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Confessions: Wendy Raquel Robinson

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wendy raquel robinson

By Satchel Jester

Attention: We regret to inform you that Tasha Mack has left the building. However, Wendy Raquel Robinson is still in the house. Although, after nine successful seasons, BET’s flagship dramedy The Game has scored its final touchdown, the Los Angeles native—who made us adore the show’s fierce, feisty and fiery matriarch—is gearing up for her biggest win yet. Trading her Yoncè-like honey blonde wig for a perfectly coiffed, curly black and white one, this month, the triple-threat entertainer (she sings, acts and dances) will assume the role of Cruella de Vil in Disney Channel’s most anticipated original movie of the year, Descendants. We catch up with Ms. Robinson after she’s completed writing and producing a performance spectacular for her dance conservatory, Amazing Grace. Keep the cameras rolling—she’s maneuvering quickly and is determined to remain the MVP.

I am… not greedy; I’m thirsty. I want a cup of the Kardashian Kool-Aid. That machine is something like I’ve never seen before. I have to respect it.

I change… roles like I change wigs. Do I want to toss it or swing it? Am I channeling the boardroom or the beach? A lady has to have options and show that we do it all well!

I won’t… just do anything. I’m a job snob. I’m now going from a BET series to a huge project with Disney. This pilot season I was really discerning about what I went after and it’s all returned favorably. The ball is in my court.

I always… go back to theatre. That’s the one place I can always play the characters that I don’t necessarily get to play on television or film.

BLACK IS… NOT BACK ON TELEVISION, WE NEVER LEFT. I DON’T WANT IT TO BE RECEIVED LIKE A FAD. THAT WILL ONLY ALLOW AMERICA TO GET BURNED OUT ON US. WE’VE ALWAYS BEEN GRADE A!

I’m learning… L.A., again. I’m a native, but I’ve forgotten how to live in my city because I’ve been working elsewhere for so long. I feel like I need instructions!

I am focused… on resurgence. I have so much that I haven’t shown. Take cover for the tornado of emotions that I am about to unleash dramatically.

I hate… being comfortable with work. Yes, I like to give what the people expect of me—a “read” here and a snap there, but my next goal is to really show my soul. I’m gunning for a drama.

LIFE IS… ART AND I FOSTER IT EVERYDAY THROUGH MY AMAZING GRACE CONSERVATORY. I TEACH TRIPLE THREATS. IT’S ABOUT SUSTAINING WITH SKILL AND SAVVY. WE’VE GROWN FROM STARTING WITH 75 STUDENTS TO EDUCATING OVER 400 YEARLY. JUST DANCE. IT’LL BE OKAY.

Disney… has shown me a whole new world, pardon my pun. It’s like nothing I’ve done before. I even got scanned to a doll.

Caitlyn Jenner… is my hero and her boobs are great!

Black women… don’t play. That’s all I have to say.

The series finale of The Game airs Wednesday August 5, 2015,  at 10 p.m. on BET.


Dr. Dre’s New Album Drops This Week

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Dr. Dre
Anyone still waiting on the eternally anticipated “Detox” album from Dr. Dre might want to let that dream go – but there is a consolation prize. Dr. Dre announced over the weekend that he is finally releasing a new album, “Compton: A Soundtrack” set to debut on iTunes and Apple Music this Friday.

August 7 #Compton

A photo posted by Dr. Dre (@drdre) on

The album was inspired by the N.W.A biopic “Straight Outta Compton,” in theaters August 14.  Dre fans have been waiting for a follow up to his 1999 hit album “2001,” but the producer revealed that it’ll never see the light of day.

Dr. Dre made the announcement on his radio show The Pharmacy this past Saturday. “I didn’t like it. It wasn’t good…I worked my ass off on it and I don’t think I did a good enough job,” he said, referring to the “Detox” and calling “Compton: A Soundtrack” his ‘grand finale.’

Image credits: Getty, Instagram/drdre

Colby C.

Celebrity IG Weekend Recap: Rihanna, LaLa, Meek and More

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Peter Thomas and Cynthia Bailey playing it cool at Uptown Uncorked.

all @jacquieaiche errthang A photo posted by badgalriri (@badgalriri) on

Rihanna basks in the sun.

Just living the beach life 🌴

A photo posted by NeNe Leakes (@neneleakes) on

Nene Leakes does the same…and in a yellow bikini too.

Only one way to spend the 4th anniversary! It’s part of our DNA. Happy Anniversary baby! #myting #4 A photo posted by Wardell Curry (@stephencurry30) on


Steph and Ayesha Curry celebrate their fourth wedding anniversary as everyone should – with a trip to Chik Fil A.

@toyawright @monicabrown 💘

A photo posted by Nicki Minaj (@nickiminaj) on

After her Pinkprint Tour stop in Atlanta, Nicki Minaj parties with Toya Wright and Monica Brown.

Also got to check @brooklynmuseum’s #FaileArt Exhibit with @billboard http://tinyurl.com/of5wlu2 A photo posted by Fabolous (@myfabolouslife) on

Before Fabolous started rapping, he was a high schooler with a knack for drawing so he went back to his artistic roots to see the Faile Art and Basquiat: The Unknown Notebooks exhibits at The Brooklyn Museum.

La Marina all summer….

A photo posted by LaLa (@lala) on

Lala Anthony relaxes on the water at La Marina in New York.

Ronda Rousey celebrates the 34 second knockout that kept her in the number one slot as UFC’s Women’s Bantamweight Champion

Everything about her say keep her! #theD

A photo posted by Meek Mill (@meekmill) on

Meek Mill is wholly unbothered by Drake’s diss track and by everyone who thought the Philly rapper’s response to it was equally weak.

 

Colby C.

Lianne La Havas is Out For Blood

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Lianne La Havas 2015

By Jacinta Howard

Lianne La Havas isn’t really into talking about love. Not right now, anyway. While her 2012 debut album, Is Your Love Big Enough, was chock full of folksy-soul tracks about the complex emotion and all of its ups and downs, her sophomore project, Blood, release July 31, 2015, is about finding her roots and exploring the growth she’s experienced as both a musician and a woman in the past three years.

“I’m in a new phase in my life,” contends the 25-year-old London native, who drew heavy praise from legends like Prince with her acclaimed debut. “There are still songs about love and things that are related to that but the new album was inspired about wanting to talk about something else.”

Lianne La Havas 2015 2

As illustrated on her jazzy-soul single, “Unstoppable” which features a free-spirited La Havas flexing interpretative dance moves in the video, one of he r biggest strengths is her musical elasticity. Fusing elements of soul, jazz, rock and folk, her limber vocal ability has called comparisons to fellow Brit singers, Amy Winehouse and Adele. But her real strength lies in her songwriting ability, where she weaves sophisticated concepts about love and life into simple melodies and delivery.

“I was exploring outside of my comfort zone and found something that actually was very comfortable for me,” she says of penning the new album, adding that she can’t write on the road because she needs to be able to focus solely on making music to spark her creativity. “I made sure that all of the songs were a good feel.”

La Havas says that as with most things in life, knowing yourself is the key to greatness. “I know what I really like and I know what I really don’t like,” she says. The curious should listen closely for a window into her personal life. “I think about that a lot when I’m making music. Certain situations just come across in the lyrics.”

Catch Lianne on tour on one of these dates.

Photo credit: JOHN PAUL PIETRUS

Heard on the Street: Will and Jada Respond to Divorce Rumors

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Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith

“Under normal circumstances, I don’t usually respond to foolishness. (Because it’s contagious) But, so many people have extended me their “deepest condolences” that I figured – “What the hell… I can be foolish, too!”

So, in the interest of redundant, repetitious, over & over-again-ness… Jada and I are…

NOT GETTING A DIVORCE!!!!!!!!!!!!! : -)

I promise you all – if I ever decide to divorce my Queen – I SWEAR I’ll tell you myself!

‪#‎Dumb‬ People Should Have to Wear Scarlet D’s”

Will Smith responds via Facebook to very aggressive rumors reported to RadarOnline from ‘insiders’ that he and wife Jada Pinkett Smith are getting a divorce.

Adding her two cents, Jada weighed in with the following Tweet:

Colby C.

Summer Beauty Faves From Troi Ollivierre

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By Joane Amay, Photo: Mei Tao

Troi Ollivierre is the makeup genius behind some our favorite looks from J.Crew. Here he instructs on how to achieve his signature clean, sophisticated and modern look using some of his fave products—including lipsticks from his recently launched beauty line.
bioderma

Bioderma Sensibio H2O Cleanser and Makeup Remover (8.5oz, $13.95)

“A French favorite: This gently removes makeup and calms the skin as well.”

intensive-moisture-balance_16-02_590x617Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance (1.7oz, $43)

“It’s not greasy and really absorbs into the skin.”

Troi+Ollivierre+-+Lipstick+-+Tube+LOUIS

Troi Ollivierre Beauty Matte Luxe Lipstick in Louis ($28)

“This watermelon shade is gorgeous for the summer. It contrasts magnificently against tanned, radiant skin.”

maybelline great lash waterproof

Maybelline Great Lash Waterproof Mascara in Very Black ($5.39) “To balance out a strong mouth, all you need is a slick of mascara—for an open, wideeyed look.”

rms living luminizer

RMS Living Luminizer ($38)

“I use this magical highlighter to create the most perfect, glowing skin.”

hermese eau dorange verte

Hermès Eau d’Orange Verte Hand and Body Cleansing Gel (10.1 fl .oz, $58)

“In the summer months, use a scented body gel instead of perfume or cologne for a refreshingly light, lingering scent.”

Troi+OllivierreLipstick+-+Tube+PARKER

Beauty Matte Luxe Lipstick in Parker ($28)

“A bright true red that brightens up the face for a pop of color. Tone down the intensity by patting it on with your fingertips instead of putting it on straight from the tube.”

Rihanna, Russell Wilson, FKA Twigs top Vanity Fair’s Best Dressed List

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Today, Vanity Fair announced who made the cut for its 2015 International Best-Dressed List.  The magazine selected fashionable honorees across seven categories: Women, Men, Couples, Hollywood, Originals, Professionals and Hall of Fame.

Here’s the shortlist of black celebrities who made this year’s list.

– Colby C. | Images: Getty

 

Misty Copeland

Misty Copeland

Principal dancer, American Ballet Theatre.

Favorite Designers: “Givenchy, Balmain, Helmut Lang, Cushnie et Ochs, Hervé Léger.”


Rihanna

Rihanna

Singer.

Go to Designers: Giorgio Armani, Tom Ford, Marchesa, Calvin Klein, Stella McCartney.


Mellody Hobson

Mellody Hobson

Investment manager.

Favorite Designers: “Alaïa, Dior, Sacai, Valentino.”

Ike Ude

Iké Udé

Artist, portraitist.

Style Icons: “Emperor Haile Selassie, Edward VIII, Count Robert de Montesquiou, Carolina Herrera, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and my grandfather Paul Osuoji.”


Russell Wilson

Russell Wilson
Quarterback for the N.F.L.’s Seattle Seahawks.


Maxwell Osborne and Dao-Yi Chow

Maxwell Osborne & Dao-Yi Chow

Designers (Public School)

Maxwell’s Favorite Designers: “Yohji Yamamoto, Siki Im, Dao-Yi Chow, Rei Kawakubo, Alexander McQueen, Nike.”


Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Actor.

Favorite Designers: “Carolina Herrera, Lanvin, Oscar de la Renta.”


FKA Twigs

FKA Twigs

Singer- songwriter.

Designers: Cottweiler, Alexander McQueen, Christopher Kane.

 

Check out everyone who made Vanity Fair’s 2015 International Best-Dressed List.

 

By Her Own Design: Letters from Zora

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letters from zora

BY DERRICK HEMPHILL

Zora Neale Hurston is one of the most widely regarded American storytellers of the 20th century, though little is known about the musings of the literary pioneer. In Letters from Zora: In Her Own Words, playwright Gabrielle Denise Pina brings to the stage an empowering one-woman show—starring Vanessa Bell Calloway (What’s Love Got To Do With It?)—that Pina says “connects people to the authentic Zora, not the Zora they think they know.”

The journey started for Pina on a trip to view The Kinsey Collection at the California African American Museum, where the novelist turned playwright came across hundreds of handwritten letters by Huston. Fascinated, she scoured through the correspondence and eventually used them to inform her re-reads of Hurston’s four novels and short stories. After digging through research for more than a year, the University of Southern California graduate decided, “I wanted to make Zora three-dimensional on the stage—a breathing, living entity,” she says. “Zora was a very complex woman. She lived her life by her design, which was unheard of for a woman, especially an African American.”

In the 90-minute piece, there’s communication with her friend and fellow Harlem Renaissance writer Langston Hughes; with her benefactor, Charlotte Osgood Mason; and with her critics, like “Negro National Anthem” composer, James Weldon Johnson. Pina explores race, politics, sexuality and Hurston’s widely celebrated joie de vivre. “You have your secrets and I have mine,” Zora once wrote defiantly to Langston in a letter. Many of Hurston’s contemporaries were critical of her politics and could not fathom a Black woman, of that era, supporting segregation and being a Republican. But as Pina contrasts in Letters, Zora “was brought up in the first incorporated all-black town. In Eatonville everybody was Black.”

This and other surprising anomalies play out as Letters unfolds. By the end of the play, audiences see “what Zora was able to accomplish and the odds that she defied, and when you leave there, you know that you can do anything in your own life.” Letters from Zora runs in Winston-Salem, N.C. on August 5 & 6.


Busta Rhymes Arrested Over Spilled Milk

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busta rhymes

In comparison to throwing punches, drink slinging used to be a less harmful, but effective way of expressing anger. But apparently throwing Muscle Milk at someone will get you arrested – just ask Busta Rhymes.  The 43 year old rapper was arrested on charges of second degree assault Wednesday after allegedly throwing a container of the protein drink during an argument at an NYC gym.

Busta – real name Trevor Tahiem Smith, Jr. – got into an argument with gym attendant at Steel Gym.  The beef supposedly started the day before, because the employee wouldn’t let a cameraman into the weight room to film Busta’s workout.  Yesterday, the two got into an argument when Busta returned to the facility and during the back and forth, he allegedly hurled a container of Muscle Milk at the guy’s head.

Busta was released on his own recognizance last night. He is due in court on November 6.

“It’s stupid,” Rhymes told the Daily News after he was released. His lawyer added, “It’s ridiculous, it was literally a bottle of Muscle Milk.”

Busta posted this Instagram photo as he left the courthouse Wednesday evening, en route to the recording studio to work on his forthcoming album, E.L.E. 2 (Extinction Level Event 2):

Colby C.

Lush Rides: The Epitome of Luxe

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Vehicles that epitomize the luxe lifestyle.
range rover hse

Range Rover HSE

The Range Rover rules. Looking chic and riding high—passing all with an Aladdin-like glide—it is impossible not to feel superior to everyone driving around you. The HSE model— with its full size, body-colored sliding panoramic roof, 10-way climate-controlled seats, blind spot monitoring system and (optional) 22-inch five split-spoke wheels (we say splurge)— will make you feel as if you are road royalty. And the stunning interior (full Oxford perforated seats, leather wrapped steering wheel and three gorgeous wood finishing options: figured Macassar, Grand Black Lacquer and Shadow Walnut) and bold audio system (13-speaker Meridian Audio) make this four wheel drive (MSRP: $96K) even more of a stately experience. —NOAH CHAMBLEE

bmw m4

BMW M4

Allow the scorching summer heat to bronze your face in the all-new, 2015 BMW M4 convertible. An engineering masterpiece, its motorsports technology gives the machine versatility from the track to the highway and it’s capable of achieving 0-60 mph in 4.1 seconds with manual transmission and in 3.9 seconds with the optional 7-speed transmission. From a starting MSRP of $72,500 you can push this ‘vert and chill out knowing that it employs three-temperature neck warmers (for chilly top-down days), an absurd amount of “M” logos (a ’90s throwback, if you will) and a wealth of other luxe and innovative features we’ve come to expect from the legendary German automotive maker. —SATCHEL B. JESTER

Mercedes CL550 Coupe

Mercedes CL550 Coupe

Mercedes, the iconic automotive symbol of elevated status and success in America has achieved what many deemed impossible: it has improved on perfection with the 2015 CLS550. Its gorgeous body (now with a sharper front and handsome, standard 18-inch wheels) moves with a dynamism that evokes both wonder and envy. The 402-horsepower engine and 9-speed automatic transmission ensure a bold ride and the ECO Start/Stop System, along with multi-beam LED front lights, make it both an environmentally friendly and safe one as well. The interior is a study in beauty and extreme ergonomics and the technological advances (from instant connectivity to the surround view camera system) make the CLS550 a tangible dream. —ISOUL HARRIS

Police Shoot 20-Year-Old Man During Michael Brown Memorial Protest

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On Sunday night, a peaceful demonstration to mark the one-year anniversary of Michael Brown’s death erupted in gunfire, and police shot a 20-year-old man in Ferguson, Mo.

The man, who wasn’t identified, was taken to the hospital, reports CNN. Although his condition is unknown, he underwent surgery early Monday morning, according to the news outlet.

Last night’s scene resembled the Ferguson that was embroiled in protest against militarized police after white police officer Darren Wilson shot and killed Mike Brown. St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar told CNN that the police returned fire after the 20-year-old man unleashed a “remarkable amount of gunfire” at police officers. Belmar also said the alleged shooter possessed a stolen handgun.

“We cannot continue, we cannot talk about the good things that we have been talking about, if we are prevented from moving forward with this kind of violence,” Belmar told CNN.

He added that the true protesters weren’t inciting violence.

“Protesters are people who are out there to affect change,” he said. He added there were “several people shooting, several rounds shot,” reports CNN.

Source/Source

[Image: Scott Olson/Getty Images]

Serena Williams Covers ‘New York’ Magazine, Responds To Shooting Of Christian Taylor

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Coming off her fourth U.S. Open win, “athlete of a generation” Serena Williams discusses her next move off the court — growing a fashion empire — with New York magazine.

From New York magazine:

“It’s a little past midnight at HSN headquarters, and Serena Williams is nine minutes into a disquisition on a piece of fabric she’s called “Convertible A-line Top With Scarf,” available to you, the home shopper, for $39.95 or three “flexpays” of $13.32. “It’s like one huge circle that has a lot of style in it,” she says, not without conviction, fiddling with the bottom of the one she is wearing (“This is, um, mustard”), flapping it like a fan, rubbing one hand on her arm, and smoothing her hair. She forgets the names of colors, misstates a price. There with the right number and the right name is HSN savant Bobbi Ray Carter, sheathed in a hot-pink Convertible A-line Top With Scarf and raccooned in black eyeliner, filling in her co-host’s “ums” with the deft patter of a sales professional: “Amazingly transitional, think-fall-think-summer-think-winter-summer-into-fall versatility, quality, surprise scarf.” Bobbi Ray Carter knows how to touch a piece of fabric: She gives it a crisp snap between her fingers, smartly smooths the drape, all the while growing progressively more tense as Serena fumbles some hangers and launches, at 56 minutes, into a long anecdote about packing jeans for Wimbledon. “Mmmm,” says Bobbi Ray Carter, tight-lipped and possibly not breathing, awaiting the arc of Serena’s story to make its mumbly descent — “I felt good packing my own jeans, I had a moment there” — so she can finally change the subject — “And it’s our customer pick!” — and steer us back to the safe harbor of Denim Moto Legging color choices …”

Serena recently took a moment to address her outrage at the police shooting of Texas college football player Christian Taylor, who was unarmed at time of his death.

According to CNN, Taylor, 19, was seen wandering around a car dealership and authorities say he didn’t comply with initial calls to surrender.

The officer who shot the teen multiple times was in the final stages of his field training.

RELATED: Police Shoot 20-Year-Old Man During Michael Brown Memorial Protest

[Image: Norman Jean Roy/New York]

Celebrity IG Weekend Recap: Michael Ealy, Tyra Banks, Kevin Hart and More

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Michael Ealy and Nephew Tommy backstage at the 16th Annual Neighborhood Awards in Atlanta.

#DopePic #HealthIsWealth #HustleHart #R&BalbumCover

A photo posted by kevinhart4real (@kevinhart4real) on

Kevin Hart practices his R&B cover pose while on an island vacation.

What are YOU straight outta? #straightoutta

A photo posted by Tyra Banks (@tyrabanks) on

Instagrammers went crazy in support of Dre’s Compton album drop and the upcoming premiere of N.W.A. biopic Straight Outta Compton and Tyra Banks got in on the action.

Reunited ❤️ @missionofgrace

A photo posted by angelasimmons (@angelasimmons) on

Angela Simmons does some volunteer vacationing at Mission of Grace.

#LennoxMaeMandler loving those sweet potatoes. Chef – @denisevasi -boyardee

A photo posted by amandler (@amandler) on

Former Single Ladies star Denise Vasi chefs up some sweet potatoes for her baby girl.

#sundaydrivin #cali #sunshine ❤️

A photo posted by EVE @therealeve (@therealeve) on

Eve goes out for a sunny Sunday drive in her Rolls Royce.

Malik Yoba grabs some eats at Forrest Point in Bushwick, Brooklyn.

#Boston let’s gooooo!!!

A photo posted by Erica Campbell (@imericacampbell) on

Erica Campbell gets ready for her 2015 Gospelfest set in Boston.

🐒

A photo posted by badgalriri (@badgalriri) on

Rihanna monkeys around on the beach.

Hip-hop has arrived in Portland! @djjazzyjeff #PDX @Serato @adidasoriginals

A photo posted by D-Nice (@djdnice) on

DJ Jazzy Jeff and DJ D-Nice before their Portland stop for The Do Over 10 tour.

 

Colby C.

Obama Assistant Arrested For Firing Shot At Lover

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UPTOWN_barvetta_singletary

A special assistant to President Barack Obama was arrested Aug. 7th after allegedly firing a shot at her lover who is a Capitol Hill police officer.

Police charged Barvetta Singletary, who along with being a special assistant to the President is also a House legislative affairs liaison, with assault and reckless endangerment after she allegedly threatened and shot at the officer with whom she was having sex with, according to arrest records. Singletary has been placed on unpaid leave and her access to the White House has been revoked, a White House spokesperson told CNN on Monday.

Singletary, whose annual salary is $125,000, posted a $75,000 bond and was released from a Prince George’s County, Maryland jail, according to a spokesman from the state attorney’s office.

Here’s how CNN details the events leading up to Singletary’s arrest:

“The incident began early Friday morning after Singletary texted the officer ‘asking him to come to her residence … for sexual intercourse,’ according to charging documents, which classified the incident as domestic violence.

After ‘a brief sexual encounter,’ Singletary began asking the officer about another woman he was dating and tried to access his cell phones.

Singletary then grabbed the officer’s service weapon from a bag and pointed it at him, before firing one round toward him, documents say.

‘You taught me how to use this, don’t think I won’t use it,’ Singletary allegedly said before firing one round, according to the police report. She then allegedly wiped down the gun with a towel.

The Capitol Hill police officer then fled Singletary’s home and called 911, after which Prince George’s county officers arrived at the scene and arrested Singletary.”

Now, the U.S. Capitol Police are investigating the incident, according to a department spokesperson.

Beats, Bars and Bottles with DJ Irie

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dj irie 2

DJ Irie knows his way around a bar. The St. Croix-born, Miami-raised and Jamaica-schooled (reggae star Sean Paul was his roommate in boarding school) spin master suggests that everyone partake in his very own concoction, dubbed “The Turn Up.”“It’s one part vodka and one part Mountain Dew Kickstart Black Cherry and a seat belt optional,” he jokes. However, Arie’s business acumen is no laughing matter: he has launched nearly 10 diff erent successful businesses and counting. We recently caught up with Irie before he jetted off to Miami for his annual philanthropic Irie Weekend and he talked wine, club culture and who would be his ultimate drinking buddy. –By Jacob Williams


moscow mule

What is your go-to drink?

The Moscow Mule. It’s perfect.


stoli

What is the Miami nightlife scene like now as opposed to back in the day?

The rise of bottle culture! Buying a bottle of liquor at a venue is nothing new but the immense fanfare that goes along with it nowadays is totally new. Now, when you buy a table and order a bottle you better brace yourself because here come the sparklers, sirens, a percussion band, scantily clad women holding up letters spelling out your name and oh…the bottle you ordered.


steak

What foods do you enjoy while drinking?

There’s nothing better than chilling at home and enjoying a steak dinner accompanied by a glass of Apothic Red wine. Wine is now the only alcohol I consume at home.


When was the last great time you had out when you were not working?

About a year ago in Los Angeles in Korea Town. I went with some good friends to a Korean BBQ spot for dinner then on a whim we all went to a Korean karaoke place. We were all singing songs that, in public, we might not admit we know ALL the words to.


bob marley

What artist, past or present, would you like to have drinks with?

Bob Marley. But he wasn’t a drinker, so it would be more of having some deep conversation while I enjoy my drink and he enjoys his spliff .


Fired Officer Who Fatally Shot Christian Taylor Exercised ‘Poor Judgment’

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Christian Taylor, Arlington Police Officer Brad Miller

Arlington Police Officer Brad Miller has been fired for “exercising poor judgment” in the fatal shooting of 19-year-old Christian Taylor.

The 49-year-old recruit, who was still in training, used deadly force on the unarmed Taylor while reporting to a break-in at the Classic Buick GMC dealership at 1:06 a.m. Friday, NBC reports.

Arlington Police Chief Will Johnson explained to reporters Tuesday that Miller entered the dealership building alone without telling other officers and, as a result, set into motion a chain of events that lead to the fatal shooting of Taylor.

Like most police officers involved in fatal shootings of unarmed Black and brown people, Miller told investigators that he feared for his safety and thought Taylor would overpower him. He also said that he believed he was alone, even though his training officer, Cpl. Dale Wiggins, was four feet away, said Johnson, who added that Miller brought this feeling on himself.

UPTOWN_will_johnson

Arlington Police Chief Will Johnson

“This fear and feeling of isolation was the result of his poor decision to enter the building without assistance and without an arrest plan,” Johnson said.

Miller ignored orders to set up a perimeter and entered the dealership on his own when he saw the Jeep Taylor had allegedly crashed into a showroom door. He didn’t tell the other officers on the scene.

Johnson said that decision put Miller and the other officers in danger, and by the time Wiggins joined Miller, Taylor was allegedly cursing and moving towards Miller in a threatening manner, according to NBC.

When Wiggins heard a “pop,” he thought Miller has used his Taser stun gun, but actually the recruit had fired his service weapon, Johnson explained. He drew and used his own stun gun, and Miller fired three more times at Taylor, said Johnson.

Taylor never made physical contact with Miller, and it is believed the officer was only seven to 10 feet away from the teen when he fatally shot him. Johnson said the officers believed a bulge in Taylor’s shorts pocket could have been a weapon, but it turned out to be his wallet and cell phone.

“This is an extraordinarily difficult case,” Johnson said. “Decisions were made that have catastrophic outcomes.”

The criminal investigation continues and is expected to last several weeks. The case will be forwarded to the district attorney’s office for consideration and submission to a grand jury, said Johnson. Miller’s supervising officer will not be disciplined.

Source

Heard On The Street: Beverly Johnson Describes Overdosing, Using Drugs To Stay Thin

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UPTOWN_beverly_johnson_the_face_that_change_it_all

“It felt like my heart was going to come out of my chest. You think you just want to lie down but that’s when you die. My boyfriend threw me in the cold shower, shoes and all, and made me drink a whole carton of milk and I stabilized. I’m lucky to be alive.”

— Beverly Johnson details how her then-boyfriend saved her from dying of an overdose of cocaine in 1983, in her new memoir The Face That Changed It All, which is available for pre-order now. The first Black supermodel to cover Vogue also explained the lengths she and her fellow models went to in order to stay thin.

“I was eating nothing, zero. I drank black coffee, a sip of broth if things got tough, and in the evening, a glass of champagne as a pick me up. We didn’t even drink water. We thought it was was fattening …

“The skinner you were, the more fabulous you were. Drug use was encouraged. It was like ‘Oh my god, you are chiseled to the bone.’ All of the things you needed to be a high class model: high cheekbones, bright eyes, that was all provided by the drugs. It was like being offered a drink. It was one of the perks. People around us always had it. We thought it was glamorous and expensive, but it was all a delusion.”

Sherri Shepherd Lands New Cooking Show

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sherri shepherd new show holy and hungry 2

Because selling out of her wig line on QVC and her View return weren’t enough to keep her busy, Sherri Shepherd has another television project launching this month – and this one is food related.  Shepherd is the new host of Cooking Channel’s Holy and Hungry.

She will travel across the across the country meeting people who combine food with faith, who “will share their recipes, open their hearts and welcome Sherri into their fun and food-filled worlds.”

Don’t think that she’ll just be visiting church kitchens for post-service lunches.  The  premiere episode description reveals Shepherd sampling divine plates from preacher-chefs, tasting sacred sweets, and discovering fast-food with a kosher twist.

From Cooking Channel:

At Hush Bistro in Farmingdale, NY, Sherri dines on the preacher/chef’s signature dish, Adam’s Rib; in Staten Island, she visits Holy Schnitzel, the mecca for fast food inspired kosher fare; at Veniero’s Pastry, Sherri makes the Sfingi, a sacred sweet; and at Manhattan’s famous Riverside Church, Sherri is inspired by the Jesus & Mary Biscuits from Grits to Grace Supper Club.

 

Watch a clip from the new show here:

Holy and Hungry premieres on Cooking Channel, August 23, 10 et.

We Now Have A Black James Bond … Sort Of

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For years there has been speculation that Idris Elba would be the next actor to step into 007’s designer shoes, but another British actor will take on the role first. David Oyelowo will be the first well-known Black James Bond … sort of …

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The acclaimed actor who played Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the critical success Selma will lend his voice to the audiobook for the latest Bond novel, Trigger Mortis, by Anthony Horowitz. Oyelowo, 39, will portray 007 and other characters in the recording.

While the idea of a Black James Bond has been controversial, Oyelowo says he’s received the blessing of original author Ian Fleming‘s estate.

“I was asked specifically by the Fleming estate, which is really special,” he said to The Guardian. “I am officially the only person on planet Earth who can legitimately say ‘I am the new James Bond’ … even saying that name is the cinematic equivalent of doing the ‘to be or not to be’ speech.”

However, Oyelowo is no stranger to the controversy that is created when a Black actor appears in a role usually reserved for a white person. He was hated for entering “a realm that is not [his] to enter” when he appeared as Henry VI in the Royal Shakespeare Company.

“[One academic] said that we open ourselves to ridicule if we allow Black people to play English kings when English kings have never been Black. But I’ve never seen an Egyptian play Cleopatra,” said Oyelowo to the news outlet.

Though he’s voicing Bond and other characters on the Trigger Mortis recording, Oyelowo says Elba would be perfect as Bond.

Elba was “a titan on screen, he has all the qualities that you’d want in a James Bond,” Oyelowo said.

“Because films and TV affect culture, a Black Bond would be a cultural event, a statement, beyond just entertainment,” he added.

Oyelowo is the second, albeit more famous, Black actor to play Bond. Hugh Quarshie read the audiobook version of Dr. No in 2012.

Trigger Mortis will be released on Sept. 8, 2015.

Source

Heard On The Street: Dr. Dre Addresses Allegations Of Abuse Of Women

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“I made some fucking horrible mistakes in my life. I was young, fucking stupid. I would say all the allegations aren’t true – some of them are. Those are some of the things that I would like to take back. It was really fucked up. But I paid for those mistakes, and there’s no way in hell that I will ever make another mistake like that again.”

— Dr. Dre opens up to Rolling Stone about assaulting TV host Dee Barnes in 1991 and recent allegations he abused singer Michel’le, who was engaged to the rapper in the Nineties. The NWA biopic Straight Outta Compton and Dr. Dre have been criticized for glossing over his past maltreatment of women.

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