Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o may still be basking in the glow of her glory after being named People magazine’s most beautiful person of 2014, but more good news for the star has arrived!

The actress has been cast by The Jungle Book director Jon Favreau in his upcoming adaptation of the book by Rudyard Kipling.

Scarlett Johansson has also been commissioned to star in the film.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Nyong’o will appear in the film as Rakcha, a mother wolf who adopts a young human boy named Mowgli, while Johansson will voice the role of Kaa, a python who hypnotizes and eats other animals. The villainous tiger Shere Khan will be voiced by Idris Elba.

The part of Mowgli has yet to be cast.

Lupita is also rumored to have a role in the upcoming remake of George Lucas‘ “Star Wars: Episode VII.”

Gayla St. Julien’s recent prison sentence may be a harbinger of things to come for co-conspirator Apollo Nida. Last week St. Julien was sentenced to a five year prison term. She was sentenced to serve 37 months for Conspiracy to Commit Mail, Wire and Bank Fraud (18 USC §371) and was sentenced to 24 months for Aggravated Identity Theft (18 USC §1028A). Per the court documents, it appears as though the eight counts of Uttering a Forged Instrument (18 USC §513A) that she was initially charged with were dismissed as part of her plea bargain (the maximum sentence for each of those would have been 10 years).

In conjunction with her prison term, St. Julien will also be required to pay restitution. The government will be required to notify the Court within 90 days as the exact restitution amount St. Julien will be required to pay. Restitution is a monetary payment ordered by the Court whereas a defendant is required to return stolen goods to victims or payment to the victims for harms caused. The court has also recommended that St. Julien participate in a Residential Drug Abuse Program while in the custody of Bureau of Prisons.

Upon release from prison, St. Julien must serve 3 years probation. After a close inspection of the court documents, it appears as though several sections have been sealed.

According to Washington DC criminal attorney Patrice Sulton, “the fact that certain documents are sealed supports the claim that she cooperated with the government (i.e.snitched).”

More details are currently developing regarding Nida. Stay tuned for more details…

Jaia Thomas is a Los Angeles-based sports and entertainment attorney. Patrice Sulton is a Washington DC-based criminal and entertainment attorney. 

Monday afternoon, NBA attorneys authenticated the audio recording of a 15 minute racist rant and confirmed that the man railing against black people is indeed NBA franchise owner Donald Sterling.

According to TMZ:

We’re told there was NO doubt by anyone the recording is the real deal.  The NBA lawyers heard the 15 minutes that have been made public, but not the remaining 45.  And we’re told … based on conversations along with analysis … they’re satisfied about authenticity.

As the Donald Sterling saga continues, more celebrities and sponsoring companies are pulling their support of the NBA franchise Los Angeles Clippers. 

The latest to speak out is Victor Willis, former lead singer of the Village People.  He’s refusing to allow the group’s mega hit, YMCA to be played at their game. Willis owns the rights to the song, and other sports anthem Macho Man and is serious in his claim. He has threatened to take legal action if the songs are played.

Tuesday morning, Newark Mayor Cory Booker said during an appearance on Fox’s Good Day New York there should be a “lot of actions taken against (Sterling)” and that “should this prove true, he should not be an NBA owner.”

Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, a former NBA owner, said on a morning stop at CBS This Morning that if he were in charge, “I’d ban him for life,” adding, “This is much more than just about the NBA, this is about America.”

As part of the same interview, Oprah weighed in, “It feels like a plantation mentality in the 21st Century, in 2014. It just doesn’t fit. And I’m waiting to see what they’re going to do. Because something has to be done.”

R&B singer Tank, who was scheduled to sing the National Anthem at tonight’s Clippers playoff game. Tank tells TMZ, “As an African American man and artist, I must take a stand on a matter that is so deeply personal to me.”

Rapper Snoop Dogg took to his Instagram when the news first broke, telling Sterling how he really felt. In an expletive laced rant, the rapper exclaimed, “A message to the motherf*cker who owns the Clippers: B*tch-ass redneck white-bread chicken sh*t motherf*cker. F*ck you and your momma and everything connected to you, you racist piece of sh*t. F*ck you.”

Music mogul Steve Stoute, CEO of Translation, declared, ”This is a black eye to sports…It’s the businesses that sponsor this team that have to be appalled with that comment and that racist point of view and they have to stop supporting. And it’s the fans that have to say, ‘I am not going to buy tickets or things and support a team that has racist comments.’ if they don’t want African Americans at the game, they don’t want Latinos at the game, they don’t want women at the game…If that’s the feeling, then we all have to stand up and do that.”

Activist Al Sharpton is organizing a boycott of the NBA if Sterling isn’t suspended for his discriminatory comments.

The on going boycott of the Clipper’s owner doesn’t stop at high profile celebrities. Major companies, all who have had long standing relationships with the Clippers are backing out of their sponsorship.

Kia, CarMax, Virgin America, Amtrak and Red Bull have since cut all ties with the Clippers brand.

The NBA is holding a press conference Tuesday at 2pm ET to make an announcement about their investigation of Sterling.

Ciara posed in a series of pictures donning black and white ensembles by Eres and Junya Watanabe as part of a W Magazine spread for the magazine’s latest issue.  The 8-month-pregnant sultry songstress cradled her belly and looked effortlessly fabulous.

 She calls her upcoming sixth studio effort her “best yet” and had this to say about her new found curvier frame:

“It feels good to not have to wonder whether your abs are tight enough. I like not being so perfect.”

She told the magazine that she has gotten advice on “everything from breastfeeding to how a stroller works” from pal Kim Kardashian.

“You don’t really know your child until they get here, you don’t know their personality,” Ciara said. “There’s a lot of learning to do. I loved that advice.”

Future told an Atlanta radio station last week that he hopes for the new bundle of joy to arrive on Mother’s Day. Good luck to the couple!

Talk That Talk singer Rihanna may have to pay for her slick words to her former bodyguard.

Geoffrey Keating, former head of security for the singer while she toured from October 2012 to July 2013, filed a defamation lawsuit yesterday in Ireland. Rihanna was served papers in the US.

The lawsuit includes “nauseatingly offensive” and untrue statements about Keating in an email addressed to him and his partner. Keating also claims false comments were made about him in a phone call to his sister by Rihanna last July. The former bodyguard states the singer’s comments negatively impacted his reputation and business.

Keating’s attorney, Gerald Kean, tells TMZ, “We’re taking this battle very seriously. We are satisfied that the Irish Courts will see justice at the end of the day.”

A rep for Rihanna has yet to comment.

Photo: Instagram/badgalriri

Writer and comedian Michael Che has landed a new gig as news correspondent for The Daily Show. 

As Comedy Central loses high profile talent, including John Oliver and Stephen Colbert, the addition of Saturday Night Live’s writer heats up the late night show competition. Oliver will headline his own late night show, HBO Sunday, as Colbert announced his departure  in hopes of filling David Letterman’s throne in 2015.

In June, Che will join the ranks of Samantha Bee, Aasif Mandvi and Jason Jones in Jon Stewart’s political and entertainment round table.

This new venture adds to Che’s résumé as a highly sought after comedian. In 2013, Che was one of Rolling Stone’s “50 Funniest People.” He was also crowned “New York’s Funniest Standup” at the New York Comedy Festival.

His first Comedy Central stand up special airs in June.

Although Che’s gig with Saturday Night Live will soon conclude, SNL has consistently been a launching pad for up and coming comedians and actors, who have gone off to enjoy illustrious Hollywood careers. Eddie Murphy and Jimmy Fallon has greatly benefited from their pivotal roles on SNL. 

By Colby Carrington

Now that Adam Silver has banned Donald Sterling for life from all NBA activities and fined the LA Clippers owner $2.5M, there’s been a collective sigh not of relief per se but of a semi-just due.

And the comments are rolling in:

Commissioner Silver thank you for protecting our beautiful and powerful league!! Great leader!! #BiggerThanBasketball #StriveForGreatness

— LeBron James (@KingJames) April 29, 2014

Commissioner Silver….STRONG…way to take charge and protect our great league. — THREE (@DwyaneWade) April 29, 2014

 

Lifetime ban handed down by the NBA commish Adam Silver. Hats off! Sterling will try to fight it thru the legal system. #BreakThosePockets — OMAR EPPS (@omarepps) April 29, 2014

#AdamSilver has shown everyone that you stand up to racist comments and not try to cover it up or sweep it under the rug. #ZEROTOLERANCE — Donna Brazile (@donnabrazile) April 29, 2014

 

Buh Bye. #ZEROTOLERANCE — Holly Robinson Peete (@hollyrpeete) April 29, 2014

 

Adam Silver passes his test. Kudos! Bans Sterling for life and fines him $2.5M. Also commits to… http://t.co/7y7xkOU2wL — Boris Kodjoe (@BorisKodjoe) April 29, 2014

 

Former and current NBA players are very happy and satisfied with Commissioner Silver’s ruling. — Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) April 29, 2014

There is no amount of money that excludes you from treating other people with respect. Thank you, Adam Silver. — Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) April 29, 2014

A lifetime ban for Donald Sterling is a good start for the NBA. Now let’s see if the other team owners finish him off. Don’t exhale yet!

— Ice Cube (@icecube) April 29, 2014

But. BUT. You knew only a millisecond would pass before the one liners, parodies and memes began rolling in.

(H/T to @MarvAntMore for the tips on the memes.)

I’d like to now host a live TV debate between Donald Sterling & @SHAQ . In a cage. No rules. — Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) April 29, 2014

Dear @NAACP, pls start doing your due diligence and back ground checks before you start handing out awards. From, The Minority Group

— Finesse Mitchell (@Finessemitchell) April 29, 2014

Adam Silver just passed Bill Clinton & Eminem as most popular white guy according to black ppl.

— Gary Owen (@garyowencomedy) April 29, 2014

Bet Donald Sterling didn’t imagine The Source would outlast him.

— Jack Erwin (@fultimejackmove) April 29, 2014

Before we get into today – let’s look at what brought us to this point.  Like this example of Sterling’s plantation mentality.

This was how Sterling was feeling on Monday.

Funny Or Die re-enacts the NAACP call to rescind Donald Sterling’s upcoming ‘honor.’

Then Tueday at 2pm happened and Adam Silver brings down the hammer.

Life – LIIIIIFE.

Below is the full transcript of the NBA Press conference held in New York on April 29, 2014, where NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced findings related to the Donald Sterling investigation and the next steps to be taken on the matter.

ADAM SILVER:  Shortly after the release of an audio recording this past Saturday morning of a conversation that allegedly included Clippers owner Donald Sterling, the NBA commenced an investigation, which among other things, included an interview of Mr. Sterling.

That investigation is now complete.  The central findings of the investigation are that the man whose voice is heard on the recording and on a second recording from the same conversation that was released on Sunday is Mr. Sterling and that the hateful opinions voiced by that man are those of Mr. Sterling.

The views expressed by Mr. Sterling are deeply offensive and harmful; that they came from an NBA owner only heightens the damage and my personal outrage.

Sentiments of this kind are contrary to the principles of inclusion and respect that form the foundation of our diverse, multicultural and multiethnic league.

I am personally distraught that the views expressed by Mr. Sterling came from within an institution that has historically taken such a leadership role in matters of race relations and caused current and former players, coaches, fans and partners of the NBA to question their very association with the league.

To them, and pioneers of the game like Earl Lloyd, Chuck Cooper, Sweetwater Clifton, the great Bill Russell, and particularly Magic Johnson, I apologize.  Accordingly, effective immediately, I am banning Mr. Sterling for life from any association with the Clippers organization or the NBA.  Mr. Sterling may not attend any NBA games or practices.  He may not be present at any Clippers facility, and he may not participate in any business or player personnel decisions involving the team.

He will also be barred from attending NBA Board of Governors meetings or participating in any other league activity.

I am also fining Mr. Sterling $2.5 million, the maximum amount allowed under the NBA constitution.  These funds will be donated to organizations dedicated to anti‑discrimination and tolerance efforts that will be jointly selected by the NBA and its Players Association.

As for Mr. Sterling’s ownership interest in the Clippers, I will urge the Board of Governors to exercise its authority to force a sale of the team and will do everything in my power to ensure that that happens.  This has been a painful moment for all members of the NBA family.  I appreciate the support and understanding of our players during this process, and I am particularly grateful for the leadership shown by CoachDocRivers, Union President Chris Paul and Mayor Kevin Johnson of Sacramento, who has been acting as the players’ representative in this matter.

We stand together in condemning Mr. Sterling’s views.  They simply have no place in the NBA.

Thank you, and I’ll take any questions.

Related: Celebs React to Donald Sterling Ban, Then The Memes Started Rolling In

Q.  Do you or any of your emissaries have any clue as to whether Mr. Sterling will acquiesce to your wishes to sell the team, or do you expect a fight?

ADAM SILVER:  I have no idea.

Q.  From polling the owners that you’ve spoken to, what support do you think you have to force Mr. Sterling to sell the team?

ADAM SILVER:  I didn’t poll the owners.  I spoke to several owners, and I have their full support.

Q.  What kind of authority do they have to force a sale?

ADAM SILVER:  The owners have the authority subject to three quarters vote of the ownership group, of the partners, to remove him as an owner.

Q.  The word you used specifically was outrage.  You said that you were personally outraged, yet many people believe that they are outraged that for years people have known that this man is a racist slumlord and the NBA hasn’t done anything until today.  Can you please answer why.

ADAM SILVER:  I can’t speak to past actions other than to say that when specific evidence was brought to the NBA, we acted.

Q.  Should someone lose their team for remarks shared in private as this is a slippery slope?

ADAM SILVER:  Whether or not these remarks were initially shared in private, they are now public, and they represent his views.

Q.  What was the process to coming to this decision over the last couple days, and when did you decide that this was the appropriate action to take?

ADAM SILVER:  I ultimately decided this morning that this was the appropriate action, and the process beginning Saturday morning when this tape was first released was to appoint an investigator.  It was David Anders from the Wachtell Lipton firm.  He conducted a series of interviews, some by phone, some in person.  He concluded his investigation late last night.

Q.  Adam, you said you would encourage owners to force the sale of the Clippers.  When will that action take place?

ADAM SILVER:  The process will begin immediately.  We will most likely use a standing committee of the NBA.  The equivalent of our executive committee is our advisory finance committee.  I’ve had several discussions with Glen Taylor, who is our chairman of the board and also the leader of the advisory finance committee, and we will begin that process immediately.

Q.  In your conversations with Sterling, did he own up to this immediately?  Was it only after you guys had come up with some sort of proof?  And what, if anything, has he expressed approaching remorse, regret, anything?  What’s his sentiment at this point?

ADAM SILVER:  Mr. Sterling acknowledged it was his voice on the tape, and he has not expressed to me directly any other views.

Q.  What message do you have for the Clippers and their fans and their fan base in terms of moving forward from this point on?

ADAM SILVER:  My message to the Clippers fans is this league is far bigger than any one owner, any one coach, any one player.  This institution has been around for a long time, and it will stand for a long time, and I have complete confidence in Doc Rivers, in the basketball management of that club, and the players deserve their support.  They’ve just been through an incredibly difficult incident in their lives.

Q.  Was the punishment designed in effect to get the message across to Mr. Sterling that there’s no point in him ‑‑ there’s no advantage, nothing to be gained from him continuing his ownership?  And also in determining what the punishment would be, including the suggestion to the Board of Governors, did you take into account Mr. Sterling’s past behavior, or was it just based on this one particular incident?

ADAM SILVER:  In meting out this punishment we did not take into account his past behavior.  When the board ultimately considers his overall fitness to be an owner in the NBA, they will take into account a lifetime of behavior.

Q.  Adam, could you just explain or lay out for us what specific power in the constitution and bylaws you exercised with your ban, and what specific ‑‑ was it a broad violation or a specific violation, and with respect to the forced sale, what specific section of the constitution covers that, and is that a broad violation or a specific one?

ADAM SILVER:  I’ll let the lawyers lay out for you the specific provisions of our constitution.  Let’s just leave it that we have the authority to act as I’ve recommended.

Q.  Is the NBA considering more African‑American ownership at this point?

ADAM SILVER:  We’re always open to ownership from people of all races, nationalities, ethnicities.  As you know we have an African‑American primary owner in the league right now.  Shaquille O’Neal just became a small owner of the Sacramento Kings.  David Robinson is an owner of the San Antonio Spurs.  Vivek Ranadive, a person of color born in Mumbai, India, just became the primary owner of the Sacramento Kings.  So I believe we have a very diverse league, but I’d always like to see it become more diverse.

Q.  What about Magic Johnson?  Is that an option at this point?

ADAM SILVER:  Magic Johnson knows he’s always welcome as an owner in this league.  He’s been a part owner in the past of the Los Angeles Lakers, and he’s always welcome and a close friend of the NBA family.

Q.  Did you talk to any of the players before you came to this decision?  And what about Clippers’ players; if they do not want to play for a team owned by Donald Sterling anymore, do they have any recourse?

ADAM SILVER:  I talked to several players before rendering my decision.  Coincidentally I’d had a trip planned for this weekend.  I was in Memphis for a game.  I was in Oakland, and then I was in Portland Sunday night for games.  I had a chance to talk directly to Chris Paul.  I spoke to other members of the team.  I spoke extensively to Doc Rivers, and as I said, Kevin Johnson has been representing the players’ interests, and he and I have been talking multiple times a day.

So I believe the players will be satisfied with the decision and the renderings that we’ve made today.  If a player in the future doesn’t want to play for the Los Angeles Clippers and he’s under contract, we’ll deal with that when it happens.  But that’s not my sense of where we are right now.

Q.  Will this situation cause you moving forward to put new rules in place for owners from the NBA?

ADAM SILVER:  I’m not sure.  I mean, we’re always willing to take a fresh look at our rules, our constitution and bylaws, but I believe we have appropriate rules in place right now to cover a situation like this.

Q.  Just to be clear, you said when specific evidence was brought to the league you did act.  In past cases, has Donald Sterling ever been fined or suspended for racial or offensive remarks, and if not, why not?

ADAM SILVER:  He’s never been suspended or fined by the league because while there have been well‑documented rumors and cases filed, he was sued and the plaintiff lost the lawsuit.  That was Elgin Baylor.  There was a case brought by the Department of Justice in which ultimately Donald Sterling settled and there was no finding of guilt, and those are the only cases that have been brought to our attention.  When those two litigations were brought, they were followed closely by the league office.

Q.  Just a follow to that, one of the greatest players of all time, Elgin Baylor, accused Donald Sterling of running a plantation‑style franchise.  Did that not concern you, and why was that not investigated?  Despite the fact he lost the case, he has a prominent standing in the league and he said some very serious things.

ADAM SILVER:  It concerned us greatly.  We followed the litigation closely, and ultimately Elgin Baylor did not prevail in that litigation.

Q.  Obviously Carmax and State Farm withdrew their sponsorship with the LA Clippers.  With you as the commissioner of the NBA, what would you tell other people who are maybe on the fence or who have withdrawn who in the future might want to invest in one of your franchises?

ADAM SILVER:  I would say those marketing partners of the Clippers and partners of the entire NBA should judge us by our response to this incident, and I think we’ve responded appropriately, and I would be hopeful that they would return into their business relationships with the Clippers.

Q.  I’m wondering if you’ve spoken to Mr. Sterling about this ban or any of his representatives, and if so, what has Mr. Sterling’s reaction been to the punishment?

ADAM SILVER:  I did not speak directly to his representatives about this ban.  They were informed shortly before this press conference.  I did not hear precisely what their reaction was.

Q.  Have there been any decisions about whether the immediate members of Mr. Sterling’s family, including Rochelle, will be allowed to remain in an ownership or managerial position in the league, as well?

ADAM SILVER:  No, there have been no decisions about other members of the Sterling family, and I should say that this ruling applies specifically to Donald Sterling and Donald Sterling’s conduct only.

Q.  As you mentioned, over a dozen sponsors have dropped the Clippers.  What has been the financial impact on this franchise and on the league from this scandal?

ADAM SILVER:  I don’t know.  This has all happened in three days, and so I’m hopeful that there will be no long‑term damage to the league and to the Clippers’ organization.  But as I said earlier, I’m outraged, so I certainly understand other people’s outrage, and it will take some time ‑‑ this will take some time, and appropriate healing will be necessary.  I can understand precisely why, whether they be people affiliated with the NBA or the Clippers for a long time or those corporate partners.  I can understand how upset they are, and I’ll do my best to bring them back into the NBA family.

Q.  If the owners vote three fourths vote not to force the sale, can you still under your powers institute the lifetime ban?

ADAM SILVER:  The lifetime ban has been instituted.  That is independent of forcing a sale of the team.

Q.  Can you share with us what your initial reaction was when you first heard the voice on the tape and what it was espousing?

ADAM SILVER:  When I first heard it, I was shocked.  I was hoping somehow that it was fraudulent or that it had been doctored, that possibly it wasn’t indeed Donald Sterling.  I’ve known Donald for over 20 years, so I suspected it was his voice, and we set about immediately investigating, and that was my reaction, to sort of bear down and say let’s get to the bottom of this as quickly as possible.

Q.  Mayor Johnson has indicated he would like the league to undertake a full accounting of Donald Sterling’s past and the failures by the NBA to act until now.  Is that an account you’d be willing to undertake?  And would you make any effort to mete out the personal views of other NBA owners at this point?

ADAM SILVER:  I’ve had, as I said earlier, multiple conversations with Kevin Johnson, and I’m hoping that the actions we take today will satisfy our players.  I believe they should.

Q.  Can you just tell us, you said you’ve known Donald Sterling for 20 years.  What have your interactions over those 20 years been like with him?  Have you ever seen anything like this?  Have you ever felt anything like this?  And what kind of man did you judge him to be prior to this?

ADAM SILVER:  I have not been that close to him over the years, but there’s nothing I’ve ever seen in his behavior that would evidence these kinds of views.  I’ve certainly, again, because there have been a lot of public filings about his activities, I’ve been aware of those accusations, but there’s nothing I’ve ever seen firsthand that would indicate that he held the views that were expressed on these audio recordings.

Q.  I’m curious, you spoke about your personal response to this.  In terms of Donald Sterling self‑identifying as Jewish and you doing the same, as well, I’m wondering whether there was a specific kind of pain associated with that for you and if you felt a certain responsibility within the Jewish community to be responding to this in this way?

ADAM SILVER:  I think my response was as a human being, and I used the word distraught before.  I spoke on Saturday morning directly to Chris Paul, to Doc Rivers, and it wasn’t even anger at that point.  I mean, there was a certain somberness, and frankly, I felt sort of most strongly and personally for that team.  While this affects every player and anyone associated with the NBA family, for those players and those coaches to go out and do what they need to do and play at the highest level in the world and have them hanging over this I think caused me to have a certain sadness I would say about the entire situation.  I think this is regardless of anyone’s religion, ethnicity, nationality.  I think this is incredibly hurtful.

Q.  At any time during your conversation with Mr. Sterling, did he express any remorse or denial regarding these comments?

ADAM SILVER:  Mr. Sterling has not expressed those views directly to me.

Q.  It’s been suggested that the Clipper players be granted free agency at the end of this year as a result of this issue.  Is that something that can be considered?

ADAM SILVER:  That is not something we are considering.

Q.  If you don’t get the three‑quarter vote that you need, is it possible that Donald Sterling could still be an absentee owner profiting from this team even though physically he’s banned from doing anything with it?

ADAM SILVER:  I fully expect to get the support I need from the other NBA owners to remove him.

FastScripts by ASAP Sports

Showtime has added The Game star Jay Ellis to its cast of the upcoming season of the series Masters of Sex.

Ellis is set to play Dr. Cyril Franklin, another M.D. who will go head-to-head with  Dr. William Masters (played by Michael Sheen) as they share an office space and attend to a mix of patients.

Meanwhile, BET’s hit series The Game has been renewed for an eighth season.

The second season of the series “Masters of Sex” debuts July 13 at 10 pm ET/PT.

Kanye West is reportedly coming out with a spoken word album. No, seriously.

According to ContactMusic, Yeezy is set to drop a three-hour vinyl recorded album that will address his daughter North, his fiancée Kim Kardashian, the environment and more. A source told The Sun:

”He has very strong views on everything from music and art to politics and the environment. He’s forever recording his opinions on tape.

”He says he’s doing it for posterity and thought about turning them into a book or even donating them to a museum.”

Kanye is said to be excited by the ”groundbreaking” record and has set his sights on it winning awards.

All Hip Hop reports that there is no solid confirmation that this is happening and that it’s in the “wait and see” stage. However, there have been a few people who have publicly mentioned that a new album is coming. Producer Evian Christ has said that Yeezy is looking for a sound “a bit like Otis Redding, a bit like Mobb Deep” for his next project. I have no idea what that would sound like, but sure.

As much as I want to join in on the exaggerated sighs and rag on Kanye for this alleged spoken word album, I can’t. Regardless of what he says on this album, people are going to talk about it. Many may buy it solely to condemn it, but they’re listening nonetheless. Say what you want about Kanye, but he’s no dummy. He knows that people have an almost morbid fascination with him, so releasing an album where he just rambles? That is media gold. I’m positive that if this drops it will have news outlets and blogs talking for at least a couple of weeks, which is like an eternity in this age of 24-hour news cycles.

Will you be listening?

On Tuesday, Vice President Joe Biden gave a speech in which he introduced the White House’s new PSA about sexual assault. The ‘1 is 2 Many’ PSA features actors Steve Carell, Benicio Del Toro, Daniel Craig, Dulé Hill and Seth Meyers.

Biden has long been a champion of this cause. He introduced the landmark Violence Against Women Act in 1990 and he appointed the first ever White House Advisor on Violence Against Women upon entering office as Vice President. There have been a series of stories in the news recently regarding sexual assault cases on college campuses across the country, and Biden made sure to address that issue:

“College and Universities can no longer turn a blind eye and pretend rape and sexual assault doesn’t occur on their campuses,” Biden said before playing the PSA. “I understand that the good guys in the report, they may feel like they’re damaging the reputations of their schools, I get it. But it doesn’t matter.”

The minute-long video features the actors soberly addressing the male population about what sexual assault is and how they should react to it. Biden contacted the actors personally to get them to appear in the PSA. He said, ”I’m not used to making calls to big old movie stars,” Biden said. “But I called them. And every one of them said immediately, ‘What can I do?’” This is the second PSA for the campaign. The first video included athletes David Beckham, Eli Manning and Jeremy Lin among others.

I think one of the most important lines they included was, “If I saw it happening, I’d never blame her. I’d help her.” So many times men and women alike are inclined to blame the victim in sexual assault cases. “She shouldn’t have dressed that way.” “She should have known better than to go to that party.” “She was asking for it.” Nothing that a female wears ever warrants her being forced to have sex. Ever. I don’t care if she’s walking around in a thong bikini. We have to get out of the mindset that sexual assault is ok, or less egregious if the female was scantily clad or under the influence. Of course I would encourage all people to be aware of their limits when consuming alcohol, but missing that mark does not make it open season for rape. Hopefully the ’1 is 2 Many ‘ campaign will hit home for some people who need to have their minds changed. Watch the ’1 is 2 Many’ PSA on the next page:

“Faster than a speeding bullet” isn’t so super when you’re talking about your man in the bedroom. Unfortunately, a lot of couples seem to be dealing with that situation. According to Dr. Harry Fisch, prominent urologist and expert on men’s sexual health, 45 percent of men climax in two minutes.

Fisch, who has a new book entitled The New Naked: The Ultimate Sex Education for Grown-Ups, writes:

“There have been studies in which couples consented to be scientifically observed having sex, and one of the observers timed each session with a stopwatch to make a fairly accurate assessment about the length of the coupling. Not surprisingly, there is an extremely large variation in the time it takes a couple to have sex, ranging from the excessively short (about two minutes or less, which famed sex researcher Alfred Kinsey dryly noted was a ‘frequent source of marital conflict’) to the ‘Are you done yet?’ (over 40 minutes).

An astonishing 45 percent of men finish the sex act too quickly, which is to say, within Kinsey’s conflicted two minutes. That’s pretty speedy. Way too speedy for the average woman to be able to have an orgasm through vaginal penetration alone. At least five minutes, and more like seven, is usually what’s needed for a woman to be able to achieve orgasm.”

[Image: Shutterstock]

That’s a huge disparity. Fisch suggests gently broaching the subject of your male counterpart getting a medical checkup to ensure that everything is in working order. While it is good to have a checkup to be sure, I get the feeling that most people are just, um, satisfied more quickly than others. I can see that question going left very quickly. My suggestion is foreplay. Have your man warm you up before penetration, so that you have a better chance of meeting him at the finish line instead of being disappointed. Another (more final) option is to find a new partner. Sex is an important part of your relationship and if you’re always unsatisfied, that sentiment can rear its ugly head in other areas of your life.

One thing Fisch and I can agree on is this assertion: “And that’s really the point: not how much sex you’re having, but whether you and your partner are happy with the sex you are having. Quality wins out over quantity every time. It’s all about the satisfaction.” Make every second count fellas!

[Image: Shutterstock]

Promising young activist Leonore Draper had hopes to rid Chicago of gun violence. Unfortunately her life was tragically cut short when she was shot while sitting in her car on Friday night.

“She was always a giver,” said Ronald Draper, Leonore’s father-in-law. “I’m just at a loss for words as to how such a wonderful person could have her demise under these circumstances,” he added.

The 32-year-old was one of four people killed in weekend shootings which left 35 wounded.

Leonore Draper was a budget analyst for Chicago Public Schools and championed for the cause against gun violence.

On Friday night, she attended an anti-violence fundraiser before returning home to her neighborhood in West Pullman.

Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy says Draper was a victim of gang crossfire.

“Every one of these is a tragedy,” McCarthy said. “This one happens to be a particular tragedy in that she was working to really stem the tide.”

I don’t believe in comparing tragedies because I think that is an unfair lens to view the world, because no one’s pain should be deemed greater than someone else’s. But, with that said, it’s more than fair game to ask why certain stories can be run into the ground past the point of any relevancy (CNN’s Flight 370 coverage for example), while other important stories aren’t given any consideration at all, like the 234 missing African schoolgirls, ages 15 to 18, who were abducted from their school two weeks ago.

You’re probably feeling a small knot of guilt develop in your stomach as you ask yourself, “How did I miss this story?” Just relax and let that feeling fade — because this story has been buried deep underneath news of Cliven Bundy, Donald Sterling, and even Beyoncé and Jay Z‘s tour. It’s sad, but this story simply did not receive the attention it deserves … but hopefully we can change that today.

Here’s the story of the 234 missing African schoolgirls:

On April 14, a local terrorist group kidnapped more than 230 girls from a boarding school in Chibok, Nigeria. As the search wears on, families are starting to lose hope, The Guardian reports.

Smart News has reported that Boko Haram militants have been fighting to keep Nigerian children uneducated. The abductors are assumed to be part of Boko Haram, a terrorist organization tied to Al Qaeda. The group’s name translates to “western education is sin.” Boko Haram has been on a campaign against schools around Nigeria, but the group also targets markets, churches, mosques, and other public places.

[Stock image: Pal Teravagimov / Shutterstock.com]

It’s been 16 days since the girls’ abduction and no progress has been made on finding them, either by the military or machete-wielding parents searching the countryside. The search for the kidnapped girls also has been compromised by misinformation. Immediately after the kidnapping, the Nigerian military claimed to have found and freed the girls, and captured one of the terrorists involved. This claim, however, was proven wrong and ultimately retracted. And, now, the Boko Haram kidnappers are threatening to kill the girls if search operations don’t cease, according to a report by Voice of America.

Northeastern Nigeria has been in a state of emergency for a year, according to The Guardian. The school from which the 234 girls were kidnapped was the only one still open in the region. The students had been recalled in order to take a physics exam, even though all the other schools in the area were closed for security reasons.

The best thing we can do is keep spreading this story around and demanding that something be done to bring these young girls home to their parents. It goes without saying that we would want the same in return if it was our daughters who were abducted.

Ed. Note: If you are so moved, please consider signing the petition on Change.org dedicated to helping the girls: Over 200 girls are missing in Nigeria – Please FIND THEM! #BringBackOurGirls

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.

Courtesy of Hello Beautiful

Have you ever wondered if your weave hair really comes from India? Or Brazil? Or Mongolia? Or Peru? Well, sorry to break it to you, but most likely it does not. The human hair trade is a growing – and very lucrative – industry. With sales exceeding 12 billion dollars a year, customers should look out for scams and marketing ploys of every kind.

I am a known hair extension fanatic. I love my pure-virgin-remy-premium-raw-unprocessed human hair just like every other hairlista out there, but spending my hard-earned coins on bad quality hair one too many times has made me extremely skeptical of every YouTube guru, beauty supply store and wholesaler out there. As a result, I went on a quest to find out where this exotic hair really comes from. I sat down for an one-on-one interview with Los Angeles-based Indian hair importer and salesman Vince Selva to get the scoop on some of the biggest hair scams and how to look out for them.

Keep reading …

[Image: Shutterstock]

The state of Oklahoma failed to properly execute a death row inmate using an experimental drug cocktail, prompting the state to postpone another execution. The execution of Clayton Lockett was halted 20 minutes after he was injected when correction official Robert Patton observed he was still alive and attempting to free himself.

Witnesses observed Lockett struggling violently, groaning and attempting to speak minutes after the first drugs were delivered into the his system. “Man … I’m not … Something’s wrong,” were some of the last words spoken by Lockett according to Courtney Francisco, a witness to the execution. The blinds separating the execution chamber from the viewing room were closed and the execution was called off. Lockett died of a heart attack in the chamber a short time later.

“It was a horrible thing to witness,” said Lockett’s attorney, David Autry. “This was totally botched.” Tuesday was the first time Oklahoma used the controversial drug cocktail. One of the drugs used, Midazolam, has been used successfully in other death penalty states, including Florida, Louisiana, and Ohio. He was “tortured to death,” Autry concluded.

The execution of death row inmate Charles Warner was postponed for 14 days by Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin. Fallin ordered a “full review of Oklahoma’s execution procedures to determine what happened and why during this evening’s execution” by Department of Corrections in the state.

Both men, convicted of rape and murder, were at the center of a lawsuit asking officials to investigate the drug cocktail that had never been used in American executions. An Oklahoma court originally ordered stays of execution for both prisoners, but those were lifted last week. The court ruled that the men did not have a right to know what drugs would be used in their execution.

“They wanted to hurry up and get it done with as little transparency as possible,” Autry told reporters. “There should not be another execution in this state until there is a full investigation into what went wrong.”

Source/Source/Source

[Image: Shutterstock]

Interest in buying the Los Angeles Clippers is heating up with potential buyers Oprah, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Rick Ross, and Floyd Mayweather Jr. stepping up to purchase the basketball franchise. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver fined Clippers owner Donald Sterling after news broke of his racist rant and urged the NBA Board of Governors “to exercise its authority to force a sale of the team” in a press conference yesterday.

Diddy expressed his interest in buying the team with the hashtag #DiddyBuyTheClippers:

I will always be a Knicks fan, but I am a business man. #DiddyBuyTheClippers #NameYourPrice

— Diddy (@iamdiddy) April 29, 2014

Diddy has steadily expanded his empire beyond the music world with his latest ventures, including Revolt TV and DeLeon Tequila. Oh yeah, and his rap career.

Rick Ross, who just announced his 25th Wingstop franchise, could make a contribution to purchase the team. After putting down $6 million to purchase Evander Holyfield‘s former Atlanta mansion.

I’d be interested investing in @LAclippers !!!! Make It #WingstopArena @WingstopCEO Lets Goooo !!!

— Mastermind (@rickyrozay) April 29, 2014

Mayweather expressed interest in putting together a group of billionaires that would assist him in buying the team, if it is put up for sale. “I’m very, very interested in buying the Clippers,” said the champion boxer. In his proposed pitch, Mayweather would be majority owner of the team. He may not have the money now, but with a $40 million scheduled fight against Marcos Maidana and a half million dollar Victoria’s Secret campaign forthcoming, he could contribute a handsome sum.

Oprah threw her name in the ring with the announcement she would join David Geffen and Larry Ellison in making a bid for the team. Geffen, a film and music mogul valued at $6.2 billion, originally tried to purchase a stake in the team in 2010. Ellison is the CEO of Oracle, a business software and technology company.

JAY Z could be interested in purchasing the franchise. Last year, the mogul sold his stake of the Brooklyn Nets for an estimated $500,000, the second highest price in the NBA. But he’d have to figure something out regarding Roc Nation Sports, the sports management branch of his multimillion dollar entertainment empire, represents Kevin Durant, Skylar Diggins, and Victor Cruz.

From May 3-9, mother/daughter duo Vintage Shaun and Dee Lioness return to Brooklyn for their highly-anticipated #SpringHasSprung Pop-up Shop. Vintage Shaun is a curated collection of men’s and women’s vintage clothing, shoes, and accessories. Dee Lioness is a handcrafted, contemporary jewelry line.

The pop-up shop will feature an array of colorful and sophisticated garments from as far back as the 1950s. And since it’s vintage fashion, each piece is one-of-a-kind! In addition, Dee Lioness is offering semi-precious stone and hand-hammered metal jewelry. Be sure to check out the gift sets that will be amazing for Mother’s Day, which is right around the corner.

On Thursday, May 7, this shopping experience will be hosted by UPTOWN Associate Editor Annika Harris, Lucy Norris of On Deck with Lucy, and Keisha Bloise of Beauty n’ Curlz. Join them for stylish conversations and tips on buying and styling vintage fashion.

The #SpringHasSprung Pop-Up Shop is guaranteed to be a stylish and social shopping experience. Keeping with Vintage Shaun and Dee Lioness’ strong social media influence, guests are encouraged to tweet, follow, and Instagram while they shop under the hashtag #VintageShaunPopUp and #SpringHasSprung. Mark your calendars and make sure to visit the Vintage Shaun and Dee Lioness Pop-Up Shop, from May 3-9 to sip, snack, shop, post, and tweet.

In the 1960’s The Rat Pack was an iconic group of actors and performers consisting of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, Joey Bishop and Peter Lawford. The group was best known for performing together and filming such classics as Oceans Eleven. Fast forward over 50 years later and a new version of the Rat Pack is slowly emerging out of Los Angeles. They go by the name Dormtainment and the group’s six members are poised to overtake the television, film and comedy landscape.

Hailing from Detroit, Miami, Raleigh and Washington DC, the group consists of two brothers (Chaz and Cameron) and a group of childhood friends and former classmates (Mike, Tay, Jerome and Amanuel). The group was initially formed in Atlanta while several of the members were students at the Art Institute of Atlanta. For those curious about the origin of the name “Dormtainment,” the story goes as follows: Chaz, a licensed massage therapist, initially started his own company under the name “Spatainment” and when the company folded, the members borrowed portions of that company name to create the name “Dormtainment.” The group’s initial mission was to form a nonprofit organization but the group soon realized they actually needed a profit to get the nonprofit off the ground. They briefly dabbled in club promotion as a source of profit before finally creating short comedy videos for the web.

When the group first began releasing videos, building an audience proved difficult. According to group member Amanuel, contacting bloggers was key. At one point they inundated the inbox of a well-known blogger to the point where the blogger responded that their communication constituted “spam.” Amanuel’s rebuttal to the blogger: “Spam is a canned meat, what we’re doing is promoting.” Although building an audience was initially met with challenges, their YouTube page now boasts over 697,330 subscribers. Some of their most popular videos include, “Black People Laughing” and “If Rap Ended Today.”

After a successful college tour last year, the group recently relocated from Atlanta to Los Angeles where they are currently working on several different projects. Group member Mike revealed that they are currently working on a cookbook that will feature some of their favorite breakfast dishes. They are also working on a web series pilot with Comedy Central, which will begin shooting in the next 2-3 weeks. All of the group members have the ability to write, edit and direct content.

Referring to themselves as “old consistency,” the group releases new comedy sketches on YouTube every Sunday evening at 7pm EST/4 pm PST. Be sure to check them out at www.dormtainmenttv.com.

Jaia Thomas is a Los Angeles-based sports and entertainment attorney. For more information: www.jathomaslaw.com or @jaiathomaslaw. 

During his earlier years as a model, Michael B. Jordan never set his intentions on becoming an actor, but, as destiny would have it both talent and opportunity met. So far the actor, whose middle name Bakari means “of noble promise” in Swahili, has proven that his stardom in Hollywood is actually, full of promise. The four-time NAACP Image Award nominee has been included on many lists highlighting his activism and style, including Time‘s 30 People Under 30 Changing the World and ranking as #21 on GQ‘s 25 Most Stylish Men of 2013. However, his notable acting roles throughout his career solidified him as the 2014 Sprite Films ambassador. In this capacity, Michael serves as a mentor to students who want to become filmmakers.

This week’s Star Style, Michael B. Jordan, maintains a modern, hip appeal with a gentlemanly signature and his inspirational looks are noteworthy. Here are our favorites …

Upgrade your sweatshirt collection with a luxurious hooded knit.

Given the swanky metallic detail on Michael’s shoes, it’s clear that he likes to stand out from the crowd.

For less formal occasions that still require some effort, try a cotton khaki suit. Warning: This suit is only appropriate in warmer seasons.

It’s perfectly fine to retire the suit jacket every now and then. Although the vest and pant look is laid-back, the look still whispers a hint of formality.

The great thing about a charcoal gray suit is the versatility. Black separates serve as a nice contrast. However, pastel colors offer a more serene look in the spring.

Always have a classic camouflage print on hand to add an urban flair to your wardrobe.

It’s just as necessary for a man to accessorize his attire as it is for a woman. So fellas, be sure to add sophisticated elements to your suit, such as collar stays, cuff links, and tie clips.

To really stand out at after-five events or special occasions, consider rocking a single-breasted suit in an of-the-moment color.

Lose your tie if you want to loosen up the seriousness of suit. But make sure your shirt has a short collar.  If the collar tips are too close or big, then the look may not come across as smoothly as it does on Michael.

Military-inspired separates are a sure way to keep a casual look slightly structured.

A solid color V-neck Tee and slacks combination is an easy way to go mellow and chic on a warm weather day. If you’re a guy who likes to show off his feet, then try tossing the shoes for a pair of sandals.

For an effortless, casual weekend look during a warm weather afternoon or evening, the polo shirt and jacket combo is a great choice.