We’re known to pour money into some — pardon my language — “coontastic messes,” but films like 42, The Butler, and 12 Years A Slave have been successful without the stereotypical antics.

Let’s toast to more African Americans on screen who better reflect who we are. I can’t wait to see more.

“It wasn’t like I called my agent and said, ‘I’m having a baby and I’m not coming back for two years.’ It was more like, ‘I’m having a baby,’ and they stopped calling me for awhile … Once the baby was born, and I was ready, the conversations gradually started to happen and eventually you get a job … I admire the women who can have babies and jump right back to work. As a nursing mother, I couldn’t sit there and just pump all day. I needed to be close to my baby.”

– Nia Long talks to Mom.me about Hollywood’s “built-in” maternity leave and how leaving her son Kez Sunday to go back to work wouldn’t have been doable for her.

By Kimatni Rawlins

Lincoln recently invited a select group of media to attend an exclusive reveal of their next all-new small premium utility vehicle. The 2015 MKC is the latest entry into the fastest-growing luxury automotive segment in America. The reveal took place at ESPACE in New York and was an opportunity for media to experience the new vehicle up-close and speak directly with Lincoln executives including Jim Farley.

By Derryck “Nes” Johnson

NBC’s juggernaut “The Voice” gives potential stars a chance to showcase and be judged by their singing skill. Anyone that hears the young & beautiful soulful siren that is Ms. Leela James (@LeelaJames), without so much as an ocular vision would know and thoroughly understand her voice is something blessed by God. I recently had the opportunity to talk with Leela about her continued journey in the music industry and what drives her to reach further each day as a successful singer/ songwriter.

Your voice seems to be rooted in that 60’s, 70’s blues and soul sound not often heard by any of your peers in this era of music. Did you recognize early on when you first started singing you had something unique in regards to your voice?

You know what? Yeah…I didn’t know for sure, but other people I would encounter or knew would tell me my voice didn’t sound like an average singing voice. I guess I took that into consideration when I first started out, but it wasn’t until I got a little older I began to realize it was a little more to my voice.

Have you ever felt slept on or slighted because your music didn’t just “go along” with what was deemed radio friendly or popular?

Oh absolutely, I mean yeah I did. I think there are those that know and I think there are people that will get to know me. There are situations when you don’t necessarily fit into the format of what people are accustomed to listening to, so they don’t know what to think. Yeah, you have to kind to deal with that, but you know at the same time there’s a great deal of people that are aware of me so I just keep on going. I just have the attitude if you’re sleeping, then I just have to wake you up then!

Your new single “Say That” featuring Anthony Hamilton was the most added single to urban A/C radio a few weeks ago. How did you feel about that accomplishment?

Oh…that was incredible. I mean I was so excited to hear that. It’s just so exciting to be recognized in that fashion. It bring you back to the quote “being slept on” to finally maybe catching the ears and attention of the people that weren’t aware, so it was just a wonderful feeling.

What do you hope to accomplish with the new album?

Capturing the attention of those who may have been unaware. I’m trying to take things to the next level (with J&T records/Red Distribution) musically because I feel people may not know my full capabilities as an artist yet. They don’t know I do a lot of writing as well. So I would like for this project to really open up the eyes, doors and windows for the people to embrace Leela James as I continue to take my career to the next level.

What truly keeps you motivated to get up each morning to write record and pour your soul into your performances?

Well prior to having my daughter, I would say it was my love for the music. But now that I have a little girl, it’s now become that combined with my love for the music. It’s not always about the money for me. It’s just my passion that I have for what I do creatively and now I’m even more motivated because I have a child, my little girl.

There’s a young girl out there focused and wants to become a professional singer. She’s thinking about entering the music industry and is looking for a mentor to give her the correct advice and guidance. What would you give her?

Wow! There’s so much I would want to say to her, but let me try to narrow it down. When you’re a new artist entering in this game, trying to focus and get to know about the business side of it as much and you’re focusing on your creative talents. Try to set yourself up with a solid team of people that can help you to navigate through your career. Do your homework on everything you planned on getting involved with regarding your career.

Last Saturday, while searching for music to add to my Relationships & Bullsh*t podcast, I went on YouTube and ended up watching a really interesting music video. When I pulled it up, I absolutely loved every single second of the concept the artist was going for. Right from the beginning I could tell that the video was going to be satirical in nature, and it was going to focus on the over-sexualization of women in music videos. Right from the start there were many scantily-clad Black women dancing in the background, dropping it like it was hot, twerking and making it clap. The over-the-top and sometimes hilarious dancing was a clue that the video was simply trying to mock what we see far too often on TV everyday.

The use of Black women as props, the overt commodification of our women’s sexuality and how the industry degrades women were ALL important themes in this video.

The name of this video is “What They Do” and the song is by The Roots (arguably one of the greatest hip-hop groups of all-time).

After watching that video, I came across an article claiming that Lily Allen had made a racist video that violently attacked Black women and debased them down to their core.
Honestly, it was just pure and simple curiosity that led me to watching that video (see below), because I’m NOT a pop music or Lily Allen fan, so I figured the people who WERE would handle her offensive-ass behavior without my input being necessary at all. But after watching her video literally hours after watching The Root’s video, I sat there trying to comprehend the difference between what The Roots and Lily Allen were going for, and I just couldn’t find it. Not only that, but this blatant racism that everyone was talking about was simply not blatant to me at all.

Then I found myself extremely confused. If this is such an obviously racist video, what the HELL am I missing? What I saw was a thick, white, British woman lashing out at an industry that only praises the body types of women who are either slim enough to walk down a Victoria’s Secret runway, or bangin’ enough to be on the cover of Black Men’s Magazine. The obvious jab at the music industry’s sexism was apparently not obvious enough, therefore alluding to questions of whether or not Lily is a racist who wanted to fully participate in degrading Black women down to wet booty’s and p-poppin’.

Now if I did believe that, which would include me having to make a leap in logic that includes ignoring the FACT that NOT all of the dancers are Black, I would probably come to the same conclusion that I would in my RIGHT mind:

So what?

Seriously Black people, so fucking what?

If Lily Allen has Black women twerking in her videos, how does that make her any different than the many rappers, R&B singers and pop artists who do it everyday? But the more important question is: When are Black people going to CEASE to be COWARDS on the issue of race and start to attack the real problems that plague our community?

It is cowardly to lampoon Lily Allen over a music video, as if she is the lone thing contributing to the degradation of our race.

It is cowardly to act as if we aren’t well aware of the fact that major media corporations have a large financial (and even political) interest in showing Blacks in limited images. That is the very same point that many Black folks have been bringing up in the wake of all these slave movies like Django, The Butler and 12 Years A Slave. That is the very same point many Black folks made when USA today ignorantly labelled ‘Best Man Holiday’ a “race-themed” movie. We KNOW major corporate interests lies in the disrespect of our race, yet we side-step them to attack artists who couldn’t squeeze a nickel out of their label without high-level clearances.

If you are serious about addressing the issue of how Black women are being displayed in the media, you CAN’T stop with Lily Allen and a music video. You must address these scripted, fake-ass reality TV shows that constantly have Black women tearing each other down. You must address the lack of positive Black women in media, from daytime talk shows to news anchors. The point is, you can’t cowardly attack the FRINGE of the issue, you must directly address the main source of this prejudice: The multi-billion dollar media organizations.

I like to view racism as a huge, old tree. As high as we can see that tree grow (everyday prejudice), the roots are much deeper than any of us can really know (generations of deeply-ingrained racist ideology). If you want to remove that tree COMPLETELY, you can’t just cut off some branches, you need to UPROOT it. Being mad at Lily Allen and going hard to get her video banned for showing Black women in a position that many videos ALREADY show Black women in FREQUENTLY, is like Dr. Martin Luther King finding out Rosa Parks was arrested – and then launching a protest against General Motors for making that transit bus. Are we ever going to attempt to UPROOT the tree to END the cycle, or are we going to prune the leaves and pat ourselves on the back like we really achieved some actual semblance of social change?

But alas, the cowardice is understandable for TWO reasons. First, like 50 Cent once said “it’s easier to attack an individual, than a corporation” and it appears Black folks today have neither the inclination or the will power to address the TRUE purveyors of negative Black imagery in our society. But the second reason is the most depressing one of all: Many of us like being casual activists, because many of us like the same things we act like we want to protest. We did a damn good job of making sure Shawty Lo didn’t get his ratchet-ass reality TV show and we heartily celebrated our collective victory – while WE watched Love & Hip-Hop Atlanta, Love & Hip-Hop New York, Real Housewives of Atlanta, and any other stereotypical show that gets GREAT ratings from the Black community.

Truthfully, I don’t think Lily Allen is racist and I have no problem with how she used satire in her music video. The inconvenient truth about Lily Allen’s “racist” music video is that it’s NOT racist at all – and scapegoating her for the images in the video is not only dull-witted, it’s LAZY activism. At some point, those of us who claim to be committed to overcoming racism must realize one simple truism about the fight against prejudice: Every gain the Black community has made in this western society has come at the hands of aggressively addressing our MAIN oppressors, whether it’s boycotting the public transit system of a major city who heavily relied on our money, right down to choosing to march to the White House.

It’s in ALL of us to be brave.

LAB

Lincoln Anthony Blades blogs daily on his site ThisIsYourConscience.com, he’s an author of the book “You’re Not A Victim, You’re A Volunteer” and a weekly contributor for UPTOWN Magazine. He can be reached via Twitter @lincolnablades and on Facebook at This Is Your Conscience.

Kanye West made a surprise appearance at Harvard University to speak to the Graduate School of Design Sunday, Nov. 17, as part of the DONDA design lecture series.

He was joined by Virgil Abloh, the creative designer of West’s brand, DONDA. In typical Kanye fashion, he made an unusual request of the students, asking them to meet him in stairwell of the building.

West spoke to the students and gave them words of encouragement. “Just wanted to tell you guys, I really do believe that the world can be saved through design, and everything needs to actually be ‘architected’ [sic],” he said.

West also had a bigger surprise for the students. At the end of his lecture, he provided them and the faculty with tickets to a “Yeezus Tour” performance that night. Naturally, both the students and faculty were ecstatic.

But Yeezy wasn’t the only celebrity in the building, his fiancee Kim Kardashian was also in on the surprise and shared the experience via Instagram.

West may be the college dropout, but he was nonetheless the most popular guy on Harvard’s campus that day.

Singer, rapper, and songwriter Teyana Taylor has launched her first hair extensions line with My Extensionz, called “Taylored Textures,” and is readying a curling wand.

Aside from her music career, Taylor’s wild, curly mane has consistently been the topic of discussion. Inspired by a cancer-stricken female fan who possessed a special admiration for her hair, Taylor accepted the opportunity to share her distinctive look with hair enthusiasts via the line of extensions.

Taylor, who is signed to Kanye West‘s G.O.O.D. record label, is committed to supporting female entrepreneurs and was impressed by the My Extensionz branding and the ambition of the proprietors. She also desired a company she could grow with, so the collaboration with My Extensionz was a match made in hair heaven.

“I was all down to support young women empowerment, the whole movement,” revealed Taylor, who rocked cornrows at the “Taylored Textures” launch event.

As brand ambassador for the Chicago-based company, Taylor’s bold and sporty yet chic hairstyle can now be duplicated. From pillow soft curls to alluring waves to spiral curls, Taylor’s innovative hair extensions and curling wand will recreate her distinct curls from the comfort of your own home.

By Jaia Thomas

Today the multihyphenate creative genius, otherwise known as Kanye Omari West, graced the world with the release of his new music video, “Bound 2.” The video features a hodgepodge of images ranging from motorcycles and mountains to libidinous displays of affection between the rapper and his latest obsession, Kim Kardashian.

Within seconds of the video’s release, countless people took to Twitter and Facebook, posting their disparaging, yet witty, thoughts and comments on the video (myself included). Kanye would probably argue that most of us had too low of an SAT score to fully comprehend the brilliance behind the video. But, what would a court say? Would our harsh words constitute defamation?

Defamation is legally defined as the act of harming the reputation of another by publishing a false statement to a third person. It is also important to note that posting something on a social media platform often fulfills the requirement for ‘publishing.’ Luckily, however, it is unlikely that Kanye or very few other celebrities would ever be able to meet the threshold of what is required to actually file a defamation lawsuit against you. One of the most important requirements that would have to be proved is that a celebrities’ reputation was damaged by the false statement. Luckily for many of you, your comments don’t carry enough weight to harm Kanye’s reputation or career (no offense).

It should also be noted that some courts would hold that Kanye’s reputation is already too damaged to qualify for a defamation suit. Many courts have held that some artist’s reputations are so badly tarnished that they cannot legally be defamed. As Kanye so aptly states in Bound 2, “I know I got a bad reputation, walking around, always mad reputation.” If a celebrity already has a certain reputation, a falsehood simply enforcing that reputation would likely not be deemed defamation in a court of law.

It is also important to note that celebrities are afforded less legal protection from defamatory statements and also face a higher burden when attempting win a defamation suit. The law affords greater freedom and flexibility in regards to the types of comments that can be made against celebrities and other public figures. Very rarely can a celebrity meet these additional burdens. So, while many of your comments regarding Kanye and his new video may constitute defamation in a court of opinion, they most likely would not constitute defamation in a court of law. Uh huh, honey.

Jaia A. Thomas is a bi-coastal sports and entertainment attorney. She is a graduate of UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, The George Washington University Law School and Colgate University. For more information: www.jathomaslaw.com or @jaiathomaslaw. 

Between cozy social media pics of couples in love, proposals galore, and in-law gatherings, the holidays can be challenging for a single gal. Everything seems to be catered for pairs, making it impossible to escape singledom. The holiday season can be ego shattering for those unattached. But there’s a method to surviving the holiday madness, and here’s how to tackle single girl blues during the holidays.

[Image: Shutterstock]

Remembering that the grass is always greener on the other side with the help of an Instagram filter is important to your well-being and self-esteem. Celebrating what you have during the Thanksgiving season is what it’s all about – giving thanks and appreciating loved ones and life, including what you don’t have. Trusting divine timing and believing that a relationship status does not define one’s worth is freeing.

[Image: Shutterstock]

Singles enjoy flexibility, fewer restrictions, and expectations. Saving money on gifts and total control over the remote is refreshing. You’re presented with opportunities to create your own traditions, shamelessly flirt, and enjoy quality time with yourself.

[Image: Shutterstock]

Volunteering in your community, feeding the hungry, and supporting others less fortunate are all ways to remove the focus from yourself this holiday season, making someone else’s season bright. Decline invites to houses, parties, and dinners that will make you feel uncomfortable. Take yourself out on a date, instead. Turn off your phone, so you’re focused on enjoying your own company. It’s OK to be selfish some time this season.

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The Best Man Holiday impressed with a $30.6 million opening weekend, three times the total revenue of the original movie’s 1999 debut. The overwhelmingly female, African-American audience packed theaters to follow the stories of beloved characters from over a decade ago. Costing $17 million to make, the reunion comedy fell second only to Thor: The Dark World.

Reviews were consistent – full of laughter and tears with relatable characters, revealing the dynamics of friendships and complexity of romantic relationships. With a returning cast of superstar heavyweights Sanaa Lathan, Taye Diggs, Academy Award-nominee Terrance Howard amongst notable others, the sequel soared the old fashioned way, ripping at the hearts of moviegoers, tripping their emotions.

RELATED: Malcolm D. Lee on The Best Man – Past and Present

Stars utilized Twitter to support the film, raving of its excellence:

New York – CIROC Ultra Premium Vodka and the National Basketball Association (NBA) today introduced a multiyear marketing agreement and unveiled “The Toast of the NBA” campaign.  This announcement heralds a larger partnership entered into with the NBA by Diageo, the world’s leading premium drinks business and parent company of CIROC. As part of the agreement CIROC Ultra Premium, led by Sean “Diddy” Combs, will take the lead to drive responsible celebration with NBA fans nationwide.

“I’ve been a fan of the NBA all my life and am excited to build a greater relationship for CIROC Vodka with this growing entertainment platform,” said Sean “Diddy” Combs, who oversees all branding and marketing for CIROC. “Life is filled with moments of celebration and nothing brings people together in celebration quite like sports. With CIROC I hope to elevate these moments and help champion social responsibility among fans.”

Combs and CIROC Vodka will work closely with the NBA throughout the season on and off the court to elevate key NBA lifestyle events such as NBA All-Star and the NBA Playoffs with fun and engaging social media programming, consumer sweepstakes and activations that bring to life what Combs calls the ‘Art of Celebration.’

“Our new partnership with Diageo and CIROC Ultra Premium Vodka will elevate celebratory moments around our game and champion responsible decision making,” said Mark Tatum, NBA Executive Vice President, Global Marketing Partnerships. “We look forward to working with a company like Diageo, which has a long history of finding fun and engaging ways to promote responsibility to adults around the world.”

Now that the league has tipped off an exciting new season, the makers of CIROC would like to remind fans around the world to celebrate responsibly.