By Bageot Dia

For at least six people, taking a selfie put them in grave or fatal danger. Why? Well, some folks are constantly on the quest to snap the most extreme selfie, whether that be posing with a gun (never a good idea) or climbing to the highest peak reachable. This perilous picture-taking craze is asinine. Who wants their tombstone to read: “Gone too soon thanks to a selfie”? No one. So let these true tales of taking risky selfies be a warning to you and those you love.

1. In 2016, a 43-year-old man accidentally shot himself while taking a selfie with his phone. According to victim’s girlfriend, the weapon was loaded and unloaded throughout portions of the day. Yet a single, fatal bullet remained in the chamber by the time the selfie was taken.

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2. Pilot Amritpal Singh, 29, happened to take a selfie during takeoff, prompting the fatal distraction that took his life, along with his passenger’s. Federal rules prohibit the use of cell phones or other electronics while on duty. But given Singh’s position as a private pilot, for a private plane, he was exempt from such restrictions.

[Image: Adams County Sheriff’s Office]

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3. Oscar Otero Aguilar, 21, happened to be drinking with friends when he decided to pick up a .45 caliber pistol and pose with it for a selfie. He accidentally pulled the trigger.

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4. Selfie-obsessed Anna Ursu, 18, attempted to take a “special selfie” on top of a locomotive. Unfortunately, she touched a live wire, which caused her to burst into flames. She suffered burns on 50 percent of her body and passed away at the hospital shortly after.

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5. Hideto Ueda, 66, was taking photos on the top steps of the Taj Mahal’s Royal Gate, when he fell down the staircase in an attempt to take a selfie. He couldn’t be revived. The primary cause of death was heart attack.

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6. The Placer County Sheriff’s Office posted the following message on its Facebook page: “You can lose your life and none of that is worth a selfie!” The message is well justified. In early-April, a woman fell off California’s highest bridge, the Foresthill Bridge, while taking a selfie. The actual structure is 730 feet tall. The woman lost her footing and fell 60 feet. She was knocked unconscious, but likely survived her injuries. But the entire incident speaks volumes, as police have started patrolling the popular area for thrill-seeking selfie-takers.

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Age clearly isn’t a deterrent when it comes to dangerous selfie-taking. Some of these victims of our self-obsessed culture were old enough to know better.

By Khalil Waldron

Let’s hop in a time machine and go back to the summer of 2001. The Fast and the Furious, a sleek racing film with undertones of an action and crime drama, sped into theaters to mixed reviews from critics, but adored by fans. With the makings of a cult classic, the starting point of the franchise operates as a faint memory in the present day atmosphere it established, in which we are fortunate enough to get a new sequel every two years or so.

After flirting with it for the past few films, The Fate of the Furious showcases our protagonists fully delving into the fantastical realm of cheesy, soap opera-style, dramatic dialogue, and over the top stunts to match. With no sign of them stopping any time soon, it is clear that everything we have seen thus far in the franchise has been leading up to this, literally, figuratively, and aesthetically. You’ll see homages to the franchise’s earlier films sprinkled throughout, but will get the sense that the racing roots are definitely gone for good, as Vin Diesel and company are accepting their fate.

After another high stakes black ops mission the Fast and Furious team go against their greatest challenge yet, Dominic Toretto. The pack burns plenty of rubber in this grudge match against their alpha male, a storyline that I’m sure left you wondering how much longer they’re going to keep doing this, when you saw the trailer. Franchise regulars such as Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, and Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, and relative newcomer Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson thrive in their respective roles as the film seamlessly switches between action, comedy, and drama.

While you’re sure to enter theaters wondering how 16 years later the franchise is still taking your money while plenty of other stretched out sequels crash and burn, you’ll leave with an answer. The film’s heart, the Toretto family that is at the epicenter of each film, keeps us coming back. We are attached to them as if they were our own relatives. The Fate of the Furious doesn’t run away from what it has become while simultaneously acknowledging from where it came. A well thought out follow up after the tragic loss of one of their own, Paul Walker, the film franchise shows us that it can still thrive without the high grossing bromance that is Dominic Toretto and Brian O’Connor.

As The Fate of the Furious rushes into theaters today, April 14th, the only question that remains is where do we go from here? Space?

The students of Dear White People‘s Winchester University are back on campus finding their identities and forging their own paths, while addressing the racial tensions bubbling at their Ivy League school.

The satirical series picks up where Justin Simien‘s 2014 film of the same name left off — millennial students of color navigating their way through social injustice, cultural bias, political incorrectness, and activism.

Joining the new class are Logan Browning as Sam White, Antoinette Robertson as Colandrea “Coco” Robertson, DeRon Horton as Lionel Higgins, and John Patrick Amedori as Gabe. Returning for the semester are Brandon P. Bell as Troy Fairbanks, Ashley Blaine Featherson as Joelle Brooks, and Marque Richardson as Reggie Green.

Dear White People, the series, hits Netflix exclusively on April 28th. You’re going to want to tune in!

Official synopsis: “Twenty-five years after the verdict in the Rodney King trial sparked several days of protests, violence and looting in Los Angeles, LA 92, a new feature documentary from National Geographic Documentary Films, immerses viewers in that tumultuous period through stunning and rarely seen archival footage. Produced by two-time Oscar winner Simon Chinn (Man on Wire) and Emmy winner Jonathan Chinn (American High) and directed by Oscar winners Dan Lindsay and TJ Martin (Undefeated), the film looks at the events of 1992 from a multitude of vantage points, bringing a fresh perspective to a pivotal moment that reverberates to this day.”

LA 92 will premiere at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival on April 21st, and its broadcast debut will air on National Geographic on April 30 at 9/8c.

Ah, Spa Week, that “treat yo self” period that comes around twice a year during which spas nationwide offer beauty treatments for only $50. In celebration of Spa Week, we spoke to Cleo C. of New York’s Le Bon Skin Lab (787 Lexington Ave.) to get all the details on the Le Bon Customized Facial. This beauty treatment, which employs PCA Skin products, normally costs $120, a steal by NYC standards, but will be only 50 bucks for the rest of April.

UPTOWN: What are the steps during the Le Bon Customized Facial?
Le Bon Skin Lab: Our Customized Facial includes deep cleansing, steam, facial massage, custom treatment, extractions, and ends with a custom mask based on your skin condition.

U: What are the ways the facial can be customized?
LBSL: The facial can be customized based on the treatments and the liquid mask applied at the end. For treatments, you can either get the microdermabrasion, ultrasound, enzyme peel, or deep pore detox, depending on what your skin needs. The liquid mask is also determined by your skin condition, such as aging skin, acne[-prone] skin, or dehydrated skin.

U: How do you decide which treatment to use, in order to customize the facial?
LBSL: All treatment will be determined by the estheticians, who each have 10+ years of experience. If your skin is dull and thick, you may get the microdermabrasion or the enzyme peel. If you have a lot of blackheads, you may get the deep pore detox. If you’re skin is thin and dehydrated, the ultrasound would be the best.

U: How often do you recommend your clients receive a facial?
LBSL: We recommend everyone get a facial once a month. Most people’s skin cells regenerate every 28 days, so one month is a good start for [someone] who wants to maintain a healthy, beautiful skin.

U: Are Spa Week appointments still available?
LBSL: We are expending our Spa Week promotion until the end of April, but the appointments are booked pretty fast so, book soon.

Be sure to check out the Le Bon Skin Lab website because the spa offers much more than facials. The estheticians expertly apply special occasion makeup, permanent makeup, facial peels, and a variety of massages.

[Images: Le Bon Skin Lab]

This article was originally published in 2012

by Uri Vaknin

When it comes to painting, Barkley L. Hendricks is indisputably the creator of cool. His 2008 traveling retrospective, Birth of the Cool, took its title from the 1957 Miles Davis compilation of the same name. “You don’t decide to be hip, it just happens that way,” said Hendricks, who has inspired many younger artists, including überstar Kehinde Wiley and international phenom Fahamu Pecou—both of whom look to Hendricks as a primary influence. He was the vanguard who gave them the conceptual framework with which to see not just portraiture, but the black body.

Hendricks, born in Phildelphia in 1945, came of age in the art world when abstraction and minimalism were all the rage. While at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, he received travel scholarships to Europe and North Africa, where he became painfully aware of the lack of black representation in Western art. In 1971, while he was attaining his MFA at Yale, his work was curated into his first major museum exhibition, Contemporary Black Artists in America, at the Whitney Museum of American Art.

In a definitive reference to Blaxploitation, his images—portrayals of black people as seen from within—are raw, realistic, and liberating. With names like Sweet Thang (Lynn Jenkins), Michael BPP (Black Panther Party), Slick (self-portrait), and Dr. Kool, his paintings depict real-life characters.

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Despite his numerous significant exhibitions, New York City gallery representation, acquisitions by major museums, a teaching position at Connecticut College, and even an inclusion in the paradigm shifting exhibition Black Male: Representations of Masculinity in Contemporary American Art in 1994 at the Whitney, he never gained the same level of notoriety as his peers. But he was celebrated. At the Black Male exhibition, Hendricks’ work accompanied pieces by Robert Mapplethorpe, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Glenn Ligon. In an otherwise scathing review of the exhibition in The New York Times, Hendricks’ paintings are singled out: “Their forthright depictions of black men are a high point of the show, and nothing else quite like them is in it.”

Trevor Schoonmaker, the curator of Birth of the Cool, sums it up best: “[His] groundbreaking work is as fresh today as it was 30 to 40 years ago, and a generation of young artists is deeply indebted to him.”

J.Period

Mixtape DJ and Hip-Hop producer J.Period tapped an all-star team for his “Rise Up” single off the EP of the same title. The new track features Black Thought of The Roots, Posdnuos of De La Soul, Pharoahe Monche, and Joss Stone.

The single aims to answer the questions: What does it mean to rise up and what does it mean to resist?

“’Rise Up’ is very necessary. Point blank. It speaks to the current political climate in this country in a way that is clear and articulate,” said Black Thought in a press release. “Projects like this are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the sort of creative push-back that is yet to come out of such absurdly turbulent times.”

Take a listen:

Rise Up, the EP, is inspired by the EPIX original docuseries America Divided and was created in collaboration with The Playlist Retreat. It will be available on May 2nd, and also features Jesse Williams, Aloe Blacc, Rhymefest, Xzibit, Eric Roberson, Jazzy Jeff, and more.

[Image: Sound Cloud]

“My Dearest Baby,
You gave me the strength I didn’t know I had. You taught me the true meaning of serenity and peace. I can’t wait to meet you. I can’t wait for you to join the players box next year. But most importantly, I am so happy to share being number one in the world with you…. once again today. On @alexisohanian[‘s] bday. from the world’s oldest number one to the world’s youngest number one. -Your Mommy”

— Serena Williams reveals the ambitions she has for her unborn baby while posting a touching message about her pregnancy experience. The news that Williams and boyfriend Alexis Ohanian were expected their first child broke last week. The tennis pro is 20 weeks pregnant, which means she was pregnant when she won the Australian Open in January. Williams and Ohanian became engaged in December 2016.

RELATED: Who Is Serena Williams’s Fiancé, Alexis Ohanian?

[Image: Instagram]

By Chinwe Ugoezi

The year was 2002. A 15-year-old Mario Barrett came into the scene with his debut single “Just a Friend,” a soulful ear-grabbing adolescent twist on Biz Markie’s late-1980s hit. During the cornrow phase of the early-2000s, the Baltimore-born singer released “Braid My Hair,” and in 2004 his hit single “Let Me Love You” showed us that not only were his vocals smooth, his music was timeless.

Mario continued to progress and proved his triple threat status with acting roles in Step Up (2006) and Freedom Writers (2007). He displayed his versatility, pleasantly surprising us with hip-hop infused tracks like “Break Up” and “Somebody Else” featuring Nicki Minaj.

The R&B star who is gearing up to release his fifth studio album, Cosmos 17, chatted with UPTOWN about his lengthy departure from the spotlight, how he’s evolved as an artist, starting his own record label, and more.

UPTOWN: Your last studio album was eight years ago. Let us know what you’ve been doing while you were out of the scene.
Mario: I recorded a whole album with RCA before I left them about a year and a half ago. It never came out due to them having different perspectives musically on where I was going. The single I put out with Nicki Minaj, “Somebody Else,” was actually the last record on that label. I was gonna put a whole album out with that, but it didn’t work out so I decided to leave RCA to start my own label and take the independent route. I’m inspired again to get back out there and share with my fans.

U: I heard your new single “Let Me Help You,” which I really like. What inspired you to record the song?
M: I felt like the song and the perspective of the song is very familiar to my fans, even though the album that I’m making is kind of a different direction. That particular song I felt like was a good entry way to take my fans on a date again before we start making love. That’s pretty much what that single is used for. I’m definitely excited about it.

U: I know last year the album was called Paradise Cove. What made you change it to Cosmos 17?
M: I changed the title from Paradise Cove to Cosmos 17 because the vibe was different, more futuristic, and more along the lines of where I was mentally and creatively.

When I was recording Paradise Cove I was traveling a lot and I was not in one place recording and that title just came to my mind. When most people think of Paradise Cove, they probably think about an island, or like linen and button downs, or something sexy. My perspective of Paradise Cove was different of what people would get from it, so I had to change the title because it didn’t really represent what the songs would be about.

U: How many songs have you recorded?
M: For this project? I can easily say I recorded — just for this project — over 150 songs easy.

U: That’s crazy, you have like compilation albums worth of material.
M: Easy. And it’s funny because I was talking to Congress at Grammy’s On The Hill, which is an annual advocacy event that Congress does to talk about music policies, copywriting, and licensing. We were talking about how artists don’t really get paid as much as they should and trying to push these laws through. We talked about how artists wouldn’t mind releasing a lot of music if the laws were together. They would know they would be paid for the music they dropped. It’s funny that you asked that because that was the topic.

U: How do you feel like you’ve evolved since we last heard you?
M: I feel like I’ve evolved tremendously as a writer, as a thinker outside of music, even as a producer. I’ve evolved into a person who looks at the world outside of the box and not inside of the box. I think that has a lot to do with my departure away from the game. I just felt like everything was becoming so synthetic. You almost had to sell your soul to have success. I didn’t feel like it was time for me to reinvent the wheel when it came to my music yet. I think now people are ready for something fresh and a new perspective in R&B, and that’s what I’m gonna do on this project.

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[Image: Hao Zeng]

U: I know you have a new label you created, New Citizen. What does that mean to you?
M: It definitely has compound meanings. New Citizen represents your personal growth, it represents the coming, the upgrade of your old self. It represents creative expression, and understanding that us as creatives on any level is a God-given gift. With what’s going on in the world right now, I feel like it’s time to become New Citizens with our own personal universe. Take that how you will, but I feel like that’s where it came from for me. I see New Citizen bigger than just music. I think that as people see how I’ve grown as a young man now, as a creative, they will see his perspective is beyond just music and beyond just the norm of what’s happening in music right now. So that’s what New Citizen represents. Even the type of artists that I’m looking to sign are free-thinkers, very eclectic, very creative. If I could open up a school for free-thinkers I would be the Xavier of the music industry.

U: You’ve been in the game literally half your life at this point. What’s one of the biggest lessons you learned in your 20s?
M: One of the biggest lessons that I can think of today is life is really about experience and using your experiences as reference and always being present in the moment. The gift is in the moment. I think that we future trip so much about success or money or relationships or this or that, but life is really about being in the moment and being authentic and experiencing whatever it is you need to experience. If it’s pain, experience the pain. If it’s pleasure, ah man, stay in it, be in it all the way. If it’s love give your all to it. There’s a gift in the present moment that I feel like is the ultimate future in the long run.

U: So for this project, do you have any featured artists or is it just you?
M: Definitely working on having features. We are like 95 percent finished with the project so now I’m working on creating a sound that’s fresh and new. I got a few main producers that I’m working with. One of them is Pham from Poland. Another one is Ryan McDermott. Once I get the body of work done, then I’ll work on the features last. Being an independent artist it’s a little bit different in the features game because there’s so much politics. I’m not really a politics guy. I wanna make music that my fans love and make a project that puts me in my own lane.

U: What new artists are on your radar right now?
M: There’s this artist name 6lack, some people call him Black. I love his music, I bought his album called Free 6lack. It’s hard, I love his perspective and production. I really like artists that do their own thing. I like some of the hip-hop out too, Lil Uzi Vert, Travis Scott. There’s an artist named H.E.R. she has great R&B. I search the internet and it’s exciting to see all the new artists doing their thing. I got an intro to my album that I would love Kendrick Lamar to get on. He’s the only person I can really hear on it. Maybe it’s something we could put together later. He’s an artist I would love to work with. Kid Cudi, Big Sean, and Jhene Aiko. These are some things I’m trying to put together.

U: Are you going to get more into directing? I saw that you kinda dabbled into that with your “I Need More” video. It was a dope concept.
M: Both videos were concepts me and the director that I work with put together and we shot it. I think naturally I’m just a creative individual. It’s something I would love to do even for other artists. Yea, that’s something I’m going to get into more, as well as acting. When it comes to television, [I] definitely got a lot of offers to do reality shows but I’m not really in that space. As far as film, if it’s a good project I’m open to it.

U: Can we expect any tours from you this year?
M: Yeah, for sure. I tour worldwide. Right now I have an Asian tour set up for possibly June. I think I’m gonna tour in the U.S. towards the end of the year, once the album comes out and people are familiar with the music. Maybe towards the end of the year around the holidays. I’ll still be doing spot dates, and and radio shows, and promo shows. I wanna tour when I have new music. I think my fans deserve to hear fresh new shit that they can rock to. The next single that I’m deciding on is probably one of the most prolific singles I’ve ever done in my career, in terms of production and sonically. It’s definitely a movie and it’s special.

Keep up with Mario and his music by following him on Instagram and Twitter.

[Image: Hao Zeng]

Entertainment legend and recording artist Snoop Dogg is about to drop another banger just in time for the summer. His latest album Neva Left will be released on May 19th.

In anticipation for the album that will be distributed by EMPIRE, the rapper has released the album cover art, which “repurposes a classic photograph from the unforgettable ‘Doggystyle’ era from photographer Chi Modu,” according to a press release.

Neva Left promises to highlight Snoop’s musical evolution after decades in the game, pay tribute to his West Coast roots, and celebrate his legacy. In addition, the album will feature the big-name collaborations fans have come to expect from Snoop.

“Throughout the years, I’ve had my hands in a lot of different projects, but music has always remained at my core. This album reflects every phase of me throughout my career,” said Snoop Dogg in a press release. “I’m excited for y’all to hear this new project that highlights the evolution of the Dogg.”

The album is available now for pre-order and comes with the instant-gratification track “Mount Kushmore” (ft. Redman, Method Man, and B-Real).

If there was one style philosophy Beyoncé embraces when she’s pregnant, it would have to be to show off the baby bump instead of trying to hide it.

Don’t think for a minute that Bey has traded in her stilettos and body-conscious dresses for house shoes and muumuus, even if she’s carrying twins.

Beyoncé looked to be about 20 weeks in February when she revealed that she and Jay Z were adding to their family. Even though her due date is fast approaching, she still brings the sexy and fabulous to every event she attends.

Let’s take a look.

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[Images: Instagram]

Some might argue that Bey swagger jacked Lupita Nyong’o when she donned this Gucci gown for the Beauty and the Beast premiere, but we think both ladies owned the dress and made it their own.

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An LBD works for every occasion, even if you’re carrying babies on board.

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Blush, cream, suede, and metallic pops in the form of accessories are always a winning combination.

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There’s no hiding a pregnancy in a body-conscious midi dress.

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Even when she wears something less form-fitting, Beyoncé still works her sex appeal thanks to a pair of thigh-high boots.

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Always on-trend, Bey embraced the statement sleeve this Easter. The detail helped balance out the fullness around her midsection.

[Image: Tina Thuell]

Sometimes you need a vacation after your vacation. If you’re looking for a chill spot, consider the tiny island of Nevis. Situated in the Leeward Islands of the Caribbean, Nevis is only 36 square miles in size and home to some 12,000 people. Remember your mother told you good things come in small packages, that certainly is the case with Nevis.

Mount Nevis, a 3,232 feet high dormant volcano always surrounded by mist, is magical. Then there is the vibrant blues and greens of the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The constant sunshine is oh-so sweet. When you take the short water taxi ride from sister island St. Kitts to Nevis, the anticipation builds. You won’t be disappointed.

There’s nothing big city about Nevis, with its rolling countryside, wild donkeys, goats, chickens, cows, and green vervet monkeys.

Beautiful beaches are plentiful and so are the excursions. Check out Nisbet, Pinney, Oualie, Lovers’, Newcastle, or Windward beaches. You can’t go wrong. For the adventurous, Scuba Safaris out of Oualie Beach offers a variety of dives. You can also snorkel the reefs, and look for sea turtles. Surf, jet ski, set out for a day of fishing, take a sunset cruise, horseback ride on Pinney’s Beach, or simply stroll the shores with your honey.

Hikers love climbing to the peak of Mount Nevis. Rookies need not bother. But there’s something for you too, hike to the waterfalls. You’ll still have bragging rights back home. You’ll be surprised how tight you grip the ropes that keep you on your feet while winding your way through the forest. It’s big fun. Get your heart racing and enjoy the serenity of being enveloped in greenery. This is what you came for — to see and conquer. If you’re more of a walker, go to The Botanical Gardens of Nevis. There are five-acre gardens with tropical plants from around the world, dolphin fountains, cascades, water lilies, over 100 species of palm, orchids, and more. Hungry? Head upstairs to Oasis in the Gardens Restaurant for a spectacular view of the island and authentic Thai food.

[Image: Tina Thuell]

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[Image: Tina Thuell]

History buffs, Nevis is where you’ll find Cottle Church, the first church in the Caribbean built for all people, regardless of color, to worship together. The Broadway hit Hamilton has Alexander Hamilton in the spotlight. His birthplace is Nevis. On the waterfront, near the heart of Charlestown, the nation’s capital founded in 1600, is Hamilton House, a Georgian-style building that is the site where he was born and raised, and today is the Alexander Hamilton Museum. Walk around Charlestown and the past is ever present. The Jewish Cemetery is one of the oldest in the Caribbean, with graves dating back to 1679. The Nevis Slave Market from the 1670s was where newly arrived enslaved Africans were sold to plantation owners from various islands.

You won’t find a lot of traditional night life and you won’t care. There are great restaurants and many have live music. On Thursday night, the action is at Coconuts, the beach side restaurant at Nisbet Plantation Beach Club. The cocktail hour is hearty, and the BBQ a feast. The outrageous array of desserts will put you on sugar overload if you get carried away. Dance to live music if your belly’s not too full. Wherever you are in Nevis, excellent food is near. Lime Beach Bar & Grill is popular, as is Sunshines Beach Bar & Grill, famous for its Killer Bee. Try one, two or more and you may pay the price.

[Image: Nisbet Plantation Beach Club]

We wouldn’t want to belong to a family that goes through as much drama as the Greenleafs, but that doesn’t mean we don’t enjoy watching their trials and tribulations play out on our TV screens every Wednesday night.

If you’re fans like us, then you’re going to love the sneak peek of tonight’s Greenleaf episode, titled “Born to Trouble.” It’s been about a year since Grace Greenleaf (Merle Dandridge) stormed back into Memphis to attend her sister Faith’s memorial, and avenge her death. Now, the anniversary of Faith’s death has come around and GG still hasn’t been successful in bringing Mac (Greg Alan Williams) to justice. Meanwhile, Charity (Deborah Joy Winans) is dealing with the guilt from divorcing Kevin (Tye White), and Jacob (Lamman Rucker) is still in bed with shady Triumph Pastor Basie Skanks (Jason Dirden). Their plan for Triumph Two is dealt another blow when they receive bad news about finances.

Take a peek at the new Greenleaf episode below.

Grace discusses Mac with her parents:

Greenleaf airs on OWN tonight at 10 p.m.

[Image: Instagram]

Some of your favorite 1990s Hip-Hop acts are headlining the Ship-Hop Cruise, which will set sail next year from January 11th through 15th.

The lineup seems to offer something for everyone who grew up jamming to ’90s Hip-Hop, R&B, and pop. Salt-N-Pepa, Naughty by Nature, and Vanilla Ice will headline the ’90s-themed cruise that will also feature performances from Blackstreet, Kid ‘N Play, Coolio, Color Me Badd, Sisqo, Tone Loc, Biz Markie, Young MC, Rob Base, All-4-One, C+C Music Factory, and DJ Kool.

The Ship-Hop Cruise will travel from Miami to Key West to Cozumel, Mexico.

Guests will have the opportunity to attend meet and greets with the performers. In addition, the cruise, which is an extension of the I Love the 90’s Tour, will feature other activities, theme nights, and more.

Tickets for the Ship-Hop Cruise went on sale this afternoon at ShipHop.com.

It’s only been two days since we dissected Beyoncé’s awesome pregnancy style, and the soon-to-be mother of three has hit us with another amazing, baby bump-highlighting look. But there’s even better news: Beyoncé’s Halston Heritage dress is on sale!

The Queen wore the crimson-colored look to a birthday dinner for Roc Nation SVP Lenny Santiago in Los Angeles. However, it would be equally appropriate for a black-tie or garden wedding this summer.

The Heritage line is Halston’s more “affordable” brand. The dress with cape-like sleeves, low V-neck, and a high slit originally retailed for $395, but is now on sale for $237 in sizes 0-6 (8-14 unfortunately has sold out).

Beyoncé went completely high-end for her shoes and other accessories, choosing $860 Prada heels, a $1,250 Yves Saint Laurent handbag, and chandelier earrings that definitely do not look like costume jewelry.

We bet the Flowy Crepe Gown will sell out soon now that Queen Bey rocked it, so you better head to Halston.com STAT.

RELATED: Star Style: Beyoncé Shows Off Her Baby Bump

“I always felt akin to Black people, always,” said Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler after daughter Liv Tyler told him about their African-American ancestors.

Liv learned of their ancestral history on TLC’s Who Do You Think You Are?. She was elated to discover their ancestor Robert Elliott, her great-great-great-great-grandfather, was part Black. (During the late-1700s and 1800s, Elliott was identified as a mulatto, according to a newspaper article and census data.) However, what excited the actress mostly was the fact that Elliott was a musician. He was a drummer boy during the Siege of Plattsburgh, which is also known as the Battle of Lake Champlain and occurred in September 1814 during the War of 1812.

Elliott passed his musical skill down to his son George Elliott and perhaps Steven. George. George served as a drummer during the Civil War, and was present at the Battle of Antietam on Sept. 17, 1862 and the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863. Before fronting one of the most popular bands ever, Steven also got his start as a drummer.

Liv visited the Smithsonian where a drummer played for her a selection of music that George likely played on the battlefield. She was moved to tears.

Who Do You Think You Are? airs on Sundays on TLC at 10 p.m.

[Main image: Instagram]

Source

Ja Rule has issued an apology after the so-called luxury concert he helped organize in The Bahamas was canceled.

“I’m heartbroken at this moment. My partners and I wanted this to be an amazing event … I don’t know how everything went left but I’m working to make it right by making sure everyone is refunded,” wrote Rule in a Twitter message.

The Frye Festival was supposed to take place over two weekends beginning today, April 28th, on the island of Exumas, but organizers had to cancel the event.

It was billed as a high-end affair with non-VIP attendees shelling out $12,000 per ticket. However, accommodations were far from luxurious. People took to social media upon their arrival Thursday to complain about the lodgings and food. Guests were expected to stay in tents with folding chairs and tables. They also said the five-star cuisine was actually a sandwich containing a few slices of cheese and a salad in Styrofoam containers. And their luggage was thrown from a shipping container in the dark of night.

A view of the luxury food court with some luxury school bus transportation at Fyre Festival. #fyre #fyrefestival pic.twitter.com/XL3PtRw8q0

— William N. Finley IV (@WNFIV) April 28, 2017

It seems the organizers also oversold the event. Some concertgoers never even made it to the festival site because the island was considered to be filled to capacity. Flights from Miami were grounded.

Advertisements for the Frye Festival said Blink-182, Migos, Major Lazers, and more would perform. However, Blink-182 canceled their appearance, and it’s not even clear whether the other acts were scheduled to perform.

Organizers initially said on Twitter that they were working to improve the disappointing conditions, but they canceled the entire event this morning. Now they’re working “tirelessly” to get all attendees home safely. Hopefully, they won’t have to spend another night sleeping outside in a tent and eating what amounts to free school lunch.

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[Image: Twitter/Twitter]

Press release:

ENTERTAINMENT ICON, SNOOP DOGG, DROPS COOLAID: THE MOVIE ON ITUNES

The Autobiographical Movie Is The Visual Companion Piece to Recent Album

Los Angeles – April 28, 2017 – Today, Snoop Dogg officially dropped his autobiographical movie, COOLAID: The Movie, which serves as a visual companion to his recent album, COOLAID. The Snoop Dogg-directed movie chronicles the legendary artist’s transition from a young boy with aspirations of making it as a professional football player, to his tumultuous years entangled in gangs and selling drugs, through his break as a music star who faces a trial for murder while dealing with the pressures of stardom. COOLAID: The Movie is now available on iTunes.

Poetically woven through the narrative, this story features visuals to songs from the album including: “Don’t Stop” (featuring Too $hort), “Affiliated,” “Supercrip,” “Sidepiece,” “What If,” and “Legend.”

“This is a piece that is near and dear to me — it’s a personal journey of my life,” said Snoop Dogg.” The videos, dialogue and music were hand selected to depict pivotal moments in my career and look forward to sharing it with my fans. Can’t wait to hear what ya’ll think!”

Mattel, the maker of Barbie doll, defines a “shero” as a “a female hero inspiring girls by breaking boundaries and expanding possibilities for women everywhere.” If you don’t live under a rock, then you know that Olympic Gold Medalist Gabby Douglas fits that bill. That’s why Mattel released the Gabby Douglas Barbie doll today.

“Her confidence, work ethic, and belief in herself make her an extraordinary role model to girls,” writes Mattel on The Barbie Collection website.

Retailing for $24.95 (with free standard shipping until May 7th), the Gabby Douglas Barbie doll is outfitted in Douglas’s signature stars and stripes leotard, which is perfect for somersaulting and cartwheeling, especially since her body is fully posable. The Carlyle Nuera-designed doll completes her medal-winning athletic outfit with a pink and black Nike tracksuit. And her bright white smile, which we all came to know while watching Douglas compete during the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics, completes the likeness.

Douglas has joined quite the esteemed Barbie “shero” club. Misty Copeland, Ava DuVernay, and Zendaya Coleman are members.

For some Barbie collectors (like maybe this writer), the Gabby Douglas Barbie doll is an even bigger honor for the gymnast than those Gold Medals … OK, just kidding, but it’s high on the list.

Do you find yourself taking a ritualistic pull on a joint or blunt regularly? Well, there’s a church for that …

Opening on 4/20 of this year and in Denver (of course), the International Church of Cannabis has billed itself as place to “ritually take the sacred flower to find inspiration and meaning.”

Congregants are allowed to smoke in the building, but only during invitation-only events. Originally, the Church planned to allow toking at any time, but the city put the kibosh on allowing the public to take part. Denver, after all, has banned smoking pot in public places.

At least one Colorado politician isn’t a fan of the Church of Cannabis. State Rep. Dan Pabon pushed an amendment to make it illegal to smoke in churches. Republicans and Pabon’s fellow Democrats, both, blocked the amendment because it restricts religious freedom. However, Pabon is hoping the State Senate picks up the issue.

Maybe Pabon should attend a service. It sounds out of this world: “It’s really just meditating and finding yourself,” said a churchgoer. “It’s kind of having your own mind and believing and going with it.”

[Image: Helen H. Richardson via Getty Images]

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