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Cissy Houston on Bobbi Kristina: ‘She Has Irreversible Brain Damage’

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Despite Bobby Brown revealing to concertgoers the good news that daughter Bobbi Kristina is no longer in a coma Saturday night, maternal grandmother Cissy Houston has announced that Bobbi is still unresponsive with “irreversible brain damage.” The 22-year-old does not respond to visitors or familiar voices, and her eyes do not follow a person around the room, according to CNN. She also has a tracheostomy in her throat.

“I have just returned from visiting my granddaughter Bobbi Kristina in the hospital and while she is no longer in a medically induced coma… according to the doctors, she has global and irreversible brain damage and remains unresponsive,” Houston’s statement said. “Meeting with the doctors and understanding that she can live in this condition for a lifetime truly saddens me. We can only trust in God for a miracle at this time. Keep us in your prayers.”

Eventually, Christopher Brown, Bobby Brown’s lawyer, issued a statement late Monday on behalf of Brown and his expecant wife, Alicia Etheredge-Brown, clarifying his remarks of his daughter’s improvement. The statement said there had been “improvement” and that doctors said Bobbi would live a “long life,” but the “quality of her life would not be known for years to come.”

Bobbi Kristina was found floating face down in the bathtub of her Atlanta home on January 31. She was induced into a coma early February.


Waka Flocka Has Plans For the White House

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Last week, Hilary Clinton finally made the official announcement that she would be running for president. Now, a week later, rapper Waka Flocka is throwing his hat in the ring.

On November 6, 2012, Waka tweeted, “I’m dead ass running for president in 2016.” Well, a little over two years later, he is keeping his promise. If nothing else, he is showing that he keeps his word–a great leadership quality. On Monday, the Atlanta-based rapper sat down with Rolling Stone to declare his candidacy to be the next President of the United States. He has decided that DJ Whoo Kid will be his running mate.

One of his main objectives as president would be to legalize marijuana. “A blunt a day will take the pain away. You wake up, hit a blunt, go to work–sh*t gon’ be ok. You look around, things ain’t looking good, you roll a blunt–sh*t gon’ be ok. School work getting too hard–don’t touch the blunt! Think about it. Wait ’til you’re old enough.”

Waka also discusses his plans to ban animals in restaurants, restrict the rights of people with big feet, and his opinion on women’s rights.

Watching the video, it’s easy to say, “Oh, this is clearly a joke.” Well, if it is, it’s a really elaborate one. Wacka took to Times Square in New York City on Tuesday to start on his 5,000 signatures to get in the race. Waka 2016, anyone?

 

Judge Rules Sherri Shepherd Is Mother of Surrogate Baby, Must Pay Up

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TV personality Sherri Shepherd had a very rough 2014.  Not only did she and Lamar Sally begin the process of divorcing, but since the two agreed to hire a surrogate to birth a baby for them when they were together, their split introduced the question of who would take responsibility for the child.  Shepherd was adamant about distancing herself from the baby drama to avoid having to give any money to Sally, as she felt his motives were financially-based all along. Now, it looks like she has lost that battle.

A Pennsylvania judge ruled that Shepherd is legally the mother to the child, Lamar Jr., who was born to surrogate Jessica Bartholomew. Although she reportedly did not show up to the hearing, she and Sally will now have to attend court in Los Angeles to discuss child support details.

Sally has been very vocal about his yearning for his ex to take responsibility for their child. After all, he has been in financial straits and could use the help.

“I want her to go on television and apologize the same way that she went on there and accused me of being a gold digger and tricking her into having a baby,” Sally told TMZ.

 

Former NBA Great Gary Payton Sued for Assaulting Woman

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NBA great Gary Payton is being sued for allegedly assaulting a woman in January.  She said the former athlete physically harmed her three times in one day.

The alleged victim, Trishtan Williams, said the assault occurred early this year when she was Payton’s date to an awards event held in Seattle.  Afterwards, the two went to a bar, where he pushed her after she said something that upset him, Williams claims.

She says that he assaulted her again later on, once the two were in his vehicle. He then, supposedly, attacked her another time once they were in a hotel room.

Williams is being represented by Gloria Allred and is reportedly seeking a large sum of money.

Payton’s lawyer, Aaron Goodwin, told TMZ that Williams has changed her story several times and is likely only attempting to swindle money from the 18-year NBA vet. He says Williams has “no physical evidence to substantiate these claims.”

“Unfortunately, with the climate of claims against athletes for monetary gains, Mr. Payton is just another victim and will fight this frivolous lawsuit,” the attorney said.

Payton played for the Seattle SuperSonics for 13 years and then played for the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, and Miami Heat. He is considered one of the greatest point guards to ever play professionally.

Cory Hardrict On ‘Crazy’ Tia Mowry v. Keke Palmer Beef

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Cory Hardrict appeared on The Wendy Williams Show on Tuesday morning and shut down rumors that his wife, Tia Mowry, and his co-star, Keke Palmer, are beefing.

Hardrict is promoting his new film, “Brotherly Love,” which premiered in New York City on Monday night. So he stopped by Wendy’s show with co-star Eric Hill Jr. Naturally, Wendy asked about the supposed tension between his wife and his co-star.

Rumors started to swirl about the two being at odds after Mowry tweeted about it not being cute for women to crush on married men. Many assumed that she was sending a subliminal shot at Palmer, who’d done an interview in which she mentioned having a crush on Hardrict.  Palmer maintains her meaning was “misconstrued.” Ironically, the 21-year-old shared with Wendy Williams that she had been referring to a childhood crush she’d had on Hardrict when he auditioned to play her brother in “Akeelah and the Bee.”

Hardrict laughed off the reports of animosity between Mowry and Palmer, saying the rumors are “crazy.” In fact, he said that the two were laughing and chatting it up at the L.A. premiere of the film. He also made sure to say that he and Mowry have been married for seven years and he would never do anything to jeopardize their union.

LisaRaye McCoy: Black Women Can’t Behave Like Kim Kardashian

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Who would have ever thought a self-made hotel sex tape would lead to a multi-million dollar empire for Kim Kardashian? Antiquated though it may be, there was a time when promiscuity among women was frowned upon. While things have seemingly changed for some, actress LisaRaye McCoy isn’t too fond of the double standard between races, claiming Black women don’t have the luxury to behave like others and get the same accolades.

“It’s them and it’s us. With them, they can do whatever they want to do. They can date five or six guys—like Taylor Swift. We know that she has been through a lot of people at her young age. She sings about it all the time; let that be a Black girl and that’s a problem,” The Players Club actress told Houston’s 97.9 radio.

“Let somebody do a sex tape that’s a Black girl and her career is ruined. She’s not going to parlay it into fashion and stores and reality shows and marriage.”

Do you agree with LisaRaye?

Beyoncé Slams Lawsuit Claiming She Stole Song ‘XO’

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Any artist, TV show or song that draws large scale popularity will inevitably attract people claiming they’re to thank for all the success (just ask Robin Thicke and the creators of Empire). This time, it’s Beyoncé on the receiving end. According to TheJasmineBrand.com, Beyoncé has slammed a $3 million lawsuit filed against her by a former background singer who claims Bey’s song “XO” was originally his. 

Ahmad Lane (stage name Javon) claims that he worked with Beyoncé as a background singer, along with Chrissy Collins who still currently sings background for the mega-artist. According to Lane, while employed with Beyoncé’s camp, he gave Collins a copy of his music to listen to. Collins, in turn, shared those copies with Beyoncé. Lane said once Beyoncé’s fifth studio album was released, he recognized the track “XO” as a rip off from his song of the same title. He then filed suit against Beyoncé, her creative agency Parkwood Entertainment and her label Columbia Records demanding $3 million in damages for all the profits Beyoncé made from the song and live performances of it as well.
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According to court documents obtained exclusively by theJasmineBrand, Beyoncé is firing back at the lawsuit and its claims, calling them “vague and ill-founded” and citing that as an internationally-known singer with 17 Grammys and over 188 million albums sold, she has no need to plagiarize.

Aside from her undeniable credentials in music, Bey said there are absolutely no similarities between her track and the one Lane claimed was stolen from him. Bey assured that one would not even have to dissect the songs to know they don’t share the same melodic content, pitch series, rythmic patterns or structure. 

“The two songs are distinct from a thematic perspective,” Bey’s team insists in the documents. Lane’s song describes romantic and sexual feelings towards a new lover. Beyonce’s song on the other hand, is about the “celebration of love and life,” emphasizing the importance of living in the present with a loved one “before our time has run out.”

According to Beyoncé, her camp reached out the Lane to get specific answers on exactly which parts of the song he feels were plagiarized, but he was not able to provide “meaningful answers.”

Beyoncé is demanding that the $3 million suit be thrown out and Lane be awarded nothing. Listen to the two tracks below.

Mona Scott-Young Explains How ‘Love and Hip Hop’ Helps Its Stars

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The fourth season of VH1’s Love and Hip Hop Atlanta kicked off on Monday and the drama is bigger than ever before. With the majority of its original cast members returning, a few booted co-stars, and new additions to the series, the show will undoubtedly continue to be a Monday night primetime hit.

The show’s creator, Mona Scott-Young, has received a lot of backlash for her franchise and its often questionable depiction of minorities. However, she reasoned that cast members have benefited from the show, despite what critical viewers may think.

“The best part for me is watching these people take advantage of the opportunity. If you watch K.Michelle and Yandy [Smith] and what she’s gone on to do, that for me is gratifying,” Mona told “The Ryan Cameron Morning Show.” While some cast members continue to complain about how they’re edited on the show, others agree with Mona. Love and Hip Hop New York star, Erica Mena became teary-eyed when expressing her gratitude toward Mona and the show.

“I was really just lost and hurt,” Erica said about the time in her life before LHH came along. “Had I not been on this show, God knows where I would be. I dealt with so much pain and I never had an outlet, and I never had nobody tell me that I was hurting. It took me to seem myself to realize I was hurting.”

Since her time on the show, Erica has launched a clothing line, released new music and is now engaged to rapper/actor Bow Wow.


Though it has its pros, Mona admitted that are also many cons that come along with creating such a controversial and popular series.

“The worst part is people sitting at home forming opinions on who I am, what I do, why I do what I do and them feeling the need to express it on social media,” she said.

An aggressive social media campaign was one nail in the coffin of Mona’s reality series “Sorority Sisters,” that centered on the lives of women affiliated with Black Greek-letter organizations. Though that show was boycotted, Mona assured that her three LHH series are doing just fine.

“They all hold their own,” said Mona who admitted that the Atlanta series draws the most viewers. “The thing is the bar is set so high, that the least rated amongst the franchise is still the highest rated on the channel… but the turn up lives in the A.”

 


Kandi Burruss Accuses Phaedra Parks of Throwing Her Under the Bus

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And the drama continues.

The highly anticipated Real Housewives of Atlanta season seven reunion kicks off this Sunday and the co-stars are back at the feuding and beefing. Although the season finale ended on a hopeful note, with a successful overseas trip where grudges were seemingly squashed and fences were mended, it looks like it was only a quick fix. Former besties, Kandi Burruss and Phaedra Parks’ friendship may be over after the two had it out during the reunion:

“I ain’t gonna beg anybody to be my friend,” Phaedra told former friend Kandi. A teary-eyed Kandi responded, “OK, well you ain’t gotta worry…”

In an interview with E! News, Kandi said she hasn’t spoken to Phaedra since the reunion taping:

“I just left the reunion not really knowing where we stood for real. This whole season has put a weird little taste in my mouth about our friendship…When [Phaedra] expressed she was having issues, she never expressed them to me. I had to watch the show later on—months later—after taping to see that she was expressing these feelings to other people…If she was feeling that way, why didn’t she ever say anything to me.”

The singer went on to explain that she and Phaedra spent a lot of time together and suggested that Phaedra was stirring up drama to gain “sympathy votes” from fans:

“I could name you every event, trips we took, all last year up until the season started taping. And when the season start taping, we were together every couple days. So at what point did you and I go months without talking? Or are you throwing me under the bus for getting more sympathy votes? What is going on here?!”

Nikko Smith Spills ‘Love & Hip Hop’ Dirty Secrets

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Vivid Releases A Hardcore Sex Tape Of Mimi Faust and Nikko

Love & Hip Hop Atlanta’s Nikko Smith has come across as a villain on the show. Fans blame him for orchestrating events that led to the release of his sex tape with Mimi Faust, but he recently claimed that Mimi isn’t the only one who’s been manipulated.

The messy producer/reality star explained that Mimi and her manager approached him about portraying her love interest on the show. According to Nikko, the offer came at a convenient time, since he was down on his luck while living in Los Angeles with his wife Margeaux (who is cast in the current season).

Smith told Hot 97 radio that while it was shady for him to accept the offer as a married man, it was a smart move for him. “It made sense to me after what Steven Jordan did to [Mimi]. They invited me out to dinner. They did the whole wine and dine me. They had the producer for VH1 at the time with them,” he said.

Smith hid his open marriage from Mimi, and the revelation only made things worse between the two. However, Smith said he’s not complaining about the negative portrayal. “I go with it because I signed my name on that dotted line like everybody else…They’ve got the best editors in the world,” he said.

Check The Receipts: Mo’Nique Brings Proof That She Was Asked To Play Cookie Lyon

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Since Mo’Nique openly admitted to being blackballed in the industry, she’s been on a non-stop promo trail to clear her name and repair her tarnished rep. In a recent visit to Sway in the Morning, Mo’Nique dug up some old emails to prove she was considered for the role of Cookie.

Weeks back, Mo’Nique claimed she was offered the role of Cookie Lyons on Empire. Lead writer Danny Strong denied this, saying she at no point was offered the role. Given the conflicting versions of the story, it was clear that someone was incorrect. Well, Mo’Nique was able to pull together some emails between herself and Lee Daniels’ reps proving she was a top choice for the role. “I take pride in my character” says Mo’Nique. “When you put it on the line like that and people begin to question me about my character–and these aren’t strangers, these are folks that know me. We done been in conversations; we done broke bread together. So, I wanted to bring the e-mails to you. And you can read them publicly or privately…I just wanted to put it out there, ‘Hey guys, clear my name.’ That’s it.”

The first email Sway read proved Mo’Nique was considered for the role of Cookie.

Feb 18, 2014

Good Afternoon, 

Lee Daniels had a conversation with Mo’Nique about his new television pilot for Imagine Tv/Fox called “Empire.” We would like to screen test her for the role of ‘Cookie.’ Please contact us with her television quotes, so that we can start a test, option, deal. We are tentatively looking at Monday, Feb 24 for the screen test. 

Mo’Nique sarcastically sipped her tea as he continued on to the next email:

Feb 18

Hello I am following up on my previous e-mail regarding Lee Daniels’ pilot and Mo’Nique’s television quotes. This is a time sensitive matter. Lee really does not want Mo’Nique to miss this opportunity. 

Mo’Nique said that Lee actually offered her the role leading up to the final email, but told her it was protocol to formally audition first. Then, she received this:

March 3

…Unfortunately it’s not going any further for Mo’Nique. Lee fought for her because he thought she would be great for the pilot but studio and network executives insisted on offering the role to Taraji. Thank you so much for providing us with her information. Sorry it didn’t work out. We’re all big fans of hers. 

Since Daniels’ has confirmed that people in the industry find Mo’Nique difficult to work with, it’s reasonable to think that had something to do with Fox’s decision. Mo’Nique said she forwarded Daniels the above email chain, giving him a chance to clear her name before she went public with it. When he didn’t respond, Mo’Nique decided to read them on air to protect her reputation.

Mo’Nique is quite brave for standing up to the Goliaths of Hollywood, but is she doing more harm than good by continuing to harp on the issue?

Black Woman Fakes Being Social Worker to Kill Young Mother, Steals Baby

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A very twisted story has come out of Indiana about a woman who stabbed a new mother to death and kidnapped the woman’s baby as her own. Police are still trying to piece together the true motive of the murder. A probable cause affidavit released Tuesday revealed disturbing details.

The incident began on April 6th when Geraldine Jones visited the Anderson, Indiana apartment of a family consisting of 23-year-old Samantha Fleming, her boyfriend, and their 17-day-old baby girl. Fleming’s significant other, Rainey Stanley, answered the door, and Jones, dressed in professional attire and carrying a binder, told him that she was a social worker who was on a surprise visit. The 36-year-old woman then suggested that both Fleming and her baby, Serenity, come down to Gary for a hearing. Stanley told police that was the last time he saw his girlfriend alive.

When Fleming did not return, police tried finding her by tracking her phone. The affidavit said her family had been receiving text messages from her. However, the family did not believe it was Fleming sending the messages, because the texts had “perfect spelling,” and Fleming was known to be a poor speller.

Anderson Police Detective Scott Sanderson was led to Jones’ residence in Gary. Once there, he found Jones’ sister holding Serenity. The sister said that Jones had left with another sister to catch a flight to Texas. She had also told the officer that Jones had told her family that she had been pregnant with twins, but one baby died while she was giving birth. The sister, however, did not believe that Serenity belonged to Jones.

The suspect’s sister asked Sanderson, ”Do you smell the smell in the house? It smells like someone is dead.” Upon a search of the home, police found a body in a plastic bag that had been drenched in bleach and placed in a plastic container. The affidavit said the victim had been stabbed at least 10 times and was identified as Fleming.

Jones is facing charges of murder, kidnapping, and criminal confinement. Police are not completely sure why she may have killed Fleming or how she knew of the young mother’s family situation, but it is suspected that she had planned to “raise Serenity as her own child,” according to the affidavit.  There was a nursery, baby clothes, and baby furniture found in Jones’ home. She is believed to have had a baby shower.

Anderson Police Sgt. Chad Boynton said that Jones is being hospitalized for depression and suicidal thoughts, but that she will be sent back to Madison County on April 30th to speak with authorities.

Blac Chyna Is Waiting For Kylie Jenner To Turn 18 So She Can Pop Off

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For all the hoopla around Tyga‘s relationship with Kylie Jenner, his ex-fiancee and the mother of his child, Blac Chyna, has been pretty quiet. That’s all changed now though, and it seems like she is waiting patiently for Jenner to turn 18 before she goes all the way off on her.

On Tuesday, Blac Chyna seemed to make a mockery of the Kylie Jenner Challenge. She posted a photo of herself wearing huge wax lips from a brand called Wack-o-Wax. She revealed an hour later that the product would be available for sale on her site. The shade is questionable here, but it certainly casts at least a small shadow.

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Kylie clearly took it as a slight because she decided to post some subtle shade. She posted a photo of her Cartier bracelet with the caption “Currently.” Apparently, this is  jab for two reasons: 1) Blac Chyna is wearing a downgraded version of the bracelet in the photo she posted and 2) the last time Kylie posted a photo with that caption, it was to highlight that she was wearing a watch that Tyga had purchased for both her and Blac Chyna. Ouch.

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From that point, it was on and popping–on social media, of course. Blac Chyna posted a photo of herself in lingerie with the caption “permanently,” which seems to insinuate that Kylie may be the current preoccupation, but she will always have Tyga.

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She also went on to start following Tyga on Instagram and liking two of his posts before letting out her piece de resistance. She cryptically tweeted (and later deleted), “Patiently waiting…4 months [evil-face emoji].”

Screen Shot 2015-04-23 at 12.46.37 AM   On the surface, this seems harmless. But when you do the math, it will be August in four months. When is Kylie’s 18th birthday, you ask? Oh, it’s August 10. Blac Chyna seemed to take a few more digs at Kylie on Twitter on Wednesday morning for good measure.

She also had a deleted tweet that read: “Still Counting …. I got time cuz”

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This is so messssssy.

GQ Dubs Don Lemon the Poster Boy for Being Unbothered

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CNN anchor Don Lemon sat down for an interview with GQ for their May issue.

The author acknowledged that, in many circles, Lemon is a veritable punchline. His numerous faux pas include asking an Islamic scholar if he supports ISIS, declaring that he smelled marijuana in the air “obviously” while on the ground in Ferguson and asking a woman who was allegedly raped by Bill Cosby why she didn’t use her teeth to defend herself. Yet, the author maintains that these missteps are an indication of his strength as an unflappable man who is unbothered by his mistakes.

For instance, during their interview, Lemon corrects the author’s pronunciation of sorbet, insisting, “It’s pronounced sorbette.” The author politely accepts his pronunciation, but when Lemon orders the dessert with a waiter, he is promptly corrected. However, Lemon does not apologize or appear flustered by his error. He simply nods and says, “That’s what I’ll have then.”

Lemon was first hired by Fox before jumping to NBC stations in Philadelphia and Chicago. He earned an Emmy for a report on the real estate market and received an Edward R. Murrow award for coverage of the D.C. Sniper in 2002. He joined CNN in 2006. The 49-year-old, who now holds the 10 p.m. spot, is one of CNN’s breakout stars. His ratings are close to those of Anderson Cooper’s and compete well with anchors at other stations with the same time slot.

Still, many would consider him more infamous than popular. The negative sentiment seems to have started with his report on July 27, 2013 when he directly addressed black people with his list of five solutions for the black community’s problems.

“I didn’t think I was saying anything bad. Just: Always respect yourself. Go to school. I mean—” and here he laughs a little—”I think they’re used to me just having a one-way conversation, just reading the prompter and going, ‘Okay, what do you think? What do you think?’ Maybe they were just sort of surprised that I actually have a point of view.”


The article also addresses Lemon’s sexual abuse. He was molested as a child by a teenaged boy who lived nearby. He didn’t share the information with anyone for a very long time and actually came out publicly as a survivor of sexual abuse while covering a segment on another sexual abuse case for CNN.

Later, Lemon shares that his experience is what led him to ask the widely criticized question to the Cosby accuser. He said that when he was a child being forced to perform oral sex on his molester, he threatened to bite his privates off, which is what finally stopped the abuse.

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CNN president Jeff Zucker said, “There’s certainly a lot of interest in Don Lemon, and that’s a good thing for Don and for CNN. You know, Don is a little bit of a lightning rod. Frankly, we needed a little bit of lightning.”

Lemon explained that his job is about keeping up conversation.

“When you’re a network-news anchor, you have a twenty-two-minute news hole, and you read not even five minutes of copy, if you read that much,” Lemon tells me. “When you’re a cable-news host, you’re on for hours and hours and hours live. Right? Sometimes there’s nothing in that box, no words.”

Overall, one gets the impression that Lemon is who he is and he makes no apologies for it.

“This is 2015, and we live in an age of tweets and GIFs designed to make jokes out of people, and Don Lemon seems custom-built for perpetuating what we’ve decided is his essential Don Lemonness…I detected something like regret or humiliation behind his eyes, but he’ll never let us see more than a flicker, if that. No, Don Lemon isn’t Murrow or Cronkite. He may not be the steady, infallible news anchor America needs right now. But he sure feels like the anchor we deserve.”

[Source]

Brandy Returns To TV With New BET Show ‘Zoe Moon’

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Brandy Norwood has been making some serious power moves lately, and while she’s currently taking her talents to Broadway to star in the musical Chicago, she won’t be gone from fans’ televisions for too long. The “Wildest Dreams” singer will be starring in a brand new series with BET called Zoe Moon, which is a fictional series about a newly-divorced mother.

The synopsis for the show reads: “A romantic comedy featuring Zoë Moon (Brandy Norwood), a newly divorced single mom embarking on her new life and career as a fledgling cosmetics mogul — but it won’t be easy. Her ex-husband is not ready to take a back seat in her life, nor is her precocious 10 year-old son ready for her new dating life.”

Since “Moesha,” Brandy has been working on reality shows, such as “Brandy & Ray J: A Family Business” and “Brandy: Special Delivery,” she’s sworn them off and has been focused on scripted series, such as “The Game.”

“I don’t want to do reality shows. I watch reality shows here and there, but I don’t think I work well on reality shows,” Brandy said in 2012. “I think I’m too boring for reality. It’s much more fun playing somebody else.”

There’s no word on who will play Brandy’s ex-husband or 10-year-old son on the new series, but if Brandy is involved in the casting, they should turn out to be a great fit.

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Creflo Dollar Blasts Critics of His Private Jet Fundraiser [VIDEO]

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Creflo Dollar is still coming under fire after he started a now-deleted GoFundMe campaign to raise $65 million for a private jet, and the megapastor is now responding. In a video posted on YouTube, Dollar blasts critics and “Internet commentators” for their continuous negative comments towards him, as he believes they “don’t know” him. The video appears to have been filmed this Sunday at World Changers Church International in College Park, Georgia.

According to Dollar, the public backlash was really the “enemy” trying to discredit him and prevent him from spreading his gospel worldwide.

“I can dream as long as I want to. I can believe God as long as I want to. If I want to believe God for a $65 million plane, you cannot stop me. You cannot stop me from dreaming. You can’t stop me from dreaming. I’m gon’ dream until Jesus comes,” he said. “If you think a $65 million plane was too much, if they discover that there’s life on Mars, they gon’ need to hear the Gospel and I’m gon have to believe God for a $1 billion space shuttle because we got to preach the Gospel on Mars. I dare you to tell me I can’t dream. I dare you to tell me I can’t believe God.”

Dollar also refutes the claim that the campaign’s goal was to ask for $65 million from his followers at church. Instead, he said the donations were to come from those around the world who need him to travel to spread the “Gospel.”

Bobby Shmurda, The GS9 Crew Get Official Trial Start Date

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Bobby Shmurda and the GS9 crew have been locked up at Riker’s Island ever since their group arrest back in December 2014, and have been hit with 101 charges from a lengthy investigation. The “Hot Boy” rapper’s trial is officially going to begin on June 25. According to XXL, the crew members are all being held on $2 million bail each, but their hearing is quickly approaching, where all charges will be addressed.

The site reports, “In a hearing today at Manhattan Supreme Court, both Bobby Shmurda and Rowdy Rebel were given a June 25 hearing to begin their trial. Because there isn’t a court room with enough space to accommodate all of the defendants named in the indictment, the group is likely to be split into four or five smaller groups, with both Shmurda and Rebel’s lawyers—Kenneth Montgomery and Javier Solano, respectively—requesting that Judge James Burke and the District Attorney’s office place their clients in the first group in order to expedite the trial where possible.”

Shmurda went to court yesterday for the news, where the site recorded all of what went down, stating, “Shortly before 11:30 this morning, Bobby Shmurda, real name Ackquille Pollard, was brought into the same courtroom that housed his initial hearing in January, wearing an orange Department of Justice jumpsuit and hands cuffed behind his back. As was the case during the first hearing, Shmurda seemed resigned, not making much if any eye contact with the 40 or so people in attendance. His attorney Montgomery requested the paperwork from Shmurda’s 2014 Brooklyn gun charge, which was dropped following the indictment last December, but otherwise kept the hearing brief.”

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Newsstand Round Up: Our Favorite May Magazine Covers

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By Colby Carrington

Next month’s newsstand round up is looking pretty colorful, with glossies featuring some of our favorite faces, including Rihanna, Lupita N’yongo, Joan Smalls and more.


rihanna v magazine may 2015

V Magazine, May 2015

Hitting stands May 5, is Rihanna on the cover of V Magazine‘s Summer 2015 issue. Shot by Steven Klein and styled by Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeele.
elle south africa nykhor-paul-may 2015

Elle South Africa, May 2015

From Sudanese refugee to top model, Nykhor Paul covers Elle SA‘s Big Fashion Issue.


lupita-nyongo harpers bazaar uk may 2015

Harper’s Bazaar UK, May 2015

Lupita Nyong’o photographed by Alexi Lubormirski

joan smalls lucky mag may 2015

Lucky Magazine, May 2015

Joan Smalls talks her rise to becoming one of the world’s highest paid models.

pharell gq japan may 2015

GQ Japan, May 2015

Pharrell looking GQ-crisp in black and white.


zoe kravitz covers marie-claire-may 2015

Marie Claire, May 2015

Zoe Kravitz in braids and biker chic, shot by Dan Martensen.

LIYA KEBEDE vogue paris may 2015

Vogue Paris, May 2015

Liya Kibede becomes the first Black model in five years to cover Vogue Paris. She was photographed by Inez & Vinoodh wearing Christian Dior.

issa - mara - debbie - shonda - Essence-magazine-may-2015

Essence, May 2015

Issa Rae, Mara Brock Akil, Debbie Allen, Shonda Rhimes, Ava DuVernay are white hot.

wendy williams ebony may 2015

Ebony, May 2015

Wendy Williams, all aglow, smizes nonchalantly for her Ebony cover.


sarah-jessica-parker-michelle-obama-kerry-washington-glamour may 2015

Glamour, May 2015

Sarah Jessica Parker, Michelle Obama, Kerry Washington shot by Patrick Demarchelier.

Oliver-Rousteing-Out-Magazine-May-2015

Out, May 2015

Oliver Rousteing in the looking glass, shot by Pierre et Gilles.

Tina Knowles Gushes on Gorgeous Wedding: ‘At 61, You Can Still Find Love’

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Mathew Knowles, who?

Tina Knowles tied the knot to long time friend turned boo Richard Lawson in a gorgeous, all-white affair two weeks ago. Knowles looked flawless during her yacht wedding in Newport Beach, alongside daughters Beyoncé and Solange Knowles. Other guests of the intimate ceremony included: Kelly Rowland, Richard’s daughter- actress Bianca Lawson and his son- Richard III, Jay-Z, Alan Ferguson, Michelle Williams and actor Samuel L. Jackson. Grandbabies Blue Ivy, and 10-year-old Juelz were the flower girl and ring bearer.

After walking down the aisle to India Arie’s “Ready for Love,” Knowles is still on cloud 9, gushing about finding love at any age to People magazine.

“You can find love at any age. You just have to go for it. There was a time when I doubted if I would find love again. But I was determined to be happy. [Richard] is somebody that I could really spend the rest of my life with,” she said.

“To walk down the aisle and see all my friends and family and to see my handsome man standin’ there, and to know that at 61 you can still find love and have a magical day like that … it was really beautiful,” said the bride, who wore a dress by Romona Keveza.

Congratulations to the happy couple.

Father Charged In Death of Toddler Abandoned in Hot Car

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UPTOWN_james-koryor

A Phoenix, Arizona father was arrested for manslaughter and child abuse when he abandoned his 2-year-old son in a hot car where the toddler later died.

James Koryor, 41, was taken into custody Tuesday when officials discovered he ran to the liquor store with his toddler, bought a bottle of gin, drank it on the way home and fell asleep inside his house.

The child, identified as Alpha Koryor, was left behind in the car. Detectives found signs that he had desperately struggled to escape the vehicle, which didn’t have any car seats, before dying in 90 degree temperatures.

Koryor was supposed to take his 2-year-old boy, along with his 5-year-old son, to get haircuts. The older son either got out of the vehicle by himself or was taken inside by his father, police spokesman Sgt. Trent Crump said. Family members asked where his little brother was, and he said the child was asleep, Crump said.

The mother was inside the home, studying, before finding her son’s body around 4 p.m., when she went to drive to class. Neighbors said they heard weeping and wailing from the family’s driveway.

Koryor sobbed uncontrollably in court when bond was set at $50,000. Prosecutors requested an increased bail, considering Koryor a flight risk, due to Koryor’s strong ties to the Ivory Coast, Liberia and Ghana.

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