Newark Mayor Cory Booker will make good on his promise to live off food stamps for a whole week starting Tuesday.

Being limited to just $4 a day, Booker and a Twitter follower by the name of (at) MWadeNC will depend on government assistance for the next seven days to fulfill all their nutritional needs. Their allowance breaks down to approximately $1.40 per meal, provided they eat three meals a day.

Related: Mayor Cory Booker: Save Newark, Save The World

The challenge, sponsored and promoted by the Food Research and Action Center, aims to highlight the reality of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports the average monthly food stamp benefit in New Jersey was $133.26 per person in fiscal year 2011.

That’s little more than $33 per week.

Booker took a trip to the grocery store on Saturday in preparation for the challenge and later posted his receipt to Twitter, spending only $29.78 for the entire week.

Booker has invited the public to join the challenge and will announce a celebrity participant on Thursday.

Beyonce is keeping her “Beyhive” buzzing with new footage to her upcoming documentary on HBO which shows the international pop star in a more vulnerable space.

In the quick clip, the “Crazy in Love” singer reveals her battle with sharing her personal life, as shots of performances and home video flash across the screen. Blink, and you’ll miss her barely-there baby bump.

As previously reported, the film will unveil all sides of Beyonce’s high-profile career as well as her private life. The documentary will premiere Feb. 16 on HBO.

The post First Look: Beyonce Flashes Pregnant Belly In Documentary Teaser [VIDEO] appeared first on UPTOWN Magazine.

Red can symbolize a range of strong emotions—from passion to danger, and even joy in some cultures. But when it comes to incorporating this color into a look, its bold nature is usually not for the faint of heart. Thanks to the different varieties and intensities of red (cherry, crimson, burgundy, and wine), even those with an “introverted” style can control their standout factor. So whether you want your statement to read dangerously chic or fashionably loud, don’t be afraid to paint the town red and be seen in these shades of red.

Dangerously-chic is this season’s hottest shade of ox blood. And when paired with the sleek and edginess of a leather jean, you have the right formula for making a fashionable statement.

Rich & Skinny The Legacy Leather Jean, $176 

Sashay confidently with a pair of bright red suede wedge booties. The fringe detail adds the perfect touch of fun to your step.

Koolaburra Veleta Wedge Heel Fringe Boot, $299

Add the cherry on top to your look with this stylish crimson chapeau.

Chicnova Red Bowknot Beret, $51

This trendy statement coat in a classic deep burgundy makes this awesome outerwear piece an easy everyday wear.

Zara Biker Coat With Zip, $249

Add a little romance with this red lacy frock—perfect for a date night or for a festive holiday party.

French Connection Fast Iris Lace Dress, $198

Still a little nervous about wearing red? Incorporate this strong color with an accessory, like this satchel.

Topshop Edge Paint Satchel, $56

Dress up a mundane outfit with a pop of red chiffon.

BCBGMax Azria Monroe Tie-neck Top, $87.20

Post-Thanksgiving news has been filled with updates about the Turkey Day beatdown of Halle Berry‘s ex Gabriel Aubry, the father of her daughter Nahla, by her fiancé Olivier Martinez. Judging by the pictures, Gabriel received the flogging of his life by Olivier, who has professional boxing skills. Although the three adults in the situation have reportedly worked out their differences, the whole situation doesn’t sit well with RHOA husband Peter Thomas. Like Halle, Olivier and Gabriel, Peter, Cynthia and Leon have a similar triangle, only theirs never comes to physical blows. Yet, according to Peter, the media has ignored how maturely he, his wife and her ex handle the situation and so he wanted to share his rant with UPTOWN.

You aren’t cool with what went down in Halle Berry’s driveway. Why?
“My beef is that, if it was two black men who go to work on each other like that, they would say that ‘it’s expected of us,’ ‘we’re criminals,’ ‘we belong in jail’ and ‘they should take the kid away from the woman and put her in a foster home.’ If this man, who just won a custody battle, is coming to drop off his kid in the driveway, Halle Berry had the power to shut all that down. This is a very volatile situation that she’s put herself in once again. He’s dropping off his daughter and all Halle had to do is come out of the house, meet the baby half way just because they don’t like each other and keep it moving and that man can go about his business. But, for the fact that her man, her current boyfriend, had to have something to say and then homeboy had the beatdown of life by a boxer, he should have gone to jail. When I looked at the pictures, that beatdown was severe. That’s a beatdown and a half, stitches, black eye. I’m surprised he didn’t knock out a couple of teeth while he was at it.”

How did your wife RHOA Cynthia Bailey deal with you and Leon and her daughter Noel?
“Halle should take tips from my beautiful wife Cynthia and how she’s handled the situation with me, her daughter Noel and Leon [Noel’s dad]. The way she dealt with it out the gate was I couldn’t even walk in her house until I sat down to dinner with her child’s father. She made sure that everything was so cordial before it could accelerate to another level. If she hadn’t done that and I had started going to her crib after meeting her and I was up in her house and Leon would get heated because he wouldn’t have known this man that was up in the house with his little daughter and then when he see he’s looking at me crazy and then I’m looking at him crazy he might say something I might say something and then it jumps off. My wife made sure that she handled the situation with her new man and her old man so stellar that that never even came up.”

So what happens if Cynthia and Leon disagree on something? What do you do?
“I have to be respectful that if they are having differences to step out of it and let them work out their differences. The only time I would jump in as a black man is if Leon would ever lose his mind and ever talk to my wife reckless and even do it in front of their daughter but I respect him so much because he is not that type of guy. Whenever they disagree, he makes sure Noel is nowhere in the vicinity and then he amicably states how he feels and then they amicably work it out. And the only time I interject is if they ask for my opinion because I wasn’t there when they made this beautiful little girl.”

Obviously that’s not what’s been happening with Halle and the two men in her life.
“When I look at the situation with a superstar like Halle Berry, an Oscar winner, and her laundry is out in the public in such a way and she got two French men beating the [ish] out of each other and that [ish] aint right, there is nothing right about that. There is nothing right about that. She may be half white but she’s half black too and this is not good. The way me and my wife are handling our life with her daughter and her daughter’s dad is how it’s supposed to be but black people don’t embrace it.”

Why do you say that black people don’t embrace how you, Cynthia and Leon deal with Noel?
“Because I hear rhetoric like ‘how you gone have Leon up in your house like that brother?’ ‘Is that alright with you brother?’ ‘How you know those people not gone reminisce when you’re not around?’ and I’m like ‘if they want to reminisce then let them reminisce cause that’s what grown people gone do, they’re always gone do what they want to do.’ Me and my wife have the kind of relationship where she didn’t need be with me if she still wanted to be with Leon. I’m not sweating that. I’m not sweating that at all. But every time I set in any radio station, that’s the first thing they want to talk about is how the hell we can all coexist because them and they baby mama or baby daddy can’t coexist. What we are doing is 100 percent correct and our community isn’t embracing it. We should be celebrating what me, Leon and Cynthia are doing.”

As for Halle Berry’s situation?
“There are no winners in the Halle Berry’s situation because one day that little girl is going to grow up and she’s going so see those pictures of what that man did to her father and she’s going to hate that man for putting hands on her father and she’s going to hate her mother. There’s no way around it. Little girls love their fathers. To me Halle Berry needs to check herself because she has control over the situation. She should have told her new man that ‘I don’t care what me and my baby’s father is going through don’t you ever disrespect him because that will carry over to my daughter and I don’t ever want her to hate my guts.’ She has the power to shut all this [ish] down. That new man has no respect for Halle Berry and no respect for Halle Berry’s daughter in order for him to put his hands on that man the way he did. As far as I’m concerned, that dude has issues.”

By Craigh Barboza | Photography by Nino Muñoz | Styling by Erin Walsh

Kerry Washington likes to say careers aren’t made overnight in Hollywood; “they’re built over long periods of time, and there are waves of progress.” Well, she’s certainly riding atop a mammoth one right now, playing not one but two roles of a lifetime that bookend the African-American experience.

On ABC’s Scandal, Washington is a BlackBerry-wielding, Armani-draped crisis expert who leads a team of dedicated associates that save clients from public embarrassment or possible jail time. At the other end of the spectrum is Quentin Tarantino’s new film, Django Unchained, for which Washington’s brave performance as a slave trapped in an antebellum South hellhole awaiting rescue by Jamie Foxx’s title character is already getting Oscar buzz. The two projects, emblematic of Washington’s elevated status in Hollywood, will overlap this month. (Scandal will be in midseason when Django opens on Christmas Day.)

It’s hard offhand to think of another actress who’s been in this position, and even harder to think of one in a pair of roles that are such whiplash extremes of one another. Washington, who is talented, beautiful, and smart, is still contemplating what it all means for her. “I know a moment like this doesn’t last forever,” she says during a recent interview in New York. Asked if she’s at least enjoying it, there is a long pause. “I think I am,” she says, finally.

It’s certainly not easy finding time in her packed schedule. These days, Washington needs to be three people: filming 17-hour days, doing press, popping up on talk shows, accepting awards, etc., etc. Earlier this year, the actress had just two days between scenes for Scandal and Django. “I went from shooting in a slave shack with my character curled up in bed, terrified about the state of her future,” she says, “to walking in heels outside of the White House on my way to meet the president’s chief of staff.”

All her life, Washington, 35, has had to straddle two worlds that seem poles apart. Growing up in the Bronx, a few blocks from Jennifer Lopez, she was bused to a school in a predominantly Italian-American neighborhood where she was enrolled in a gifted and talented program. Washington still managed to take home the sixth grade language prize… in Italian. That adaptability has helped her become one of the most versatile and consistently interesting actresses around. Washington has lit up movies from The Last King of Scotland to I Think I Love My Wife; originated a role on Broadway in the David Mamet play Race; and spent one of her few off days of 2012 in Charlotte, N.C., addressing the Democratic National Convention.

Foxx, her two-time costar, says she’s the real deal. “I can’t say enough about the brilliance and toughness of her, especially in Django, where she’s amazingly vulnerable playing this damsel in distress throwback character. And then you look at the strength of what she’s doing on Scandal, where she’s in control and doing her thing.” He adds: “A lot of actresses only get to play one note. Kerry’s able to play a symphony.”

Accolades tend to fly when people talk about Washington. Scandal producer Betsy Beers calls her a dream collaborator. “She’s kind, forthright, supersupportive of the crew and cast,” says Beers. “She has the ability to make you feel special, like you’re the only one in the room.”

Carven sheer lace top; Altuzarra skirt; Natori bra; Iwona Ludyga Designs skinny gold bracelet; Trunfio gunmetal cuff; Finn diamond knot ring and earrings; Movado watch; Falke fishnet stay-ups.

Washington, of course, doesn’t disappoint when we meet up. On a fall day in Midtown Manhattan, she walks into the restaurant of a swanky hotel, looking hood chic: tar-black bubble vest, a designer-knit sweater, slim-cut jeans, and some custom-built Nikes. Lunch is on the itinerary, but with the sun shining Washington asks to take a walk instead. She’d just awoken from a nap after flying in on the red-eye and running into a fitting. Yet, even with no makeup and her hair pulled back in a bun, she is radiant. She could have just walked off the pages of Vogue.

Outside, we enter Central Park through the Artist’s Gate on Sixth Avenue, moving past a crowd of tourists on camera phones, and turn up a walkway lined with benches. When Washington is out in public, rolling with friends and associates, she sometimes avoids eye contact with strangers as a courtesy to them. Having to stop every few minutes to talk to admirers, she knows, could get a little tiresome. Of course, she’s spotted anyway: One couple asks for a photo; and a woman has to tell her how much she loves Scandal. The show has been getting solid ratings, and in a week or two ABC will announce that it’s extending Scandal’s sophomore season from 13 to 22 episodes.

After years spent seesawing between commercial and independent films, Washington made the leap to television in 2011, becoming the first black actress in nearly 40 years to have her own major network drama. (The first was Teresa Graves in 1974’s Get Christie Love!, which ran for a season.) Scandal, produced by Shonda Rhimes, is immersed in Washington, D.C., politics. Not surprisingly, the actress loves playing the biggest “fixer” in town. She comes alive just talking about the character. “Olivia Pope is so much more powerful and sophisticated than I am, and she has more access!” says Washington. The character, loosely based on consultant Judy Smith, whose clients included Monica Lewinsky, is in a lot of ways the most complicated she has ever played. “Usually I go into my actor’s toolbox and say, “Okay, I need this tool and this tool and this tool,” states Washington, pretending to grab some hardware. “Everything else I’ll put away and go to work. With Olivia, every day I have both toolboxes! Every tool. She requires all of me: my brain, my body, my heart, all of it.”

Washington doesn’t exactly sit when she approaches a giant rock at the top of a small hill; she sort of perches atop it and takes in the sights. Over her shoulders is a row of gleaming skyscrapers. She breathes in the view and smiles. “Isn’t this great? We’re getting our vitamin D and fresh air.”

Washington is here to accept an award tonight from the youth empowerment organization Black Girls Rock. In an age of party girls and pottymouthed stars, and in a town where nice girls finish closer to last than first, Washington is a paragon of civility and integrity. Yet, she’s clearly riled by the idea of being some kind of saint. “I try to make the best choices for me,” she says, looking pensive. For her, it’s never been about, “Oh, this is what people should see or need to see.” “If you look at my body of work, I’ve always taken huge risks. At a moment when people considered me a serious actor, I’ll go work with the Wayans brothers on a silly comedy [Little Man]. I’ve played prostitutes, drug addicts, pimping lesbians. I do work I’m drawn to.”

Moschino coat dress; Pamela Love triangle ring; Jennifer Fisher gold ring;Trunfio pyramid ring; LaCrasia fingerless gloves; Fogal tights; Jimmy Choo heels.

To be clear, she will say no to stuff. But more often than not it’s because the part was poorly written or maybe reinforced demeaning stereotypes. The one thing she doesn’t do is make assumptions about characters. “If I were to say it’s okay to play a lawyer but not a maid, or it’s okay to play a professor but not a slave, that would be sort of spitting on the legacy of my grandmother, who was a maid on Park Avenue for years, or my ancestors in South Carolina, who came from slavery. What’s interesting about storytelling,” she says, “is we get to step into someone’s experience for an hour and a half in the dark, and in the process of living through that journey we learn about ourselves. That’s what it’s all about to me.”

Growing up, Washington was a pretty active kid—ballet, gymnastics, acting lessons. In elementary school, she started getting into Meet the Press and Like It Is. She still remembers the lively, sometimes heated, discussions on race and society around the dinner table. “My family’s very multiethnic,” she says. “When we get together for the holidays, it is the U.N., across the board.” Her mother, who holds a doctorate in education, and her father, a real estate broker, lived in opposition to the belief that children should be seen and not heard. They pushed their daughter academically, enrolling her in The Spence School, an exclusive private institution on the Upper East Side. She was in for a big culture shock.

Theyskens’ Theory top; Elizabeth and James pants and suspenders; Jennifer Fisher cuff and ring; Alexis Bittar cuff; Finn necklace and gold knot rings.

Prior to Spence, Washington thought her working-middle-class family was balling. “We had a microwave and two cars. We had a dishwasher before anyone in the building,” she says. “And then you go to this other world, and it’s, ‘Oh, we’re taking a helicopter to your house in the Hamptons?’ For a lot of classmates, I knew the only other black women they’d known were their domestic help.” (Washington is careful to say she is proud of her “Spencification,” and made plenty of lifelong friends at the school. She often goes back for assemblies and even gave the commencement address in 2006.)

During her junior year, Washington, who had been toying with theater for some time, entered an acting competition sponsored by the National YoungArts Foundation, and was invited to the finals in Miami. Her showing there put her on the radar of colleges with strong arts programs, such as Carnegie Mellon and NYU. Both offered full rides. Instead, she chose George Washington University, where she was required to audition for every play as part of her scholarship. “It was like being on the basketball team,” she says. “I rarely got benched.”

A career in acting was never in her plans. “I always associated it with wanting to be famous,” she says. “I’m not a competitive person. I’m not someone who has a desire to be the center of attention. So the drive for fame was off-putting to me.” But deep down she loved telling stories about the human condition; and around 1996, Washington decided to get serious about acting. Back in New York, she spent a few years doing community theater with NiteStar, which mounted vignettes about at-risk youths. In the beginning, paid acting gigs were hard to come by, and to cover rent for her East Harlem apartment, Washington signed up to be a substitute teacher. She has also taught yoga and worked at a vegan restaurant in the East Village that let her take off months at a time, allowing her to go on location for movies. Then, in 2000, she made her big-screen debut as a Brooklyn teen in Our Song, a small indie drama you’ve probably never seen but that critics loved. Next came her first studio feature, Save the Last Dance, in which she plays the white girl’s best friend, but turned it into the best part of the movie. She had done three films, but was still picking up shifts at the restaurant.

Not long after that, she left for L.A., where she shot two pilots that shall remain unnamed. “Both times my character was recast. They basically fired me,” she says, laughing about it now. When one of the shows was picked up, the actors under contract were put on hold for a year and blocked from working. Because Washington got the boot, she was free to audition, and that’s when she landed Ray. The 2004 biopic earned Foxx an Academy Award, and Washington, who plays his noble wife Della “Bea” Robinson, a spot on Hollywood’s hot list.

Since then, she has been working steadily, always on the lookout it seems for a character/project with a higher degree of difficulty. Despite all the acclaim and big-name collaborators (Forest Whitaker, Brangelina, all right… the Wayans), she says she is constantly trying to leave the entertainment business. Almost once a year, her hair and makeup folks hear it: “I am done! I’m so done.” Now, they barely bat an eyelash. Mm, hmm. Sure you are. But Washington says, “Sometimes I feel like I can’t do this anymore. And then I’ll come across a script, and say, ‘Oh … Well, this is kind of great.’”

Add Django Unchained to that list. When Washington read the script, she knew that it was one of those few. The movie, written and directed by Tarantino, is a pre–Civil War action-packed love story. In it, Washington plays one of the more tormented cinematic souls in recent memory: Broomhilda von Shaft, a slave woman severely punished for trying to run off with her lover, Django. When the two are sold to different plantations, Django gets, well, unchained and searches for her, cutting down plenty of ruthless overseers in the process, and saying stuff like, “I like the way you die, boy.”

Isabel Marant jacket; Theyskens’ Theory bustier, Vince pants; Trunfio cuff; Iwona Ludyga Designs bracelet; Plukka ring; Finn cuff and diamond and gunmetal rings; Louis Vuitton heels.

What drew Washington to Django was the chance to work on something that would present the period in a new light. “I’ve never seen slavery dealt with this way before in film. So often it’s a white character who’s the savior of black people,” she says.

Slavery, of course, has been well documented in print. A whole slew of books examining its long and bloody history are published yearly. But more recently there seems to be a growing fascination with America’s original sin reflected in everything from art exhibitions to folk star interviews. At a time when our nation’s first black president is struggling to pull the economy out of the worst recession since the 1930s, filmmakers are taking a closer, more critical look at its origins. In addition to Django, which has spawned a comic book series with the same title, there’s Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln biopic, about the 16th president’s decision to emancipate the slaves, and Twelve Years a Slave, based on the memoir of a free black man who was kidnapped and sold into human bondage.

Unlike those, Django, which takes the guise of a spaghetti western, has stirred up a bit of controversy online and in academic circles. One Ivy League scholar (who hadn’t seen the movie) said it “sounds like a huge step backwards.” But the film’s producer Reginald Hudlin argues that it was essential that it not play like a dry lecture. “The bottom line is you have to approach the subject from an artistic point of view,” says Hudlin.

The genesis of Django dates back to a 1990s Oscar party, where Hudlin and Tarantino had a brief conversation about movies on the topic of slavery. “I just thought they were what I call ‘cod liver oil movies.’ They are not entertaining in any way and you have to force yourself to go see them because ‘they’re good for you,’” explains Hudlin. “But why is it so bad? Why does it have to be a painful experience?” It took more than a decade, but the seed that Hudlin planted with Tarantino eventually grew into the script for Django, and the two decided to make themselves the biggest, baddest, bloodiest slave film ever.

Vintage lace top; Elizabeth and James bracelet; Jennifer Fisher zigzag ring; Finn rings and necklace; House of Waris necklace.

Washington is aware of the controversy, which she attributes more to the film having a white director than anything else. She’s also glad more movies are focusing on the slave experience. “We should have a plethora of visions and interpretations of who we are as a nation.” But she admits, “This is not necessarily the film I would make about slavery. I’m not a violent person. I often watch Tarantino movies through what he calls ‘chick-vision.’” She covers her eyes and peeks through her fingers.

From the start, the idea of inhabiting the world of slavery was daunting. Candyland, the plantation to which Washington’s character is sold, doubles as a 19th century gentlemen’s club. Its owner, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, forces male slaves to fight to the death for public amusement and the women into sex. “Leo and I had to be willing to go into the darkest places of this period in order for Jamie’s rise out of the ashes to really mean something,” she says. “Django was the hardest film I’ve ever done. It took me to places I never had to go before—I never even thought about going before.”

Samples of Washington’s Django scenes include a savage gang rape; a lashing; and an emotional sequence in which Broomhilda is stripped of her clothing and thrown in the “hot box,” a metal cell buried underground. On the day they shot the scene, Washington told the stunt coordinator standing nearby that she was going in and would be screaming for a while before the scene starts. Don’t do anything, she told him. “The stunt coordinator just couldn’t bear it,” remembers Hudlin. “He had to because she gave him strict instructions. But it was brutal for everyone.”

Washington, like Foxx, was determined to honor her ancestors by “getting in the skin and the mind state of a slave.” On the set, she always had her eyes in a book, usually a slave narrative, and she, Foxx, and the filmmakers would have long talks about the effect of the material. “Psychology, sociology, and history are important parts of my toolbox as an actor,” the Phi Beta Kappa scholar says at one point. “I work that way. I come from a research perspective. I feel like I approach my work as an anthropologist and the goal is to go native, to kind of lose myself in the world I’m researching.”

Hudlin says Washington definitely does that, in a challenging and nuanced role. “She’s an extraordinary actress. She’s also a genuine intellectual,” says Hudlin. “So in terms of really understanding the material and being able to translate it into performance, she was fantastic.”

Even worse than the physical demands of the role were the psychological scars Washington picked at throughout the course of making the film, which dragged on for 136 days, much of them spent on the grounds of Evergreen Plantation on the west bank of the Mississippi River. Prior to production, the filmmakers built a replica slave cabin next to the actual 22 that are standing. From one of the doorways, you can see an old hanging tree nearby. “It was crazy,” says Washington about going to work every day. “You would be shooting in the fields and someone would stumble upon, literally, a piece of an old shackle.”

Some mornings she was completely terrified to even get out of bed to approach the character. It got so bad she invited her manager and parents to visit her on location, something she never does. “I kept saying I was going to send Tarantino the bill for my extra therapy sessions,” Washington says, half-joking. Ultimately, what carried her through the experience was the profound respect and gratitude she has for the women who survived these conditions. “Making this film changed us,” she says.

In the wake of Scandal and Django Unchained, Washington isn’t sure what to do next. She’s not one to plan too far ahead. But she’d love some time to travel and chill with her family. Maybe, in February, she’ll hear her name called at the Oscars. And who knows, by that time she just might have read another script that made her say, “Oh… Well, this is kind of great.”

hair: takisha sturdivant-drew/ken barboza & associates: makeup: carola gonzalez; manicurist: elle/the wall group; stylist assistant: ben perreira

Courtesy of BlackVoices

George Zimmerman’s defense team has released a photo of the former neighborhood watchman that shows him with a bloodied face and swollen nose, CNN reports. According to Zimmerman’s attorneys, the picture was taken the night of the 28-year-old’s fatal confrontation with Trayvon Martin.

Related: Is George Zimmerman Selling His Autographs For Defense Fund?

The photo, however, isn’t a new one. It is, in fact, a much clearer and higher quality version of a grainy, black and white image that was included in a batch of previously unseen photos released by the Florida State Attorney’s Office in May.

According to Zimmerman’s defense site GZlegalcase.com, the team gained access to this high-resolution digital file on Oct. 29. The defense goes on to say that they plan to make all other public documents related to the case available on the website.

Continue at BlackVoices…

The post Defense Team Releases Graphic New Image Of George Zimmerman From Night Of Shooting appeared first on UPTOWN Magazine.

Looking red hot in a strapless peplum dress, Alicia Keys takes the cover of ESSENCE magazine’s January issue for the new year.

As the Grammy Award winner continues to float on the high of her latest album Girl On Fire, Keys details her spiritual makeover and how she learned to say “no” in order to maintain balance in her hectic life.

“It’s okay if I can’t do every single thing,” she said. ”I finally understand that it doesn’t make me a lesser artist or human being.”

In the feature, Keys also explains the difficulty of being unprepared for Hurricane Sandy. As power was lost throughout New York City, she, husband Swizz Beatz and their 2-year-old son Egypt found themselves searching the kitchen for food that didn’t require cooking.

“After the third or fourth tuna fish sandwich, and after we learned we’d be without power for a week, I called my mother, who lives Uptown,” said Keys, a resident of SoHo. “She was okay and hadn’t lost any power, so we ended up going to her house. We were pretty lucky.”

Related: Alicia Keys Sets The Record Straight On Marriage To Swizz Beatz

As a result of Sandy’s destruction, the 31-year-old songstress and activist was also forced to postpone Keep a Child Alive’s annual Black Ball previously set for Nov. 1. But after regrouping and reworking plans, the event will now be held Dec. 6 at Harlem’s historic Apollo Theater.

The ninth annual Black Ball, hosted by Whoopi Goldberg, will honor Oprah Winfrey and Angelique Kidjo for their philanthropic efforts. Bonnie Rait, Jennifer Hudson and Alabama Shakes’ Britany Howard are set to perform.

Keep a Child Alive was founded in 2003 by Keys and Leigh Blake to assist HIV/AIDS victims in Africa and India.

The post Alicia Keys Graces Cover Of ESSENCE Magazine, Sets New Date For Annual Black Ball appeared first on UPTOWN Magazine.

The cover photo to Tuesday’s New York Post– showing the eerie moment before a man was fatally struck by a train– has angered readers and left a few sick to their stomachs.

Ki Suk Han, 58, was shoved onto the tracks of an oncoming train by “a deranged man” on a Times Square subway platform Monday afternoon. As the Queens resident scrambled to climb back up, onlookers watched in horror as the downtown Q train quickly approached and struck the helpless man.

The unsettling front page photo is accompanied by a headline that reads, “Pushed on the subway track, this man is about to die. DOOMED.”

R. Umar Abbasi, the freelance photographer responsible for the shot, said he attempted to warn the train’s operator by firing off the camera’s flash, multiple times.

“I just stated running, running, hoping that the driver could see my flash,” he recalled. The Post reports that while the train slowed, Han had already been hit. He was taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead.

A stream of disapproving tweets have reached The Post’s official Twitter account, while several media outlets have picked up the photo to question the paper’s ethics.

“The @nypost has to be kidding me with that picture. Couldn’t be more classless. That guy has a family who has to see that. Disgusting,” wrote one commenter.

Another stated, “What’s worse, that the NY Post put an image of a man’s last seconds on its front page, or that we now all remember how awful that rag is?” 

Did the NY Post go too far with its “doomed” image? Let us know in the comments section below.

The post NY Post Receives Major Backlash For ‘Doomed’ Cover Photo appeared first on UPTOWN Magazine.

Courtesy of The Grio

The newest issue of Jet magazine, which hits newsstands today, features its first black male couple in its weddings section, according to GLAAD.

Ravi Perry, an assistant professor of political science at Mississippi State University, and Paris Prince, a licensed real estate broker and compliance officer for Massachusetts Commission against Discrimination, were married in August at their home in Worcester, Mass.

The feature of the newlyweds includes a short bio of the couple and explains how the two fell in love.

Continue at The Grio…

The post Jet Magazine Features First Black Male Couple In Weddings Section appeared first on UPTOWN Magazine.

Out of a competitive crop of new and semi-controversial biopics, Ashton Kutcher as Steve Jobs takes the cake.

jOBS chronicles “the defining 30 years” of Apple’s former CEO and will premiere Jan. 27 at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah. The independent biopic, which will close out the festival, provides a “candid, inspiring and personal portrait of the one who saw things differently,” states the film’s description.

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Dermot Mulroney, Josh Gad, Lukas Haas, J.K. Simmons and Matthew Modine round out the cast.

jOBS is one of two upcoming films focused on the innovative entrepreneur. Sony Pictures’ Steve Jobs is based on Jobs’ official biography that was released in 2011. The entire movie will reportedly be just three scenes portrayed in real-time.

Courtesy of Madame Noire

Yesterday, we reported on the tragic story of Ella Edwards, the grieving 61-year-old mom who started a Change.org petition to have her deceased son Jermaine’s $10,800 student loan forgiven. Today, we have a great update to this story: Tom Joyner has pledged to pay the loan on Edwards’ behalf. (Thanks again to our Facebook friend EarthyGirls Trapp for helping us keep an eye on this story.)

Edwards appeared this morning on the “Tom Joyner Morning Show,” telling listeners about her situation. (A transcript of the show is available on BlackAmericaWeb.com.) Edwards said her son died at the age of 24 of what has been deemed natural causes. There had been a life insurance policy (opened in 1986), but he died on March 9, 2009, six days after the final payment on her policy. So the insurance company refused to pay, she said.

Continue at Madame Noire…

The post Tom Joyner Pays $10,000 Student Loan On Behalf Of Grieving Mother appeared first on UPTOWN Magazine.

Courtesy of Sister 2 Sister

There’s a reason Kenya Moore has been making comments about Porsha Stewart “twerking” for a living.

Porsha, the self-proclaimed princess who said she’s always “lived well,” hasn’t just lived off of her family’s legacy and wealth, as her nemesis Kenya initially suggested.

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In her 20s, Porsha did earn her own by working as what some would call a “video vixen.” The reality star was featured in the rap video for a song called “Some Cut” and popped up in the 2005 “pin-up” calendar for Atlanta Dymes.

Continue reading at Sister 2 Sister

Lea Michele and Zoe Saldana share a moment at the Marie Claire Hollywood Dinner at Fig & Olive Melrose Place in L.A. on Dec. 4.

Sean Combs took it ol’ school, donning a Mercedes Benz logo gold pendant and velour tracksuit, as he arrives for a flight at LAX airport in L.A. on Dec. 4.

Olympic gold medalist Gabrielle Douglas signs copies of her memoir Grace, Gold, and Glory: My Leap of Faith at an NYC Barnes & Noble on Dec. 4.

NeNe Leakes attends the 2012 Jingle Ball, hosted by KIIS FM, at the Nokia Theatre LA Live in L.A. on Dec. 3.

Romeo Miller has both hands full with Bria and Shayne Murphy at the Let the Kids Grow Foundation Holiday Gala at the Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons hotel in Beverly Hills on Dec. 3.

Rocsi Diaz flies solo to the Let the Kids Grow Foundation Holiday Gala in Beverly Hills on Dec. 3.

Giving us more of a glimpse into her personal life, Beyonce Instagrams a photo of herself, on Dec. 3, rocking this yellow and black body-conscious dress from the Leonard spring 2013 collection.

Chris Rock and his daughters, Lola Simone and Zahra Savannah, depart the sold out One Direction concert at Madison Square Garden in NYC on Dec. 3.

Mom-to-be Amber Rose brings new meaning to the word curvy as she stops at an L.A. office building on Dec. 3.

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Olivier Martinez, fiance of Halle Berry, shows off his hand splint to the paps while leaving Cedars Sinai in LA on Nov. 27, after fighting with the father of Halle’s daughter Nahla. Photo: Aik Arshamian/INFphoto.com

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Taraji P. Henson arrives at the screening of “Killing Them Softly,” starring Brad Pitt, in NYC on Nov. 27. Photo: Zelig Shaul/ACE/INFphoto.com

Rihanna looks little like the fashion icon who made her famous, as she returns to her London hotel after performing on “X Factor UK” on Nov. 25. Photo: INFPhoto.com

Nicole Richie and husband Joel Madden take their daughter Harlow and son Sparrow to see Yo Gabba Gabba Get The Sillies Out show in L.A. on Nov. 23. Photo: INFphoto.com

Jamie Foxx chills with some homies in Beverly Hills on Nov. 18.

RELATED: Quentin Tarantino Reveals 6 Actors Tapped To Play Jamie Foxx’s Role In ‘Django Unchained’

Common looks hot yet low-key as he arrives at LAX airport in LA on Nov. 17.

Trey Songz sips a little Cherry Noir Goose backstage of his concert at the Fox Theater in Atlanta on Nov. 17.

Pres. Barack Obama and American gymnast McKayla Maroney are “not impressed” while taking the time for a photo op at the White House on Nov. 17.

Besties Adrienne Bailon and Julissa Bermudez pose with Ne-Yo‘s new artist Ravaughn at the opening of Very Polished Lounge in Brooklyn on Nov. 17.

While shopping in Paris, Rita Ora climbed on a hog to pose for photos on Nov. 16. Photo: INFphoto.com

Honor Warren, Jessica Alba and Cash Warren‘s daughter, is none-too-pleased with the paparazzi as she heads into a play date on Nov. 16. Photo: INFphoto.com

Wendy Williams hits up “Good Day NY” in NYC to dish on the new season of “The Wendy Williams Show” on Nov. 16. Photo: Roger Wong/INFphoto.com

Legendary baller Kareem Abdul-Jabbar unveils a statue in his likeness at the Staples Center in LA on Nov. 16.

Rihanna takes a shot during her Toronto stop on the “777 Tour” at The Danforth Music Hall on Nov. 15. Photo: O’Neill/White/INFphoto.com

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Halle Berry‘s daughter Nahla Aubry seems well adjusted to the paparazzi as she heads into school in LA on Nov. 15. Photo: INFphoto.com

Oh look, Kim Kardashian is going somewhere … this time to visit The Fours Seasons Hotel and a cosmetic surgeon office with Jonathan Cheban in Miami on Nov. 14. Photo: INFphoto.com

Niecy Nash shows her support for marriage equality by attending the launch of “Tie the Knot,” a charity to raise funds for the cause by selling limited-edition TheTieBar.com bow ties, at The London West Hollywood in West Hollywood on Nov. 14.

Camila Alves McConaughey and Sandra Bullock take their tots for a ride on a choo-choo train in New Orleans on Nov. 14. Photo: Chris Watts/INFphoto.com

Hollywood powerhouses Cicely Tyson and Viola Davis are honored by the National Domestic Workers Alliance at an event held at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C. on Nov. 14.

Michelle Rodriguez departs The Squat Boutique Opening Party in London on Nov. 14. Photo: INFphoto.com

Minutes before embarking on her 777 tour with journalists and fans, Rihanna poses in the cockpit of her private jet on Nov. 14.

Comedian Tommy Davidson attends the premiere of Anna Karenina at the Archlight in Hollywood on Nov. 14. Photo: Carlos Diaz/INFphoto.com

Laura Govan looks more than pleased that Floyd Mayweather, Jr. acknowledged her at the LA Clippers Vs. Miami Heat game on Nov. 14 at the Staples Center in LA.

Fashion heavyweight Andre Leon Talley heads into “The Today Show” studio in NYC for an appearance on Nov. 14. Photo: Roger Wong/INFphoto.com

The forever adorable and talented Amandla Stenberg arrives at the premiere of Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 2 at The Nokia Theaters at LA Live in LA on Nov. 12. Photo: Katy Winn/INFphoto.com

Always the dapper gent, RuPaul stocks his wardrobe with the best on Beverly Hill’s Rodeo Drive on Nov. 12.

Gayle King goes monochromatic for a dining excursion at Michael’s New York Restaurant in NYC on Nov. 12.

Connor Cruise seems to have as much personality as his father, as he gives the ubiquitous peace sign while leaving Katsuya restaurant in Hollywood on Nov. 12.

Just because he’s a “Celebrity Apprentice: All-Stars” contestant doesn’t mean Lil Jon will ever let the camera capture him without shades, while out and about in NYC on Nov. 12.

Chris Tucker continues to get his mug out there by attending the TriBeCa Teaches Benefit: “Silver Linings Playbook” at the Ziegfeld Theatre in NYC on Nov. 12.

Kandi Burruss hits up “VH1 Morning Buzz” to dish on “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” season five, in NYC on Nov. 12. Photo: Roger Wong/INFphoto.com

T.I. makes his debut as a broadcast sports commentator at the November 9 Hawks vs. Heat game in Atlanta. Photo: NBA

Kevin Hart ‏catches some zzz’s: “This schedule is KICKING my ASS…..G*d Damn ATL NIGHTS #SleeplessNights” via @KevinHart4real

Gabrielle Union is going into law enforcement? “On the set making The Funny w @itsgabrielleu @redgrantlaughs #staygrindin“ via @BILLBELLAMY

Burgundy sheepskin-clad Rihanna arrives back at the Gansevoort on Nov. 8. Credit: Dario Alequin/INFphoto

Baby it’s cold outside: Meagan Good gets cozy in a purple pseudo-snuggie on the set of ‘Infamous’ in NYC on Nov. 8. Credit: Zelig Shaul/ACE/INFphoto

Rachel Roy in a fluffy vest attends the ‘Rust and Bone’ New York Screening, at the Landmark Sunshine Cinema in New York City on Nov. 8. Credit: Jennifer Graylock/INFphoto

There’s more ‘Ice Loves Coco‎’ coming your way this season and the couple started promotion of the new season at ‘The Today Show’ on Nov. 8. Credit: Roger Wong/INFphoto

Backstage at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show at the Manhattan’s 69th Regiment Armory on Nov. 7, Rihanna ponders a career switch: “#LEGITmodelShit I’m a #VS girl now lol” Via @rihanna

Rita Ora leaves Wise Buddha radio station in London on Nov. 5.

Never one to be without his arm candy, Eddie Murphy grabs a coffee with Paige Butcher in Studio City, Calif. on Nov. 5.

Nicole Richie goes flapper-chic for the first annual Baby2Baby Gala at The BookBindery in Culver City, Calif. on Nov. 3.

Jennifer Hudson looks stunning in a white lace Dolce & Gabbana number just before performing at the Atlantis Live Concert series for Sir Sidney Poitier in the Bahamas on Nov. 3.

Russell Simmons and his latest arm candy Hana Nitsche attend the “Inspired: A Night with Russell Simmons,” hosted by Mercy for Animals, at Ink 48 Hotel in NYC on Nov. 3.

Mary J. Blige performs at the taping for NBC’s Coming Together Relief Benefit for Hurricane Sandy in NYC on Nov. 2.

Kevin Hart and his girlfriend Eniko Parrish attend BET’s wrap party for “Hollywood Husbands” at the Supper Club in Hollywood on Nov. 2.

Nicki Minaj shows the world what she looks like pared down while arriving at her London hotel after a concert on Oct. 31.

Pres. Barack Obama and Gov. Chris Christie meet with New Jersey residents affected by Hurricane Sandy on Oct. 31.

Emeli Sande attends the Harper’s Bazaar Women of the Year Awards at the Claridge Hotel in London on Oct. 31.

Floyd Mayweather attends the season opener for the LA Lakers Vs. the Dallas Mavericks at the Staples Center in LA on Oct. 30.

LeToya Luckett attends an early vote rally for the Obama/Biden campaign at North Carolina Central University on Oct. 29.

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Kelly Rowland enjoys a snack while on her way to have lunch at Jack N Jill’s restaurant in LA with a friend on Oct. 29. Photo: Splash/WENN

Kimora Lee Hounsou and her brood of three, Ming Lee Simmons, Aoki Lee Simmons, and Kenzo Lee Hounsou, hit up a pumpkin patch in LA on Oct. 29. Photo: Splash/WENN

Stacey Dash tweets a photo of her and vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan at a press conference on Oct. 29. Photo: Twitter

Nicki Minaj gets lost on the step and repeat, and unveils her new MAC Viva Glam Lipglass at Selfridges in London on Oct. 29.

Diddy and his twin girls, Jesse James and D’Lila Star, enjoyed some wholesome Halloween fun at a pumpkin patch in LA on Oct. 28. He posted the pic on Instagram, saying, “I’m having more fun the the kids :) #halloween” Photo: Instagram

Dressed as a sexy Queen of Hearts, Christina Milian heads into Greystone Manor Very Special Hennessy Halloween fete on Oct. 28.

Chris Brown, looking rather surprised, hits up the Greystone Manor Halloween party too with ex-girlfriend Karrueche Tran, who dressed appropriately as a geisha, on Oct. 28.

Meanwhile, Rihanna heads to the studio with Chris Brown‘s mom (in the blue blouse), Joyce Hawkins, on Oct. 26.

Hottie Shemar Moore salutes me, er, the paps as he heads into the doctor’s office in Beverly Hills on Oct. 25. Photo: INFphoto.com

Maxwell competes for dapper man of the night with Usher, who was honored at the second annual Pencils of Promise Gala at Guastavino’s in NYC, on Oct. 25.

Estelle was also on hand for the Pencils of Promise fete in NYC on Oct. 25.

Oprah wears slippers to the ABC Studios in NYC, where she was a guest host on “Good Morning America,” on Oct. 25. Photo: Roger Wong/INFphoto.com

Alicia Keys launches The Journals of Mama Mae & LeeLee interactive storytelling app at the Apple store in SoHo of NYC on Oct. 25. Photo: Nancy Rivera/ACE/INFphoto.com

Jennifer Hudson looks fabulous while attending the opening of the Versace SoHo store cocktail reception in NYC on Oct. 24 Photo: Dara Kushner/INFphoto.com

Kelly Rowland performs during Mercedes-Benz China Fashion Week at 751 D.Park Tank zone in Beijing on Oct. 24.

Common took a couple members of his team to the Staples Center in LA to catch the LA Lakers playing the LA Clippers on Oct. 24. Looks one of them is ready to party and the other brought work along.

Halle Berry received some support from her No. 2 fan, Olivier Martinez, at the Cloud Atlas premiere at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in LA on Oct. 24.

Bobbi Kristina and her godbrother/boyfriend Nick Gordon attend the premier of “The Houstons: On Our Own” at the Tribeca Grand Hotel on Oct. 22. Photo: Jennifer Graylock/INFphoto.com

RELATED: First Look: ‘The Houstons: On Our Own’ Supertrailer

Bond Girl Naomie Harris and Mr. Bond Daniel Craig attend the royal premiere of Skyfall on Oct. 22 in London. Photo: INFphoto.com

It looks like Jaleel White stuck with June Ambrose‘s style advice, as he walks around NYC on Oct. 22. Photo: JT/INFphoto.com

Too Short heads into BOA Steakhouse in LA on Oct. 21.

Carol’s Daughter owner Lisa Price and Cedric the Entertainer attend the American Family Insurance’s Dreams Protected Tour in Atlanta on Oct. 21.

A makeup-free Jordin Sparks and Jason Derulo walk through the Grove in LA after seeing a movie onOct. 21.

Diddy shows no shame as he walks his LA neighborhood looking a bit scruffy the weekend of Oct. 20.

Alicia Keys makes an appearance on “106th & Park” in NYC on Oct. 19.

Seems Rihanna is trying to earn the moniker, “The Hardest Working Woman in Showbiz,” as she heads into an LA recording studio on Oct. 19. Photo: Larsen/Arshamian/INFphoto.com

Brandy enjoys the NYC night scene while in town to promote her new album Two Eleven on Oct. 18. Photo: Nancy Rivera/ACE/INFphoto.com

Tyra Banks and Rob Evans, her rumored beau and new “American’s Next Top Model” judge, attend the Flawsome Ball, which benefited TyTy’s TZONE charity, at Capitale in NYC on Oct. 18. Photo: Jennifer Graylock/INFphoto.com

First Lady Michelle Obama makes an appearance on “Live with Kelly & Michael” in NYC on Oct. 17.

Chaka Khan performs at Tradgarn in Gothenburg, Sweden on Oct. 17.

Camille Winbush goes for a low-key look while shopping in Beverly Hills on Oct. 17

No one’s action star Tyler Perry tries to fit in with Bow Wow, Paigion, Shorty Da Prince, and Miss Mykie, while promoting Alex Cross on ’106th & Park” in NYC on Oct. 17.

Laila Ali lends her support to the 33rd Annual Salute To Women in Sports gala at Cipriani Wall Street in NYC on Oct. 17.

Gabrielle Douglas poses with her “Sportswoman of the Year” award at the 33rd Annual Salute To Women in Sports gala at Cipriani Wall Street in NYC on Oct. 17.

RELATED: Gabby Douglas Wins Sportswoman Of The Year

Singer VV Brown attends the Argo screening at the Odeon Leicester Square in London, during the 56th BFI London Film Festival, on Oct. 17. Photo: INFPhoto.com

NeNe Leakes proves her modeling background by “selling” her Hermes Birkin bag while dashing about NYC on Oct. 17. Photo: INFPhoto.com

Nick Cannon proves that there comes a time in every man’s life when he should relinquish his baggy sweats, while leaving Matsuhisa restaurant in Beverly Hills on Oct. 16.

NBA player John Wall also shares Cannon’s dilemma while making moves through NYC’s SoHo neighborhood on Oct. 16.

Always the reluctant natural hair spokesperson, Solange rocks straight hair to the American Ballet Theatre 2012 Gala at the New York City Center and dinner at The Pierre Hotel in NYC on Oct. 16. Photo: Billy Farrell Agency

RELATED: Solange Knowles Quits Carol’s Daughter

Condola Rashad looks gorgeous in an ivory gown at the American Ballet Theatre 2012 Fall Gala on Oct. 16. Photo: Billy Farrell Agency

Alek Wek shows off her model figure at the American Ballet Theatre 2012 Fall Gala on Oct. 16. Photo: Billy Farrell Agency

Dr. Dre greets a fan as he heads into his New York hotel on Oct. 16. Photo: INFPhoto.com

Girls-girl LaLa Anthony has a night out with Taraji P. Henson at Miss Lilly’s in NYC on Oct. 16. Photo: INFPhoto.com

Tyler Perry attends the premiere of Alex Cross at the Arclight Theater in LA on Oct. 15. Photo: INFPhoto.com

50 Cent hits up a signing at Virgin Megastore at Champs Elysees in Paris on Oct. 15. Photo: INFPhoto.com

Jennifer Lopez and her side-piece Casper Smart take her daughter Emme Anthony shopping in Paris on Oct. 15. One question: Where’s Max? Photo: INFPhoto.com

Leona Lewis does her best “I Dream of Jeannie” impersonation while signing copies of her album Glassheart at HMV Oxford Street in London on Oct. 15. Photo: INFPhoto.com

Reggie Bush and his pregnant girlfriend Lilit Avagyan watch their footing while leaving Prime Italian restaurant in Miami Beach on Oct. 14. Photo: INFPhoto.com

Bobbi Kristina and her beau Nick Gordon jumped into action to help a sick man who collapsed in an Alpharetta, Georgia parking lot on Oct. 13. Photo: INFPhoto.com

RELATED: Coupled Up: Bobbi Kristina & Nick Gordon’s Weird Relationship Will Play Out On TV

Swizz Beatz flies commercial on Oct. 9 because he says he’ll go broke if he flew in a private jet everyday. Photo: TheRealSwizzz Instagram

Mitt Romney supporter Stacey Dash leaves CNN studios in NYC after appearing on “Piers Morgan” on Oct. 9. Photo: Alequin/Bosch/INFphoto.com

RELATED: Stacey Dash Defends Romney Endorsement On ‘Piers Morgan Tonight’ [VIDEO]

LeBron James gives Kanye West a shout-out for stopping by his sneaker and clothing store Unknown in Miami on Oct. 8. Photo: KingJames Instagram

Nicole Scherzinger heads into Nobu restaurant in London on Oct. 8. Photo: INFphoto.com

Kim Kardashian wants us all to know that sometimes she stays in her pajamas when the rest of the world is out really earning a living on Oct. 8. Photo: KimKardashian Instagram

Chris Brown tries to show his “sensitive side” by posing on the roof of a building on Oct. 7. Photo: FuckYoPictures Instagram

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Bow Wow shows his colors for a Beats By Dre photoshoot on Oct. 6. Photo: BeatsByDre Instagram

Jennifer Lopez drops it low for the German TV show, “Wetten Dass..??,” on Oct. 6 in Düsseldorf, Germany. Photo: INFphoto.com

Keke Palmer leaves Sirius Radio in New York City on October 3. Credit: Dara Kushner/INFphoto.com

Rihanna, sporting a sexy pair of Christian Louboutin thigh high boots, slinks away from her NYC hotel, shortly after Chris Brown reportedly visited her there on October 2. Credit: Alequin/Bosch/INFphoto.com

Halle Berry and daughter Nahla are getting into the Halloween spirit in Hollywood, CA on October 2. Credit: Andra Viak/INFphoto.com

Instead of food shopping, John Legend (fried chicken master) and fiancee Chrissy Teigen (model/cooking school-student) do some clothes shopping  at Fred Segal in Hollywood on October 2. Credit: Merino/INFphoto.com.

Angie Martinez was in Brooklyn talking that talk with pals Beyonce, Queen Latifah, Taraji P. Henson. “The girl talk @theBarclay was real! @theRealTaraji @iamqueenlatifah & B!” Credit: @angiemartinez/ @kodaklens

M.I.A. goes incognito for the Stella McCartney spring 2013 show during Paris Fashion Week on Oct. 1. Photo: INFPhoto.com

Snoop Lion runs into a fan while satisfying his 3 a.m. munchies craving on Sept. 29. Photo: Instagram

Mehcad Brooks attends the 2012 Environmental Media Awards at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, Calif. on Sept. 29. Photo: Jennifer Graylock/INFphoto.com

RELATED: Coupled Up: Zoe Saldana Gets Some More Bradley Cooper Lovin’

Tracee Ellis Ross counts down the launch of TraceeEllisRoss.com on October 1. Photo: Instagram

Kanye West and his leather pants make another star-studded appearance together. This time at the Christian Dior spring 2013 show during Paris Fashion Week on Sept. 28. Photo: INFPhoto.com

On Sept. 27, a photo of an 18-year-old Michelle Obama surfaced after the Princeton Alumni Weekly published “Mrs. Obama goes to Washington.”

Smokey Robinson and Aretha Franklin attend the Broadway premiere of Motown: The Musical in NYC on Sept. 27. Photo: Walter McBride/INFphoto.com

Rosario Dawson and Tara Smith launch Tara Smith Vegan Haircare at Marks and Spencer in London on Sept. 27. Photo: Famous/ACE/INFphoto.com

Christina Milian goes Cali-glam for a shopping excursion at Barneys New York in Beverly Hills on Sept. 26. HMO/INFphoto.com

President Barack Obama joins Bill Clinton at the Clinton Global Initiative meeting in NYC on Sept. 25. Photo: Kristin Callahan/ACE/INFphoto.com

A sexy Paula Patton takes strong strides while out and about in Hollywood on Sept. 25. Photo: Brooks/INFphoto.com

Chris Paul is joined by his wife Jada, singer Miguel, and Nazanin Mandi at the celebration for his October GQ cover, which he shares with Denzel Washington and Javier Bardem, at The Sayer’s Club in L.A. on Sept. 24. Photo: Michael Kovak / Wire Image

RELATED: Like Fine Wine: Denzel Washington Covers GQ’s Style Playbook [PHOTOS]

Ballers Matt Barnes, Canon Butler, DeAndre Jordan, Blake Griffin, and Willie Green helped Chris Paul celebrate his October GQ cover at The Sayer’s Club in L.A. on Sept. 24. Photo: Michael Kovak / Wire Image

RELATED: The Sexiest NBA Ballers On The Court

Rosie Perez and Viola Davis attend the premiere of Won’t Back Down at the Ziegfeld Theater in NYC on Sept. 23. Photo: Kristin Callahan/ACE/INFphoto.com

Carmelo and LaLa Vasquez Anthony spend a night out in NYC with Swizz Beatz and an unidentified man on Sept. 23. Photo: Dario Alequin/INFphoto.com

Looking like a mature version of her What’s the 411? self, Mary J. Blige hits up the iHeart Radio Music Festival at MGM Grand Resort in Las Vegas on Sept. 21. Photo: INFphoto.com

Kim Kardashian wears a Mary Katrantzou body-conscious dress to a Quick Trim Event at Silk Road in Melbourne on Sept. 20. Photo: INFphoto.com

A.J. Calloway interviews Cedric the Entertainer for “Extra!” on Sept. 19 in NYC. Photo: Guillermo Bosch/INFphoto.com

John Leguizamo mean mugs more than kicks ass on the set of Kick Ass 2 in Toronto on Sept. 19. Photo: O’Neill/White/INFphoto.com

Nicki Minaj uses her “band leader” styling to tell her fellow “American Idol” judges that she’s leading the show as she heads into day two of taping the new season in NYC on Sept. 17. Photo: Dario Alequin/INFphoto.com

Practice makes perfect for Alicia Keys as she poses in the dance studio: “Rehearsal time!!! I’m a tigress for these up coming shows!!!! Grrrrrrr!!!!” Via: @aliciakeys

Rosario Dawson spreads peace as she heads into Sunshine Theatre on Houston St. in NYC for a fan Q&A for her movie 10 Years on Sept. 16. Photo: Dario Alequin/INFphoto.com

Lee Daniels confidently strides into the premiere of his film Paperboy during the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 14. Photo: Dara Kushner/INFphoto.com

Cornrows and a new cross tattoo as shared by Ms. Kelly Rowland on Sept. 13.” Via @kellyrowland

Andre Leon Talley leaves the Calvin Klein show during Mercedes Benz Fashion Week on Sept. 13. Something tells us that his caftan is one of a kind and wasn’t featured in the show. Photo: INF

Tyra Banks waves goodbye to her haters as she struts into a fashion show during New York Fashion Week on Sept. 12. Photo: INF

Kim Kardashian dons a shaggy jacket and Kanye West opts for denim-on-denim for Mercedes Benz Fashion Week on Sept. 12. Photo: INF

With a megawatt smile, Paula Patton arrives at Holt Renfrew to promote Disconnect, with Jason Bateman, during the Toronto International Film Festival. Photo: INF

A model can’t walk every show; sometimes she’s just got to sit front row. Check out Jessica White as she struts into the Alice + Olivia show during Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in NYC on Sept. 10. Photo: INF

Rihanna takes styling cues from Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall in Coming to America as she heads to Heathrow Airport in London on Sept. 10. Photo: INF

Songbird Estelle gets her very first tattoo (“DO – Divinely Orchestrated”) on Sept. 10 from @bigstevenyc (via @estelledarlings)

Note to Chris Brown and Rihanna: less is more.

Artiste extraordinaire Swizz Beatz ‘wines’ down in the studio on Sept. 11 ‏

“In my studio Zone with opus1 08 :) bang out time…..” (via  @THEREALSWIZZZ)

Hot mama Taraji P. Henson celebrates her birthday on Sept. 10 with a few tweeps and peeps.

“RT @sueannhan: Celebrating @therealtaraji @tarajiphenson ‘s bday & waiting 4 the Queen @maryjblige to take the stage. (via @TherealTaraji)”

Will, Willow, Jaden, and Jada Pinkett Smith arrive for the premiere of Free Angela & All Political Prisoners at the Toronto Film Festival on Sept. 9. Photo: INF

Even though she’s the youngest of the bunch, which also includes mom Kimora Lee, dad Russell Simmons, and sister Ming Lee Simmons, Aoki Lee Simmons knows the paps are always snapping, especially during Mercedez Benz Fashion Week in NYC, on Sept. 8. Photo: INF

Alicia Keys literally Stands Up 2 Cancer while arriving to an event for the organization on Sept. 7. Photo: INF

Mariah Carey hits the stage during the NFL Opening Kickoff at Rockefeller Plaza in NYC on Sept. 5. Photo: Amanda Schwab/Startraks

Just when you thought Rihanna had rocked every hairstyle imaginable, she shows off a new pixie cut while attending a dress rehearsal for the MTV Video Music Awards in L.A. on Sept. 5. Photo: Credit: X17online

RELATED: MTV VMA Flashback: Lil Kim’s Mermaid Pasty, Lenny Kravitz’s Space Suit & More [PHOTOS]

Kim Kardashian gives us side-boob, cleavage, butt profile, and exposed back all with one dress at the opening of a Brian Atwood store in NYC on Sept. 5. Photo: David X Prutting/BFAnyc/Sipa

Lauryn Hill leaves the funeral for Chris Lighty at the Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel on Madison in Manhattan on Sept. 5.

RELATED: Hip-Hop Heavyweights Pay Respects To Chris Lighty

Sofia Vergara sports a prosthetic pregnant belly for her role on “Modern Family” on Sept. 5 in L.A. Photo: Pacific Coast News

President Barack Obama and daughters Malia and Sasha watch, from the White House, First Lady Michelle Obama deliver her speech at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte on Sept. 4.

Terrence J announces his move to “E! News” on the set of the celebrity-driven news show with fellow anchor Giuliana Rancic on Sept. 4.

RELATED: Terrence J Announces His Big Move

Romany Malco celebrates the 100th episode of “Weeds” with co-star Mary-Louise Parker on Sept. 3.

Tamar Braxton proves she really does deserve that solo album by killing the “Star Spangled Banner” at the AT&T Nation’s Football Classic in Washington, D.C. over the Labor Day weekend.

Beyonce and Jay-Z shoot the breeze with director Ron Howard, who was shooting a documentary about the Budweiser Made in America music festival, in Philadelphia during the two-day celebration on Sept. 1. No word on why Beyonce is squatting for no apparent reason. Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage

Salma Hayek and her 4-year-old daughter Valentina jet to the Venice Film Festival on Aug. 31. Photo: Jacopo Raule/FilmMagic

Singer Rita Ora rocks a gold frock to London’s ITV Studios on Aug. 30.

Nicole Richie launches her first fragrance, appropriately named Nicole, at Macy’s in Glendale, Calif. on Aug. 29. Photo: Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage

Alicia Keys and son Egypt leave the ITV Southbank studios in London on Aug. 28. Photo: INFphoto.com

Jordin Sparks looks gorgeous in a white minidress while performing at the U.S. Open on Aug. 27.

On Aug. 28, Paris Jackson enjoys a birthday tribute for her late father Michael Jackson, who would have turned 54 on Aug. 29, in Gary, Ind. Photo: Michael Hickey/WireImage

RELATED: Happy 54th Birthday Michael Jackson! [PHOTOS]

Rihanna struts our of her London hotel. Photo: Splash News Online

Halle Berry heads to the movies with daughter Nahla on Aug. 25. Photo: FameFlynet

Kourtney Kardashian and her “little man” Mason Disick go for a walk on Aug. 23. Photo: AKM-GSI

Oprah hits up a Framingham, Mass. Bed Bath & Beyond, in order to take three girls shopping for dorm room accessories on Aug. 23. Photo: Splash News Online

Looking quite wind-blown, Rihanna is out and about in L.A. on Aug. 22. Photo: AKM-GSI

Tyra Banks gets in bed with new ANTM judges Kelly Cutrone and Rob Evans to celebrate the premiere of the model competition show in NYC on Aug. 22. Photo: Craig Barritt/Getty

Christina Milian hits up the studio with Lil Wayne and Mack Maine, members of her new Young Money family, in Miami on Aug. 22. Photo: Instagram

Eva Mendes stands guard with her dog Hugo in West Hollywood on Aug. 20. Photo: JB Lacroix/WireImage

Mariah Carey looks very low-key on the set of The Butler in New Orleans on Aug. 20. Photo: FameFlynet

First Lady Michelle Obama greets the attendees of the first-ever Kids State Dinner at the White House on Aug. 20. Photo: Olivier Douliery/ABACA

Wearing her best beachwear, Halle Berry goes shopping with fiance Olivier Martinez in L.A. on Aug. 19. Photo: INF

Nick Cannon lends his support to the Do Something Awards in Santa Monica, Calif. on Aug. 19. Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty

Jennifer Hudson films a scene from Smash in NYC on Aug. 17. Photo: X17online

Nicole Richie arrives at Virgin’s Sunset Strip Music Festival VIP party at SkyBar in West Hollywood on Aug. 17. Photo: Splash News Online

Jordin Sparks shares a moment with Bobbi Kristina and her boyfriend Nick Gordon after the Hollywood screening of Sparkle on Aug. 17. Photo: Eric Charbonneau/WireImage

Talk about an awkward moment! Jaguar tapped Jane Krakowski; Tracy Morgan, who has made homophobic jokes; and Johnny Weir, who came out publicly after achieving figure skating fame, for Jaguar’s Chill Event on Aug. 17 in NYC. Photo: Amanda Schwab/Startraks

Camila Alves, who is pregnant with her third child, takes hold of her tots, Levi, 4, and Vida, 2, after leaving a doctor’s appointment in Santa Monica, Calif. on Aug. 16. Photo: AKM-GSI

Gabby Douglas does the red carpet just as well as the uneven bars while attending a post-show event for “America’s Got Talent” on Aug. 15.

Camila Alves shows off her pregnancy curves at the Nylon Guys party in Santa Monica on Aug. 15.

Viola Davis looks beautiful in a white sheath dress while attending the Teachers Rock benefit in L.A. on Aug. 15.

Rihanna arrives at Tokyo Narita airport on Aug. 15 to perform in Japan over the weekend.

Jordin Sparks rocks a fiery peplum ensemble to the premiere of Sparkle in NYC on Aug. 14.

Kelly Rowland attends the David Jones 2012/13 season launch in Sydney on Aug. 14.

Halle Berry looks a little sauced after celebrating her birthday at Little Door club with fiance Olivier Martinez, Salma Hayek, and Francois-Henri Pinault on Aug. 14.

First Lady Michelle Obama and Gabby Douglas share some laughs with Jay Leno on his late-night talk show on  Aug. 13.

Soon-to-be parents Tamera Mowry-Housley and Adam Housley are positively glowing at their baby shower, where she also threw him an impromptu birthday celebration on Aug. 12.

Jennifer Hudson mismatches a pair of studded loafers with a pink mini dress while attending Apollo in the Hamptons event in East Hampton, N.Y. on Aug. 11.

Kerry Washington strikes a pose in a fun Dior frock while attending the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s Installation Luncheon in Beverly Hills on Aug. 9.

Khloe Kardashian-Odom dons a leather dress to celebrate InStyle magazine at a party in California on Aug. 9.

Ciara and photographer Yu Tsai share a photo on Instagram on Aug. 9.

Olympian Allyson Felix celebrates after winning the gold medal for the 200-meter race on Aug. 8. Photo: Getty Images

RELATED: Olympic Runner Allyson Felix Finally Wins Gold In The 200-Meter Race

Tyra wears a slinky dress to The Cinema Society special screening of 2 Days in New York at Landmark Sunshine Cinema in NYC on Aug. 8. Photo: Getty Images

Brandy performs at the MDA Show of Strength held at CBS Television City in L.A. on Aug 8. Photo: Getty Images

RELATED: Brandy’s Comeback Begins

Estelle poses with manager Kevin Liles at Rosa Regale’s “Wonderful Life” performance series, during which the singer gave an intimate performance, at The Darby in NYC on Aug. 7.

Kim Kardashian photographs her favorite subject while wearing a pair of Celine leather sweats, a Helmut Lang top, and $6,0000 Guiseppe Zanotti booties designed by Kanye West on Aug. 7.

Spike Lee gives us a wry smile as he poses with his wife Tonya Lewis Lee and their children at the premiere for his film Red Hook Summer on Aug. 6 in NYC.

Harry Belafonte poses with his Life Achievement Award at the 65th Locarno Film Festival in Locarno, Switzerland on Aug. 6. Photo: Getty Images

RELATED: Belafonte: Jay-Z, Beyonce ‘Turned Their Back on Social Responsibility’

Lance Gross hits up 2 Chainz‘s listening party at Tree Sound Studios in Norcross, GA on Aug. 6.

Drake and guest Nicki Minaj rock the stage at Toronto’s third annual OVO Fest at Molson Amphitheater on Aug. 5.

Someone actually hired Joseline Hernandez of “Love & Hip Hop Atlanta” to host a party at Atlanta’s Mansion Elan on Aug. 4. Of course her side-kick Stevie J. was there too.

Robert Townsend, Melanie Fiona, and Laz Alonso on August 3rd at the Studio Museum of Harlem where Alonso was announced as the new travel ambassador of BlackAtlas.com.

U.S. Olympic swimmer Lauren Perdue poses with fellow Olympian Lebron James in an Instagram. She started a firestorm after tweeting that Lebron had asked her to dinner, which really turned out to be an invitation to the dining hall.

Ray J poses with his new boss Rickey Smiley, who will star in a TV One sitcom loosely based on his life alongside Ray J, on Aug. 1 at the Beverly Hilton, the same hotel in which Ray J’s former lover Whitney Houston died.

A Houston-area high school student was rushed the hospital on Wednesday after shooting himself in the head while handcuffed in the back of a police car, reports NBC News.

Officers say the student was conscious and breathing while being transported to a nearby hospital. He was in the intensive care unit after undergoing surgery.

No one else was hurt.

The incident reportedly began when police were called to North Shore Senior High School to investigate a report of a student with a firearm. After being searched, handcuffed behind his back and seated in a patrol car, the student retrieved a hidden gun and shot himself. It is unclear if cops took another gun from the student before he was placed in the vehicle.

Paramedics quickly arrived on the scene and his family accompanied the student to the hospital.

The Harris County Sheriff’s Office will investigate the shooting.

In July, 21-year-old Chavis Carter fatally shot himself while handcuffed in the back of a police car. After much controversy over the bizarre incident, an autopsy report issued in August ruled the death a suicide. Carter had been picked up by authorities during a traffic stop in Jonesboro, Ark.

They are effortlessly cool, impossibly stylish, and unabashedly masculine. Of course, we are talking about leather bomber jackets. Every gentleman deserves to have one in his closet, and we are going to tell you why. But first, a small slice of history: Flight jackets were initially worn by pilots to keep them warm because the cockpits of their planes were not enclosed. And even when cockpits became enclosed; traveling at higher, colder altitudes still necessitated the usage of heavy-duty leather jackets. Now, unless you are a part of the United States Air Force, you probably won’t be embarking on any aerial missions anytime soon. Nevertheless, we’re going to show you how to look fly — even when you’re grounded.

If you are a gentleman that appreciates authenticity; ensure that your contemporary bomber jacket embodies all the classic aesthetics of the classic G1 flight jacket. And that means your jacket should be heavy leather, have a zip front, a fur-lined collar, two large front button pockets, and lots of attitude.

Schott G1 Shearling Collar Leather Bomber, $975

Nevertheless, if you are a gentleman that isn’t too intimately attached to history, an updated version of the bomber jacket in supple, rugged suede can still capture the vintage spirit, while maintaining its own modern personality. This model is perfect for the guy who loves the outdoors.

Orvis Suede Bomber Jacket, $295

The difference between a classic leather bomber jacket and your standard run-of-the-mill leather jacket lies within the fit. Your leather bomber should be slightly fitted throughout the body, nipped at the cuffs, and cropped comfortably at the waist.

Ralph Lauren Black Label Denim Waxed Leather Bomber, $2,295

OK, so we have already established how cool a bomber jacket looks. Now, it is time to look under the hood. Because, as we stated earlier, the purpose of the leather bomber was to keep the pilot warm. Therefore, a gentleman needs a down-filled, leather-lined, and fur-collared bomber to report for duty — like this crazy-stylish offering from Burberry.

Burberry Nappa Leather Down-Filled Bomber, $7,750

Without question, bombers connote the type of tough guy masculinity that lends a new meaning to the nickname “brown bomber.” Joe Louis would probably agree. So, when selecting your bomber this season, don’t go with black — that would be too cliché. Dark brown is your best bet because it ages beautifully and shows more character as it gets beat up. Like we said — tough guy masculinity!

Gant Rugger A2 Faux Shearling Collar Leather Bomber, $1,150

Frank Ocean made a huge splash in the music scene this year and his hard work is beginning to pay off. Big time.

At the 2013 GRAMMY Awards, the 25-year-old singer will lead the pack with six nominations in categories such as Best New Artist, Record of the Year (“Thinkin Bout You”) and the coveted Album of the Year (Channel Orange).

His reaction? “wow…” and “WTF,” were followed by a surprised emoji posted to his official Tumblr page.

Ocean will be joined by indie pop band fun., folk-rock band Mumford & Sons, The Black Keys’ drummer Dan Auerbach, as well as rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West who all scored six nods in their respective categories.

Related: Star Clique

Kaleidoscope Dream singer Miguel didn’t make out too bad either.

On the strength of his second studio album, the 26-year-old crooner is up for five nominations that include Song of the Year, Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song– all for “Adorn.” Kaleidoscope Dream has also been nominated for Best Urban Contemporary Album, along with Ocean’s Channel Orange and Chris Brown‘s Fortune.

The 55th annual GRAMMY Awards will air live on Feb. 10 at 8/7c on CBS. Check out the full list of nominees here!

The post Frank Ocean, Jay-Z & Kanye West Lead Grammy Nominations appeared first on UPTOWN Magazine.

Courtesy of EBONY.com

A Penn State sorority has become the focus of an investigation after a racist Mexican-themed party picture was posted to the Web, according to the independent Penn State blog, Onward State.

The picture, said to be taken around Halloween, shows the women dressed in sombreros and mustaches. Some of the women held signs that read “Will mow lawn for weed + beer” and “I don’t cut grass I smoke it.”

The photo was posted on Tumblr and Facebook, where Onward State was able to identify the women tagged in the photo as members of the Chi Omega sorority on campus.

Jessica Riccardi, the president of the Nu Gamma chapter of Chi Omega, confirmed to the student publication the Daily Collegian that the sorority is under investigation. Riccardi also issued an apology.

Continue at EBONY.com…

It was a picture perfect evening at Espace in New York City as Miami Heat star LeBron James accepted the 2012 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year Award. Fiancée Savannah Brinson, mother Gloria and famous buddies Jay-Z and Beyonce were by his side as the league’s reigning MVP was honored for his outstanding accomplishments.

“I don’t do this by myself, you guys have a lot to do with this as well,” he said. “Every award that I win, you guys should feel proud about it as well. [...] Without my team, on and off the floor, none of this is obtainable.”

Duke University and U.S. Men’s Basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski was also on hand to praise James.

“LeBron, you have been the most scrutinized athlete that I have seen in my lifetime,” he said. “To have the year of scrutiny that you had the year before — and then to have the year of accomplishment — the dignity and class you showed makes you unbelievably deserving of this award.”

Check out all the hot shots after the jump!

Photos courtesy of Getty Images

Courtesy of Hello Beautiful

Love is in the air! And if you think your special guy plans to surprise you with an engagement ring over the holidays, you need to get ready.

Most brides do a couple of things first. I’ve seen brides who run to the store and buy every wedding magazine on the shelf. Some brides immediately start trying on dresses. Others start zipping from one side of town to another to scope out their potential venue.

Hold up. Stop. Breathe.

I always equate wedding planning to shopping for a car. You don’t just go to any and every car dealership and say, “Show me all of your cars.” You usually have a plan, or at least an idea of what you can spend. You probably don’t just stroll into the Mercedes dealership unless you know you have Mercedes money.

Continue reading at Hello Beautiful

[Photo: Shutterstock]

Courtesy of Vibe Vixen

It takes time to heal old wounds, but the repercussions of the alleged altercation between former NFL star Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson and estranged wife Evelyn Lozada continues to play out in the public.

In his first public interview since the incident, Ochocinco stopped by ESPN’s First Take to discuss what really went down.

“What happened was a mistake–that I’ve continuously apologized for, to the people that I’ve hurt, including my wife–I’ve stated that numerous times….I think me continuing to say sorry, sorta drowns it out,” he said. While he admitted being the one at fault for their split, he said that he deservedly lost everything as a result.

He also discusses his time with the Patriots, getting the ax from the Miami Dolphins and the tragedy involving Chiefs’ Jovan Belcher.

Check out the video over at Vibe Vixen…

The post Chad Johnson Talks Evelyn Lozada Incident On ESPN’s ‘First Take’ [VIDEO] appeared first on UPTOWN Magazine.