Willow Smith and her mom Jada Pinkett Smith were spotted having a girl’s day out Saturday afternoon (Apr 21) in Calabasas, CA.

Willow was rocking a pink and brown mohawk as she and her mom popped into a Barnes and Noble bookstore, leaving dad Will Smith behind in the car.

The family outing comes shortly after Jada slammed rumors that she and her husband Will Smith were having marriage troubles. Talking with France’s Gala magazine, Mrs. Smith confidently said, “These rumors are completely untrue.”

Check out a few pics of Willow and Jada out and about in California below:

[Photos: GG, GC]

With rumors swirling around that their marriage is on the rocks, Will Smith and his wife Jada Pinkett Smith were spotted enjoying each other’s company as they hung out with their two young kids Willow and Jaden Smith at the Sixers-Heat game in Philadelphia Friday (Mar 16).

The couple — who have been married since 1997 — reportedly arrived around halftime, and were met with a round of applause.

Attendees of the game say they even saw the pair kissing courtside, and at one point, Will and Jada showed up on the Jumbotron’s famous kiss cam.

“They were having a good time,” a source told People. “Will and Jada were introduced to the crowd to a loud cheer. She affectionately put her head on his shoulder and he affectionately touched her as they smiled.”

More photos of the Smith family hanging out at the Sixers-Heat game are below:

All the rumors about Jada and Will splitting up can finally come to rest. Early this morning, Jada released a Valentine’s Day track titled “Burn” in dedication of her hubby.

She also wrote a note to accompany the song. Check them both out below:

With the major losses we have experienced in the last few weeks…

We should remember…

Our lives are worth living fully.

Therefore…

Our risks are worthy.
Our mistakes are worthy.
Our traumas are worthy as well.
The very paths we are told not to
tread are the paths that hold the
keys to our deepest understanding of
love for our lives and ourselves.

Self love is the gateway to truly loving
another…deeply

We were born to be loved and to love…
fiercely.

Will,
I love you.
Happy Valentine’s Day.
This is for you.

[Spotted @ Necole Bitchie]

Simon Cowell is unrolling plans to start an all-new talent competition series…but this time he’ll be enlisting the help of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith.

According to reports, Cowell’s Syco Entertainment is partnering with the Smith’s Overbrook Entertainment and Sony Pictures Television to develop a show that searches for the World’s Greatest DJ.

“We have been working on this show for over a year and we wanted to partner with the right people. As soon as I met Jada and Miguel from Overbrook, I knew they would be our ideal partners. DJ’s are the new rock stars, it feels like the right time to make this show,” Cowell told Deadline.

Jada Pinkett-Smith also seems to be just as excited as Cowell to be launching the show. “This show will comb the world to find a new breed of talent. I am happy to be creating it alongside Simon Cowell,” she said.

An announcement on the show’s U.S. broadcast carrier will be made soon.

“X Factor” wasn’t half bad so we wonder how this will turn out!

What divorce???

Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith are apparently all smiles again after being plagued with divorce/separation rumors earlier this year.

And guess what? Turns out….the couple’s superstar children — Willow and Jaden Smith — played a major factor!

According to sources, Will and Jada disagreed on how to handle Jaden and Willow’s careers, which ultimately led to a few marital issues.

Apparently….Will wanted to push the kids to full-blow stardom, while Jada was more focused on easing them into things.

But luckily for them (and the kids)….they got past their “little rift,” and things are back to the norm.

Glad all that mess is over now…

[TMZ]

A Will Smith & Jada Pinkett Smith insider tells celebrity rumor busters Gossip Cop that rumors of an impending divorce between the Hollywood couple is “not true.”

“It’s over!” for Will Smith and Jada Pinkett, reports Star magazine, recycling a tabloid rumor from August that claimed the couple was ending their 14-year marriage.

The mag predicts the Smiths will file divorce papers in the near future, quoting a so-called “source” as saying, “They’ve been faking it for a long time and they don’t want to live a lie anymore.”

Despite the fact that the pair looked perfectly happy partying with David Guetta and his wife in Miami last week, Star‘s purported insider insists “they’re done” and have been “living and sleeping separately” for some time now.

Smith and Pinkett have supposedly refrained from going public with their split because “they worry divorce could hurt their careers,” explains the tabloid’s source.

That’s ironic, considering it was Star who initially claimed the couple were “faking” their breakup just to boost ratings for Pinkett’s TV show “HawthoRNe.”

Regardless, the mag now says the split rumors in August were, in fact, true and quote another so-called “source” who explains, “They’ve been trying to work through it, but things came to a head in early November, when they got into a huge knock-down, drag-out fight.”

Since then, says the source, Smith and Pinkett have barely spoken, and “are living separate lives.”

That’s, of course, if you don’t count them speaking and living together last week in Miami.

Anyway, an impeccable Smith insider tells Gossip Cop plainly, “It is not true.”

Pallbearers help carry the casket of rapper Heavy D at his funeral service at Grace Baptist Church on November 18, 2011 in Mount Vernon, New York.

Heavy D, who died at age 44 in Los Angeles from what his family said was complications from pneumonia, was laid to rest in a star studded funeral service in his hometown of Mount Vernon, New York on Friday (Nov 18).

A-List stars like like Jay-Z, Will and Jada Smith, Diddy, Queen Latifah, John Legend, Usher, Samuel L. Jackson and many more were all in attendance at the rap legend’s two-and-a-half hour funeral service at Grace Baptist Church, which was reportedly filled to capacity.

A mourner holds the program for Heavy D's funeral service at Grace Baptist Church on November 18, 2011 in Mount Vernon, New York.

Heavy D’s 11-year-old daughter Xea Myers spoke briefly during the service, telling the mourning attendees that her father was “still here, not in the flesh, but in the spirit.”

Diddy also talked about his late friend, including how he helped give him his start in the music industry, and how their longtime friendship continued up until Heavy D’s death.

“He became my friend. He became my brother, and I’m not talking about friend-brother like we cavalierly use the word, I’m talking about a real friend, a real brother,” Diddy said. “Somebody I shared my dreams and my secrets with, somebody that’s been there for me at my lowest point, my darkest hour when nobody wanted to be beside me.”

President Barack and First Lady Michelle Obama even offered a few words of encouragement to Heavy D’s family in the form of a note, which was read aloud by Rev. Al Sharpton:

“We extend our heartfelt condolences at this difficult time. He will be remembered for his infectious optimism and many contributions to American music. Please know that you and your family will be in our thoughts and prayers.”

A memorial fund has been set up to help financially aid Heavy D’s young daughter Xea. Details can be found on the website: http://rememberheavyd.com

When the story of an alleged affair between talented actress (and wife of Will Smith) Jada Pinkett-Smith and singer Marc Anthony broke, we laughed out loud …. and in his exclusive interview with Nightline, Marc Anthony admits he did too!

“When something like that happens, it’s laughable. We were laughing, like ‘Wow’,” he told Nightline. “We’ve been friends for years. Jada, Jennifer, me, him, for years….”

Since his shocking split from his wife Jennifer Lopez a few months back, rumors started flying around that HawthoRNe co-stars Marc and Jada’s “affair” had caused the couple to part ways. But there’s one thing that angers Marc the most about the false accusations.

“What bothers me is the effect it has on family, to Will and Jada’s, and their children, and their relatives, and their loved ones” he said.

After said stories, Will and Jada’s marriage has come under fire with rumors that after 13 years of marriage, the couple have secretly parted ways.

They have since denied those claims and false reports, saying that their marriage is still “in tact.”

Usually when celebs are faced with break-up rumors, they deny, deny, deny, and them BAM … they part ways, just as everyone suspected. But we sure do hope this isn’t the case with favourite Hollywood heavyweight couple Will Smith and his wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith.

According to reports, the couple are on the verge of a split as Jada allegedly had an affair with singer/actor Marc Anthony after they met during his short stint on her show “Hawthorne.” However, Jada’s rep has since quickly denied the rumors via a brief statement which said, “Everything about the Marc Anthony story is completely false.”

The couple also released a joint statement earlier in the week, squashing rumors that their marriage is on the rocks. “Although we are reluctant to respond to these types of press reports, the rumors circulating about our relationship are completely false. We are still together, and our marriage is intact,” the statement read.

So in an effort to further show they are not on the verge of anything, the couple were spotted in Malibu this week happily shopping it up and smiling from ear to ear.

Stick that in your pipe and smoke it rumor mill!

More pics of the happy couple are below:

The Internet was abuzz earlier today with rumors swirling that Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith had separated after over a decade of marriage, but now the Hollywood power couple have released a joint-statement putting an end to the nonsense.

“Although we are reluctant to respond to these types of press reports, the rumors circulating about our relationship are completely false,”Will and Jada’s statement read. “We are still together, and our marriage is intact.”

Will and Jada have been married for 13 years and have 2 very famous children together: Jaden and Willow Smith.

Will, who is no stranger to divorce, also has an older son (Trey) with his first wife Sheree Zampino.

The Smith family — one of the coolest Hollywood families in the world — recently opened the doors to their big, beautiful Malibu home, for the first time EVER!

Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, along with their 3 children — Willow (10), Jaden (13) and Trey (18, from Will’s previous marriage) — gave Architectural Digest Magazine a grand tour of their massive home, located in the upscale Calabasas, California area.

The sprawling estate boasts 9 bedrooms, a recording studio (where Willow recorded her hit single “Whip My Hair”), a lake, swimming pool, tennis and basketball courts, and more, all of which makes it look more like a luxury resort than a private residence.

Will says his family’s 25,000 square foot home, which took 7 years to build and perfect, was designed with “dead ends… to create an infinite cycle that represented what Jada and I hoped for our love.”

Also speaking on the home was Jada, who said: “For Will and me this home was always a spiritual endeavour. We’re very earthy, organic people. We wanted to create a family retreat, something made by hand and as natural as possible, something that ties back to the land. Whatever it becomes, the craftsmanship will always represent our union and the love of our family.”

Check out the pics of the home below:

For more on the Smith family’s home, pick up the September issue of AD Magazine after it hits newsstands August 9th!

Continuing their recent trend of supporting each other professionally, Beyonce and Kelly Rowland posed for a friendly picture together as they supported Jay-Z and Kanye West — collectively known as The Throne — at their official “Watch the Throne” album release party last night at the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History.

Also spotted at the album release party was Beyonce’s sister Solange, actress Jada Pinkett-Smith, rappers Q-Tip and Busta Rhymes, and NYC hotel mogul Andre Balazs.

Check out the pics below!

Willow Smith recently released a set of black and white photos of her family spending time together in their downtime.

Check out the stunning images of the entire Smith family, including parents Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, big brother Trey and the young stars Willow and Jaden Smith below:

Lil Wayne poses with his 12-year-old daughter Reginae Carter in the audience at the 2011 BET Awards.

Other famous faces spotted in the crowd of the 11th annual ceremony included Nelly & Ashanti, Nicki Minaj, Diddy, the entire Smith family (Jaden, Willow, Will and Jada), Keri Hilson, Laz Alonso, Big Sean, Mary J. Blige, Justin Bieber and plenty more.

Check out 20+ pics below:

Willow and Jaden Smith made their parents proud last night at the 2011 BET Awards when they both “tied” to win the show’s “Youngstar’s Award.”

Check out more photos (along with the video footage of them accepting their award) below:

Something about this has “BS” written all over it … but hey who really cares? We all love the Smith kids!

Jada Pinkett Smith made a guest appearance on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” yesterday evening. The 39 year-old actress stopped by to promote her upcoming series of “Hawthorne” and to bring Jimmy a note from her daughter pop star Willow Smith, who loved his cover of her smash hit “Whip My Hair.”

Peep the footage below:

Jada Pinkett Smith is definitely a mommy-banger!

The 39 year-old actress gracefully covers the June/July 2011 issue of UPTOWN Magazine. Inside the mag, Jada dishes on her children growing up in Hollywood, ending her music career, marriage with Will, and more.

Check out the excerpts, more pics and BTS footage from the shoot below:

On The “Stage Parent” Rumors

“There are so many other kids you can worry about. My kids? They’re going to be all right. I get why people would criticize. But people need to know that Will and I would never put our children in a situation that would bring them detriment,” she says, her hazel eyes flashing. My kids have no idea how I grew up. Even in knowing my story, they couldn’t know what that means. They have no RE-ALI-TY. None. My feeling is, my kids need to have challenges, in a safe way. If I survived everything that I survived in Baltimore and Will survived everything he survived in Philly, these kids surely can survive the Hollywood game. With so many heavyweights surrounding them—from Beyoncé and Jay-Z to Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith to Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony—if they can fail in a circle like that, then they weren’t going to win in the first place.”

“All I want for Trey (Will’s oldest son from his first marriage), Jaden, and Willow is happiness,” she says. “As long as they’re happy, and know how to maneuver in this world, I’m good.”

On Ending Her Music Career

“When Jaden did The Pursuit of Happyness, I was supposed to go on tour with Guns N’ Roses in Europe,” she says softly. She turned down the offer and eventually disbanded the group. “It was probably the most heartbreaking experience. But what I realized is that sometimes God will place things in your life that will make you recognize what your priorities are. I adore my son; he’s my soul seed. There was no way that I was going to allow him to do [a movie] and not have his mother.”

On her husband of 14 years, Will Smith:

“We create together; we love on each other. We raise our kids together. We are building something together.”

“People think that Will and I don’t spend a lot of time together. Too much time, actually, if you ask me. It’s always nice to have a little time apart. Sometimes you need that.”

If she’s changed since entering the business at a younger age:

“Sometimes you have to live who you’re not, to know who you are. That same girl you saw in Menace is the same girl who even then was listening to metal. But nobody knew that. If you talk to the Queen Latifahs and the Tupac Shakurs, they’d say, ‘Of course!’ I’ve always been a lot of things.”

On her kids’ personalities:

“Believe it or not, they’re both like me and Will. Willow’s a lot like me – just in the chances she’ll take. And then, Jaden has the drive of his father. Jaden and I are what I call introverted extroverts. Willow and Will are more pow! Jaden and I, well, we don’t give that to just anybody.”

CLICK HERE FOR MORE ON JADA PINKETT-SMITH

Jada Pinkett Smith isn’t the least bit worried about her two pre-teen children growing up too fast.

The 39-year-old actress insists that she thinks giving her 10-year-old pop sensation daughter Willow Smith and her son, 12-year-old actor Jaden Smith, the freedom to express their creativity and make their own choices is good for them.

“I see my children as little people, not necessarily people to control,” Jada said. “You’ve got to help them develop and become individuals. You have to find out who they are but enforce boundaries to keep them safe. [Willow] is simply being creative. I’m not worried about her growing up too soon.”

The “Hawthorne” actress admitted she loves being a mother and has found it easier to put family before work as she’s gotten older.

“I’m very clear about what my priority is and that’s my family,” she said. “I used to struggle juggling work and family at the beginning. It’s hard when you change from being single to being married to being a mother. But now I’m turning 40, I’ve found a peaceful compromise. I feel very content.

Do you are agree with Jada?

The stars shined bright at the premiere of Justin Bieber‘s 3D documentary “Never Say Never” Tuesday night (Feb. 8) in Los Angeles. Chris Brown, Usher (who brought his two sons), Toni Braxton, The Smith Family (Will, Jada, Jaden & Willow), Will.i.am, Miley Cyrus and many more all walked the purple carpet before making their way into the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live to catch the premiere.

Meanwhile, Justin Bieber was questioned on the carpet about his rumored girlfriend Selena Gomez (who was on hand for the premiere), and also talked more about his goals in starting an acting career.

Check out the pics and video footage below (and when you continue reading)!!

It’s official. First, big brother Jaden Smith got his chance to star in a big movie remake (“Karate Kid”), and now his little sis Willow Smith is getting her turn!

The 11-year-old has officially signed on to star in a remake of the musical “Annie.” The movie will be developed by Sony Pictures and will be produced by her parents Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith‘s production company Overbrook Entertainment. As rumored, rapper Jay-Z is a part of the project as well.

“The time is right to bring back ‘Annie’ to the big screen. Of course, we’re true believers in Willow’s talent and believe she will be perfect in this role,” Columbia Pictures President Doug Belgrad told The Hollywood Reporter.

The Smiths teamed up with Jay-Z and a few other Overbrook partners once before to co-produce the award winning Broadway play “Fela!,” which earned 11 Tony Award nominations last year.

“The Overbrook Entertainment family and I have a unified vision. We’ve already produced a Tony Award winning play and we’re developing a true superstar in Willow,” Jay-Z said in a statement.

Willow Smith is also signed to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation label. And though it wasn’t explicitly mentioned, we have a feeling Jay and Roc Nation will have something to do with the soundtrack for the film.

Look-out Jaden, your little sister is bringing on some serious competition!

What do you think?

Willow Smith (along with her mom Jada Pinkett Smith) takes us behind the scenes as she rocks different looks and poses for a new photoshoot with the the UK’s Sunday Times magazine.

Peep the video footage below!

Willow Smith may be just 9 years old, but the extremely young actress turned singer is showing up and showing out as she attends various Milan Fashion Week events with her mom Jada Pinkett Smith (who is also an actress/singer).

The always stylish youngster and her mom were spotted seated in the front row of the Dolce & Gabbana fashion show Sunday (Sep 26) alongside supermodel Naomi Campbell. Willow also posed with singer Kylie Minogue in the VIP room of the same show. And just one day prior (Sat. Sep 25), Willow and Jada were spotted in the front row of the Emporio Armani fashion show.

Check out 10+ pics below of Willow and Jada hanging out with A-list celebs during the opening days of Milan Fashion Week in Milan, Italy!

Sprint is the very first carrier to introduce 4G technology to the cell phone market, revolutionizing the mobile space and changing the way we use cellular technology. And in honor of that, we have selected 5 influential Hollywood superstars who have changed the industry and are still changing it as we speak! Continue reading to see who they are and to learn more about Sprint’s innovative new 4G technology…

BEYONCE » Beyonce Knowles has been in the game going strong since she was just 16 years old as the lead singer of Destiny’s Child, one of the world’s most successful girl groups of our time. And now at 29, Beyonce (dubbed the “Queen of Pop” by Billboard this year) has really become a force to reckon with. With her 16 Grammy awards (13 solo), 7 starring movie roles, successful clothing line and multiple major endorsement deals (Tommy Hilfiger, Armani, L’Oreal, etc.), there is hardly anyone in the industry right now who can touch her. Oh yeah, and it doesn’t hurt that she’s married to Jay-Z, one of the hottest and most influential rappers in the game.

WILL SMITH » He started out as a rapper and the star of the “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” and went on to become one of the most successful and highest paid actors in the world. Will Smith‘s film career kicked off with the 1996 Blockbuster “Independence Day” and ever since then, his career has done nothing but steadily go up. A year later in 1997, he married actress Jada Pinkett and together they have two children: Jaden and Willow, who at just 12 and 9 years old respectively, are already making their own names for themselves (Jaden stars in the “Karate Kid” remake and little Willow just stunned the industry with her debut single “Whip My Hair”). So that alone makes Will pretty darned influential if you ask us.

LADY GAGA » Born Stefani Germanotta, Lady Gaga has been one of the most prominent figures in the music industry ever since being discovered by Akon back in 2007. In just 3 short years, Lady Gaga has managed to put out 2 multi-platinum, chart-topping, worldly renown albums and also brought in over $200 million in less than a year with her “Monster Ball” World Tour (her first solo tour). And not to mention, whenever she says something outrageous or slabs a few pounds of meat on herself, she always gives us something else to talk about.

LIL WAYNE » Often being labeled as the “Best Rapper Alive,” Dwayne Carter (aka Lil Wayne) has done more than enough to make his presence in the industry known. From countless mixtapes to an innumerable amount of guest features, the 26-year-old rapper always finds a way to sure his voice never goes unheard. Even behind bars, Weezy has managed to keep his brand alive by introducing and carefully planting his Young Money protegees in the industry, most notably Drake and Nicki Minaj (who are both holding the fort pretty well as their boss serves his bid in prison).

JUSTIN BIEBER » At just 16 years old, this kid has already made a pretty good household name for himself. We’re almost positive if you asked, your grandmother knows who Justin Bieber is which just goes to show how widespread Bieber fever is. Discovered on YouTube by Usher, the Biebster has found a way to become the music industry’s baby brother. Everybody, and we literally mean EVERYBODY, loves him to death.

America’s first 4G phone is also the first to deliver download speeds up to 10x faster than 3G and be a mobile hotspot for up to eight Wi-Fi enabled devices. Not to mention front and rear-facing cameras and the ability to stream live video to the Web. And you get access to over 65,000 apps you’ve come to expect from an Android. So the only question is, what will you do first with EVO? sprint.com/firsts

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Sprint via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Sprint.

Rapper B.o.B. headlined Perez Hilton‘s “One Night in Chicago” concert at the Hard Rock Hotel last Thursday evening (Aug 5) in Chicago, IL.

R&B singer Usher hung out with CNN anchor Don Lemon as he and his New Look Foundation hosted a “Powered by Service Day” Thursday in Atlanta.

Super model Iman helped celebrate ESSENCE Magazine’s 40th Anniversary by appearing on the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange in New York City.

On the other side of the world in Tokyo, Japan, Jaden Smith and his family, including his parents Will & Jada Pinkett Smith and his little sister Willow, along with his on-screen co-star Jackie Chan, waved to the press and fans at the Japanese premiere of “The Karate Kid” at Roppongi Hills Arena.

And young Pop star Justin Bieber met up with band camp students at Seminole High School in Sanford, FL as to help announce Best Buy and the Grammy Foundation’s donation to the Seminole High music program. He even played a few tunes a capella (with the help of his guitar) for the students.

While in Paris, France for big brother Jaden Smith‘s Karate kid premiere, Willow Smith took time out to do a photo shoot at the Trocadero fountain. Parents Will and Jada supervised the shoot and also posed for pictures with a pair of newlyweds in the area. How nice!

Meanwhile, nine-year-old Willow is also becoming quite the fashionista! Not only are people talking about her haircut, but now she’s rocking silver paint on the outside of her right ear, which is sure to set up a new trend (or two).

Peep a few pics of Willow on the set of her new Parisian photo below…

Actor Jaden Smith brought his parents Will & Jada Pinkett Smith along with him as he and Jackie Chan promoted their new movie “The Karate Kid” over on the other side of the world in Fredrikstad, Norway Friday afternoon (Jul 23). Jaden’s stylish little sister Willow usually tags along however the young actress decided to miss out on this premiere for whatever reason (she probably couldn’t decide on an outfit to wear! LOL).

The Smith family poses with actor Jackie Chan as they arrive at the UK film premiere of Jackie and Jaden Smith‘s new film “The Karate Kid” at Odeon Leicester Square Thursday afternoon (Jul 15) in London, England.

Jada Pinkett Smith, Will Smith and Willow Smith all showed up to support Jaden at the London premiere of his highly successful movie, which has reportedly grossed over $141 million dollars in the U.S. and over $166 million dollars worldwide. It’s being said that Sony Pictures is already working on the film’s sequel.

Check out a few pictures of the Smith family and Jackie Chan at the U.K. “Karate Kid” film premiere in London below…

Many of you have probably seen Willow Smith hit the red carpet at different events with some of the most bazaar hairstyles ever seen on a young girl. Well her mother Jada Pinkett Smith was recently on “Lopez Tonight,” and responded to folks criticizing her for allowing her daughter to shave the sides of her head. She also explained to George Lopez the story behind Willow’s fun and innovative hairstyles.

Peep the video footage below (around the 3:30 mark):

“She decided, ‘I want hair like my grandmother’s.’ I said ‘Willow, grandma has no hair – you have to have some hair.’ And she said, “Mom I’m really tired of the hair. I just really feel I’d like it to get in the pool. I want it to swim. I just don’t want to be bothered with the hair.’” After discussing it with husband Will, Willow was given permission to shave the sides of her head.

After she talked it over with her husband Will, Jada says Willow was given permission to shave the sides of her head. Here’s what her stylist, Marcia Hamilton said about the critics slamming Jada for shaving her daughter’s hair off:

“Look, it’s 2010. Can’t our little girls move into the future without ruffling feathers? The look is fun, empowering, anti-relaxer and anti-weave. More women need to steer their little girls in this direction. If your child is a forward-thinker, you should guide her instead of smothering her.”

While it may be a little bazaar, we think that people have to remember that we are talking about a kid who is being raised in Hollywood. Her hairstyles are quite bazaar, but we don’t see anything wrong. Willow is just showing off her creativity just like any other kid her age would. Lighten up! Sheesh…

Spotted @ Necole Bitchie

The 2010 BET Awards went down Sunday night (Jun 27) live from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles and the red carpet was full of black star power as celebrities like Ciara, T.I. (who brought along his entire family), Keri Hilson, Nick Cannon, John Legend, Diddy, Carmelo & Lala, Nicki Minaj, Brandy, the Black Eyed Peas and more arrived in style at the 10th annual show.

Check out 40+ pictures from the BET Awards’ red carpet below and when you continue reading…

Looks like Jay-Z, Will Smith, and Jada Pinkett-Smith have achieved some success together!

The entertainment stars recently teamed up and produced a Broadway musical, “Fela!”, which ended up getting nominated for 11 Tony Awards and won 3 of the highly respected trophies during last night’s ceremony. The three categories in which “Fela!” won in were for “Best Sound Design of a Musical”, “Best Choreography” and “Best Costume Design of a Musical.”

“Fela!” focuses on the life and times of Nigerian composer and activist Fela Anikulapo Kuti, who battled against over 1,000 soldiers trying to stop his public performances at the legendary Lagos nightclub The Shrine.

Check out a few pictures of Will, Jada, Jay-Z & Jay’s wife Beyonce at the 64th Annual Tony Awards Sunday (Jun 13) at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall below…

Russell Simmons launched his NOH8 milkshake in honor of the 40th LA Pride Anniversary at Milions of Milkshakes over the weekend (Sat. Jun 12) in West Hollywood, CA.

Kelly Rowland posed for pictures at the AXE Lounge in Southampton, New York Friday (Jun 11) to promote the release of her new single “Commander.”

Singers Maxwell and Erykah Badu performed in concert at the Philips Arena in Atlanta.

R&B singer Usher posed backstage with his award for “2010 Celebrity Fragrance of the Year” at the 2010 Fifi Awards at the New York State Armory in New York.

Kim Kardashian chilled with Randy Jackson at the 38th Annual Fifi Awards.

Actress Jada Pinkett-Smith spoke on stage last Wednesday (Jun 9) at the 2010 CMT Music Awards in Nashville, TN.

Singer Taylor Swift also attended the 2010 CMT Music Awards in Nashville. The young country music sensation presented an award with Faith Hill during the show.

And country singer Carrie Underwood was spotted posing with her awards at the 2010 CMT Music Awards Press Room. Underwood won the “Video of the Year” and the “CMT Performance of the Year” awards, two of the biggest honors of the evening.

Actors Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan posed for pics with the original “Karate Kid” actor Ralph Macchio on the red carpet of the premiere of the “Karate Kid” remake at the Mann Village Theater Monday (Jun 7) in Westwood, CA.

Jaden’s family, his parents Will & Jada Smith, his little sister Willow Smith and his older brother Trey Smith, also tagged along. Other celebs spotted on the red carpet of the “Karate Kid” were Ciara, Quenton Aaron (“The Blindside”), Taraji P. Henson, Quincy Jones, Regina King and more.

Check out 10+ pictures of celebs at the “Karate Kid” premiere in Hollywood below…

Actress Jada Pinkett Smith takes it all off on the June/July 2010 cover of Essence Magazine. Smith surprisingly posed nude as a statement to her young daughter Willow Smith to always be proud of her natural beauty and skin.

“I was wearing a really cute pair of taupe-coloured shorts and nothing else. ‘This just looks like ’scared.’ Everything comes off, but the shorts? Fear is what communicates. We can’t be afraid of our own sexuality or our own black skin. So I said, ‘Why not take these off?’ ”

Way to go Jada! We like the nude look :-D

Check out the other cover below:

Hollywood power couples Beyonce & Jay-Z and Will Smith & Jada Pinkett-Smith went on a double date last night (Thurs. May 20) and attended the post-theater reception celebrating 11 Tony Awards Nominations for their theater production “FELA!” at the Palm West in New York City.

“Fela!” is a broadway musical about the life and times of a Nigerian musician named Fela Kuti and it’s funded and produced by Will, Jada and Jay-Z.

Check out a few pictures of Bey, Jay, Will and Jada, along with director/choreographer Bill T. Jones at the event below…

Actor Will Smith and his wife actress Jada Pinkett Smith attended the TNT/TBS Upfront Presentation at Hammerstein Ballroom Wednesday (May 19) in New York City.

Other celebs, including Essence Atkins, Terry Crews, Ice Cube, Regina King, George Lopez and Conan O’Brien, were also spotted the Turner Entertainment Upfront presentation.

Check out a few pictures below…

Actor Will Smith and wife actress Jada Pinkett Smith share a few secrets on how to maintain a healthy marriage in a recent episode of the the Oprah Winfrey Show. When asked by Oprah how the two manage to keep the sparks alive after being married for more than 12 years, Jada responded with: “How saucy do you want to get, Oprah?”

But, before things could get too heated up, Will interfered, “Hey, hey, we got kids in the green room,” referring to their three children, Trey, Jaden, and Willow, who also made an appearance on the show.

Jada then gave a more child-friendly answer: “Keep it spontaneous, I surprise him. He’s a thinker. He’s always thinking. I just, I always surprise him…Now I don’t know if you want to get in on how I surprise him… During the day I might send a sexy picture of some sort…If he’s on set with me, we might take a break.”

Now we all know Jada and Will some freaks! Glad to see some married couples can survive these days though. Check out video footage of Will & Jada on The Oprah Winfrey Show below…

Actor Will Smith and his wife, actress Jada Pinkett Smith, were on hand for the American Red Cross Red Tie Affair Fundraiser Gala at Fairmont Miramar Hotel Saturday evening (Apr 17) in Santa Monica, California.

The happily married couple was all boo’d up as they posed for photos on the red carpet before making their way into the building to help raise money for the Red Cross. A few pics for your viewing pleasure below…

Will and Jada Pinkett-Smith‘s two youngest children, actor Jaden Smith and actress Willow Smith, hung out together on the red carpet of the premiere of IndustryWorks’ “The Perfect Game” Monday (Apr 5) in Los Angeles at The Grove’s “Pacific Theaters.”

The stylish brother and sister pair are both on their way to becoming established actors as 11-year-old Jaden has 3 films under his belt: 2006′s “The Pursuit of Happiness,” “The Day the Earth Stood Still” (2008) and the upcoming “Karate Kid” remake, due in theaters June 11th 2010, and his little sister Willow, 9, has been in 4 movies herself: “I Am Legend” (2007), “Kit Kittredge: An American Girl” (2008), “Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa.” She even had a spot in a couple episodes of Nickelodeon‘s “True Jackson: VP.”

Wow, they’re not even pre-teens yet and they’ve got more movies in their belt than some 30 and 40-year-old actors and actresses! Guess it runs in the family…

The 23rd Annual Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards went down over the weekend (Sat. Mar 27) and a ton of stars (including Rihanna, Justin Bieber, Will Smith and his family, Swizz Beatz and his sons, Snoop Dogg and his family, Jermaine Dupri and his daughter, Keke Palmer and more) came out to the Pauley Pavilian at UCLA, where the show (hosted by actor/comedian Kevin James) was held, to see who would take home one of those famous orange blimps in categories like “Cutest Couple,” “Favorite TV Show,” “Favorite Song,” “Favorite Movie,” “Favorite Female/Male Singers” and more. Hit up Nick.com for the complete list of winners for the 2010 Kids’ Choice Awards, and check out pics from the red carpet (and the show) below and when you continue reading!

It looks as though the 3rd Annual Essence Magazine Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon was the place to be! Held Thursday night (Mar 4) at the Beverly Hills Hotel in California, the annual event honored a room full of women, including Cicely Tyson, Gabourey Sidibe, Zoe Saldana, Queen Latifah, Mary J. Blige and more for their achievements in Hollywood and in the entertainment industry.

Other celebs in the building were Common, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Taraji P. Henson, Keke Palmer, Keri Hilson, Serena Williams, Vivica A. Fox and tons more. Check out 30+ pictures from the 3rd Annual Essence Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon below and when you continue reading…

Introducing… President Will Smith! Can you imagine it?

Over the years, there’s been some chatter about Will Smith eventually moving into politics and becoming the future President of the United States. He hasn’t said much of anything about it, but his wife Jada Pinkett Smith recently had this to say during a recent interview with Bunte Magazine.

“Will is thinking about going into politics,” she told the German magazine. “He once said he could imagine becoming a US president. He wasn’t joking, he was quite serious about it.”

This would mean that Jada would have to become First Lady and she says she’s just not ready for that type of responsibility.

“It’s just not for me. Will and I want to leave our mark on the world, and we think it more important than just traces of films.”

Here’s what Will said about his ambitions to become President back in 2007:

“I always wanted to be the first black president but Barack Obama stole my idea,” said Smith as Obama was running for office. “That’s  okay with me. Barack can go first and then I’ll take my turn.”

Would you vote for The Fresh Prince if he ran for president?

Our very own President Barack Obama formally accepted his Nobel Peace Prize award yesterday (Dec 10) at the official award ceremony at the City Hall in Oslo, Norway. This comes just one week after he made the hard decision of sending 30,000 troops to Afghanistan, a move that has tripled the number of U.S. forces there since he took office this year.

Actor Will Smith and his wife, actress Jada Pinkett Smith, also attended the ceremony and were photographed in the audience.

Read Obama’s entire speech (and check out a video of the speech) below!

Your Majesties, Your Royal Highnesses, Distinguished Members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, citizens of America, and citizens of the world:

I receive this honor with deep gratitude and great humility. It is an award that speaks to our highest aspirations – that for all the cruelty and hardship of our world, we are not mere prisoners of fate. Our actions matter, and can bend history in the direction of justice.

And yet I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the considerable controversy that your generous decision has generated. In part, this is because I am at the beginning, and not the end, of my labors on the world stage. Compared to some of the giants of history who have received this prize – Schweitzer and King; Marshall and Mandela – my accomplishments are slight. And then there are the men and women around the world who have been jailed and beaten in the pursuit of justice; those who toil in humanitarian organizations to relieve suffering; the unrecognized millions whose quiet acts of courage and compassion inspire even the most hardened of cynics. I cannot argue with those who find these men and women – some known, some obscure to all but those they help – to be far more deserving of this honor than I.

But perhaps the most profound issue surrounding my receipt of this prize is the fact that I am the Commander-in-Chief of a nation in the midst of two wars. One of these wars is winding down. The other is a conflict that America did not seek; one in which we are joined by forty three other countries – including Norway – in an effort to defend ourselves and all nations from further attacks.

Still, we are at war, and I am responsible for the deployment of thousands of young Americans to battle in a distant land. Some will kill. Some will be killed. And so I come here with an acute sense of the cost of armed conflict – filled with difficult questions about the relationship between war and peace, and our effort to replace one with the other.

These questions are not new. War, in one form or another, appeared with the first man. At the dawn of history, its morality was not questioned; it was simply a fact, like drought or disease – the manner in which tribes and then civilizations sought power and settled their differences.

Over time, as codes of law sought to control violence within groups, so did philosophers, clerics, and statesmen seek to regulate the destructive power of war. The concept of a “just war” emerged, suggesting that war is justified only when it meets certain preconditions: if it is waged as a last resort or in self-defense; if the forced used is proportional, and if, whenever possible, civilians are spared from violence.

For most of history, this concept of just war was rarely observed. The capacity of human beings to think up new ways to kill one another proved inexhaustible, as did our capacity to exempt from mercy those who look different or pray to a different God. Wars between armies gave way to wars between nations – total wars in which the distinction between combatant and civilian became blurred. In the span of thirty years, such carnage would twice engulf this continent. And while it is hard to conceive of a cause more just than the defeat of the Third Reich and the Axis powers, World War II was a conflict in which the total number of civilians who died exceeded the number of soldiers who perished.

In the wake of such destruction, and with the advent of the nuclear age, it became clear to victor and vanquished alike that the world needed institutions to prevent another World War. And so, a quarter century after the United States Senate rejected the League of Nations – an idea for which Woodrow Wilson received this Prize – America led the world in constructing an architecture to keep the peace: a Marshall Plan and a United Nations, mechanisms to govern the waging of war, treaties to protect human rights, prevent genocide, and restrict the most dangerous weapons.

In many ways, these efforts succeeded. Yes, terrible wars have been fought, and atrocities committed. But there has been no Third World War. The Cold War ended with jubilant crowds dismantling a wall. Commerce has stitched much of the world together. Billions have been lifted from poverty. The ideals of liberty, self-determination, equality and the rule of law have haltingly advanced. We are the heirs of the fortitude and foresight of generations past, and it is a legacy for which my own country is rightfully proud.

A decade into a new century, this old architecture is buckling under the weight of new threats. The world may no longer shudder at the prospect of war between two nuclear superpowers, but proliferation may increase the risk of catastrophe. Terrorism has long been a tactic, but modern technology allows a few small men with outsized rage to murder innocents on a horrific scale.

Moreover, wars between nations have increasingly given way to wars within nations. The resurgence of ethnic or sectarian conflicts; the growth of secessionist movements, insurgencies, and failed states; have increasingly trapped civilians in unending chaos. In today’s wars, many more civilians are killed than soldiers; the seeds of future conflict are sewn, economies are wrecked, civil societies torn asunder, refugees amassed, and children scarred.

I do not bring with me today a definitive solution to the problems of war. What I do know is that meeting these challenges will require the same vision, hard work, and persistence of those men and women who acted so boldly decades ago. And it will require us to think in new ways about the notions of just war and the imperatives of a just peace.

We must begin by acknowledging the hard truth that we will not eradicate violent conflict in our lifetimes. There will be times when nations – acting individually or in concert – will find the use of force not only necessary but morally justified.

I make this statement mindful of what Martin Luther King said in this same ceremony years ago – “Violence never brings permanent peace. It solves no social problem: it merely creates new and more complicated ones.” As someone who stands here as a direct consequence of Dr. King’s life’s work, I am living testimony to the moral force of non-violence. I know there is nothing weak -nothing passive – nothing naïve – in the creed and lives of Gandhi and King.

But as a head of state sworn to protect and defend my nation, I cannot be guided by their examples alone. I face the world as it is, and cannot stand idle in the face of threats to the American people. For make no mistake: evil does exist in the world. A non-violent movement could not have halted Hitler’s armies. Negotiations cannot convince al Qaeda’s leaders to lay down their arms. To say that force is sometimes necessary is not a call to cynicism – it is a recognition of history; the imperfections of man and the limits of reason.

I raise this point because in many countries there is a deep ambivalence about military action today, no matter the cause. At times, this is joined by a reflexive suspicion of America, the world’s sole military superpower.

Yet the world must remember that it was not simply international institutions – not just treaties and declarations – that brought stability to a post-World War II world. Whatever mistakes we have made, the plain fact is this: the United States of America has helped underwrite global security for more than six decades with the blood of our citizens and the strength of our arms. The service and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform has promoted peace and prosperity from Germany to Korea, and enabled democracy to take hold in places like the Balkans. We have borne this burden not because we seek to impose our will. We have done so out of enlightened self-interest – because we seek a better future for our children and grandchildren, and we believe that their lives will be better if other peoples’ children and grandchildren can live in freedom and prosperity.

So yes, the instruments of war do have a role to play in preserving the peace. And yet this truth must coexist with another – that no matter how justified, war promises human tragedy. The soldier’s courage and sacrifice is full of glory, expressing devotion to country, to cause and to comrades in arms. But war itself is never glorious, and we must never trumpet it as such.

So part of our challenge is reconciling these two seemingly irreconcilable truths – that war is sometimes necessary, and war is at some level an expression of human feelings. Concretely, we must direct our effort to the task that President Kennedy called for long ago. “Let us focus,” he said, “on a more practical, more attainable peace, based not on a sudden revolution in human nature but on a gradual evolution in human institutions.”

What might this evolution look like? What might these practical steps be?

To begin with, I believe that all nations – strong and weak alike – must adhere to standards that govern the use of force. I – like any head of state – reserve the right to act unilaterally if necessary to defend my nation. Nevertheless, I am convinced that adhering to standards strengthens those who do, and isolates – and weakens – those who don’t.

The world rallied around America after the 9/11 attacks, and continues to support our efforts in Afghanistan, because of the horror of those senseless attacks and the recognized principle of self-defense. Likewise, the world recognized the need to confront Saddam Hussein when he invaded Kuwait – a consensus that sent a clear message to all about the cost of aggression.

Furthermore, America cannot insist that others follow the rules of the road if we refuse to follow them ourselves. For when we don’t, our action can appear arbitrary, and undercut the legitimacy of future intervention – no matter how justified.

This becomes particularly important when the purpose of military action extends beyond self defense or the defense of one nation against an aggressor. More and more, we all confront difficult questions about how to prevent the slaughter of civilians by their own government, or to stop a civil war whose violence and suffering can engulf an entire region.

I believe that force can be justified on humanitarian grounds, as it was in the Balkans, or in other places that have been scarred by war. Inaction tears at our conscience and can lead to more costly intervention later. That is why all responsible nations must embrace the role that militaries with a clear mandate can play to keep the peace.

America’s commitment to global security will never waiver. But in a world in which threats are more diffuse, and missions more complex, America cannot act alone. This is true in Afghanistan. This is true in failed states like Somalia, where terrorism and piracy is joined by famine and human suffering. And sadly, it will continue to be true in unstable regions for years to come.

The leaders and soldiers of NATO countries – and other friends and allies – demonstrate this truth through the capacity and courage they have shown in Afghanistan. But in many countries, there is a disconnect between the efforts of those who serve and the ambivalence of the broader public. I understand why war is not popular. But I also know this: the belief that peace is desirable is rarely enough to achieve it. Peace requires responsibility. Peace entails sacrifice. That is why NATO continues to be indispensable. That is why we must strengthen UN and regional peacekeeping, and not leave the task to a few countries. That is why we honor those who return home from peacekeeping and training abroad to Oslo and Rome; to Ottawa and Sydney; to Dhaka and Kigali – we honor them not as makers of war, but as wagers of peace.

Let me make one final point about the use of force. Even as we make difficult decisions about going to war, we must also think clearly about how we fight it. The Nobel Committee recognized this truth in awarding its first prize for peace to Henry Dunant – the founder of the Red Cross, and a driving force behind the Geneva Conventions.

Where force is necessary, we have a moral and strategic interest in binding ourselves to certain rules of conduct. And even as we confront a vicious adversary that abides by no rules, I believe that the United States of America must remain a standard bearer in the conduct of war. That is what makes us different from those whom we fight. That is a source of our strength. That is why I prohibited torture. That is why I ordered the prison at Guantanamo Bay closed. And that is why I have reaffirmed America’s commitment to abide by the Geneva Conventions. We lose ourselves when we compromise the very ideals that we fight to defend. And we honor those ideals by upholding them not just when it is easy, but when it is hard.

I have spoken to the questions that must weigh on our minds and our hearts as we choose to wage war. But let me turn now to our effort to avoid such tragic choices, and speak of three ways that we can build a just and lasting peace.

First, in dealing with those nations that break rules and laws, I believe that we must develop alternatives to violence that are tough enough to change behavior – for if we want a lasting peace, then the words of the international community must mean something. Those regimes that break the rules must be held accountable. Sanctions must exact a real price. Intransigence must be met with increased pressure – and such pressure exists only when the world stands together as one.

One urgent example is the effort to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, and to seek a world without them. In the middle of the last century, nations agreed to be bound by a treaty whose bargain is clear: all will have access to peaceful nuclear power; those without nuclear weapons will forsake them; and those with nuclear weapons will work toward disarmament. I am committed to upholding this treaty. It is a centerpiece of my foreign policy. And I am working with President Medvedev to reduce America and Russia’s nuclear stockpiles.

But it is also incumbent upon all of us to insist that nations like Iran and North Korea do not game the system. Those who claim to respect international law cannot avert their eyes when those laws are flouted. Those who care for their own security cannot ignore the danger of an arms race in the Middle East or East Asia. Those who seek peace cannot stand idly by as nations arm themselves for nuclear war.

The same principle applies to those who violate international law by brutalizing their own people. When there is genocide in Darfur; systematic rape in Congo; or repression in Burma – there must be consequences. And the closer we stand together, the less likely we will be faced with the choice between armed intervention and complicity in oppression.

This brings me to a second point – the nature of the peace that we seek. For peace is not merely the absence of visible conflict. Only a just peace based upon the inherent rights and dignity of every individual can truly be lasting.

It was this insight that drove drafters of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights after the Second World War. In the wake of devastation, they recognized that if human rights are not protected, peace is a hollow promise.

And yet all too often, these words are ignored. In some countries, the failure to uphold human rights is excused by the false suggestion that these are Western principles, foreign to local cultures or stages of a nation’s development. And within America, there has long been a tension between those who describe themselves as realists or idealists – a tension that suggests a stark choice between the narrow pursuit of interests or an endless campaign to impose our values.

I reject this choice. I believe that peace is unstable where citizens are denied the right to speak freely or worship as they please; choose their own leaders or assemble without fear. Pent up grievances fester, and the suppression of tribal and religious identity can lead to violence. We also know that the opposite is true. Only when Europe became free did it finally find peace. America has never fought a war against a democracy, and our closest friends are governments that protect the rights of their citizens. No matter how callously defined, neither America’s interests – nor the world’s -are served by the denial of human aspirations.

So even as we respect the unique culture and traditions of different countries, America will always be a voice for those aspirations that are universal. We will bear witness to the quiet dignity of reformers like Aung Sang Suu Kyi; to the bravery of Zimbabweans who cast their ballots in the face of beatings; to the hundreds of thousands who have marched silently through the streets of Iran. It is telling that the leaders of these governments fear the aspirations of their own people more than the power of any other nation. And it is the responsibility of all free people and free nations to make clear to these movements that hope and history are on their side

Let me also say this: the promotion of human rights cannot be about exhortation alone. At times, it must be coupled with painstaking diplomacy. I know that engagement with repressive regimes lacks the satisfying purity of indignation. But I also know that sanctions without outreach – and condemnation without discussion – can carry forward a crippling status quo. No repressive regime can move down a new path unless it has the choice of an open door.

In light of the Cultural Revolution’s horrors, Nixon’s meeting with Mao appeared inexcusable – and yet it surely helped set China on a path where millions of its citizens have been lifted from poverty, and connected to open societies. Pope John Paul’s engagement with Poland created space not just for the Catholic Church, but for labor leaders like Lech Walesa. Ronald Reagan’s efforts on arms control and embrace of perestroika not only improved relations with the Soviet Union, but empowered dissidents throughout Eastern Europe. There is no simple formula here. But we must try as best we can to balance isolation and engagement; pressure and incentives, so that human rights and dignity are advanced over time.

Third, a just peace includes not only civil and political rights – it must encompass economic security and opportunity. For true peace is not just freedom from fear, but freedom from want.

It is undoubtedly true that development rarely takes root without security; it is also true that security does not exist where human beings do not have access to enough food, or clean water, or the medicine they need to survive. It does not exist where children cannot aspire to a decent education or a job that supports a family. The absence of hope can rot a society from within.

And that is why helping farmers feed their own people – or nations educate their children and care for the sick – is not mere charity. It is also why the world must come together to confront climate change. There is little scientific dispute that if we do nothing, we will face more drought, famine and mass displacement that will fuel more conflict for decades. For this reason, it is not merely scientists and activists who call for swift and forceful action – it is military leaders in my country and others who understand that our common security hangs in the balance.

Agreements among nations. Strong institutions. Support for human rights. Investments in development. All of these are vital ingredients in bringing about the evolution that President Kennedy spoke about. And yet, I do not believe that we will have the will, or the staying power, to complete this work without something more – and that is the continued expansion of our moral imagination; an insistence that there is something irreducible that we all share.

As the world grows smaller, you might think it would be easier for human beings to recognize how similar we are; to understand that we all basically want the same things; that we all hope for the chance to live out our lives with some measure of happiness and fulfillment for ourselves and our families.

And yet, given the dizzying pace of globalization, and the cultural leveling of modernity, it should come as no surprise that people fear the loss of what they cherish about their particular identities – their race, their tribe, and perhaps most powerfully their religion. In some places, this fear has led to conflict. At times, it even feels like we are moving backwards. We see it in Middle East, as the conflict between Arabs and Jews seems to harden. We see it in nations that are torn asunder by tribal lines.

Most dangerously, we see it in the way that religion is used to justify the murder of innocents by those who have distorted and defiled the great religion of Islam, and who attacked my country from Afghanistan. These extremists are not the first to kill in the name of God; the cruelties of the Crusades are amply recorded. But they remind us that no Holy War can ever be a just war. For if you truly believe that you are carrying out divine will, then there is no need for restraint – no need to spare the pregnant mother, or the medic, or even a person of one’s own faith. Such a warped view of religion is not just incompatible with the concept of peace, but the purpose of faith – for the one rule that lies at the heart of every major religion is that we do unto others as we would have them do unto us.

Adhering to this law of love has always been the core struggle of human nature. We are fallible. We make mistakes, and fall victim to the temptations of pride, and power, and sometimes evil. Even those of us with the best intentions will at times fail to right the wrongs before us.

But we do not have to think that human nature is perfect for us to still believe that the human condition can be perfected. We do not have to live in an idealized world to still reach for those ideals that will make it a better place. The non-violence practiced by men like Gandhi and King may not have been practical or possible in every circumstance, but the love that they preached – their faith in human progress – must always be the North Star that guides us on our journey.

For if we lose that faith – if we dismiss it as silly or naïve; if we divorce it from the decisions that we make on issues of war and peace – then we lose what is best about humanity. We lose our sense of possibility. We lose our moral compass.

Like generations have before us, we must reject that future. As Dr. King said at this occasion so many years ago, “I refuse to accept despair as the final response to the ambiguities of history. I refuse to accept the idea that the ‘isness’ of man’s present nature makes him morally incapable of reaching up for the eternal ‘oughtness’ that forever confronts him.”

So let us reach for the world that ought to be – that spark of the divine that still stirs within each of our souls. Somewhere today, in the here and now, a soldier sees he’s outgunned but stands firm to keep the peace. Somewhere today, in this world, a young protestor awaits the brutality of her government, but has the courage to march on. Somewhere today, a mother facing punishing poverty still takes the time to teach her child, who believes that a cruel world still has a place for his dreams.

Let us live by their example. We can acknowledge that oppression will always be with us, and still strive for justice. We can admit the intractability of depravation, and still strive for dignity. We can understand that there will be war, and still strive for peace. We can do that – for that is the story of human progress; that is the hope of all the world; and at this moment of challenge, that must be our work here on Earth.

PHOTOS: GETTY / AFP

In a recent interview with Atlanta radio station Q100, Jada Pinkett Smith said that she finds it funny how people try to downplay their marriage, saying it’s “too good to be true.” In fact, over the past 11 years, she’s learned to laugh about those crazy rumors that she and her husband Will Smith are gay swingers.

“I’ve heard all the things — their marriage is not real, he’s gay, she’s gay, they swing,” she said. “But at the end of the day, people have to believe what they have to believe. … One thing Will and I are not here to do, is like, what’s real for us is what’s real for us, so you can either get on that bandwagon or not,” she says. “I’ll tell you what, it’s too hard to be in a pretend marriage. Life’s too short for that one.”

Meanwhile, the actress got a little freaky in a recent interview with Redbook Magazine by sharing some sex tips telling everyone how she and Will keep that flame lit in their marriage.

She has hinted that the couple sneak off to romp when in other people’s houses. Sharing sex tips, Jada told RedBook Magazine: “Be sneaky… your girlfriend’s house at a party. The bathroom. A bedroom.” Talking of other places they like to get down to business, the actress added: “Think of places outside that are comfortable to have sex. … Does he have access to his office? Have a fantasy date. Be his secretary! Pull over on the side of the road… Just switch it up. Anything like that can keep it going. Anything it takes to keep the flame alive.”

SOURCES: US / TS

One of Hollywood’s hottest married couples, Will Smitth and Jada Pinkett Smith, were spotted outside the Ed Sullivan Theater after Jada taped a recent appearance on the “Late Show with David Letterman” Monday (Jun 15) in New York City. Jada’s new television series, “Hawthorne,” premieres tonight at 9/8c on TNT.

Funnyman Jack Black (we love this guy!) was also spotted outside of the Ed Sullivan theater after his taping of “The Late Show with David Letterman” Monday (Jun 15) in NYC. His latest film, Year One, hits theaters this Friday, June 19th!

Actress Queen Latifah was sighted by the paps as the left her hotel in New York City, located in Midtown Manhattan, Monday (Jun 15).

R&B/gospel singer Ruben Studdard was spotted outside of MTV Studios Monday (Jun 15).

Actress Elise Neal and TV personality Claudia Jordan were both spotted on Robertson Blvd buying strawberries after having lunch at The Ivy Monday (Jun 15) in Los Angeles.

Singer Nick Lachey and his girlfriend Vanessa Minnillo were spotted boo’d up Monday (Jun 15) in the West Hollywood section of Los Angeles, CA.

Gym Class Heroes frontman (and MTV Ambassador) Travis McCoy met Bulelani Mvotho (left), the recipient of the 2009 Staying Alive Foundation Award, Monday (Jun 15) in Cape Town, South Africa. MTV’s Staying Alive initiative is an organization that is helping to raise awareness of youth-driven HIV prevention over in Africa.

PHOTOS: WIRE IMAGE // WENN // GETTY IMAGES // FILM MAGIC

Will Smith‘s gorgeous wife Jada Pinkett Smith is featured on the June 2009 cover of Ebony Magazine, which hit stands today! In the issue she talks about her marriage, her views on the Church of Scientology and even those crazy Internet rumors we all love to read about.

“You want people to talk about you, because once they stop talking about you that’s when you’re really in trouble!” She continues, “I’m happy to have people talk about all the craziness they want to talk about, whether it’s things like every year we’re getting divorced or we’re an open family or Will’s gay, or I’m gay.” (p.72)

Continue reading to peep what else this issue covers.

Dear Daddy: Bernie Mac’s Daughter Writes Last Letter
Bernie Mac will always be remembered as the funny man with the big voice and the ability to make you laugh until you cried. He died last August at age 50. His beloved daughter and sidekick JéNeice McCullough, now 31, a budding TV writer and a mother herself, gives us a view of what it was like living with her dad. (p. 58)

Black Music Month: “Is Music Dead or About to Blow Up?”
In honor of Black Music Month, Ebony magazine goes behind the scenes in the music industry to discover how greed, recession and an industry in meltdown may lead to a rebirth for Black music. (p. 64)

Your Career Column: Snag Your Next Gig By Staying Connected
Networking is more than just asking somebody how to make money or could they recommend you for a position. It’s also about helping the person with whom you exchanged business cards. With little effort, get a new job simply by keeping in touch. (p. 32)

Actress Charlize Theron (R) and The Smith Family (from L to R: Jada Pinkett-Smith, Trey Smith, Will Smith, Jaden Smith and Willow Smith) posed for photos on the red carpet of the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Annual National Tribute Dinner at the Beverly Willshire Hotel Tuesday night in Beverly Hills, California.

During the dinner, Will Smith received the Humanitarian Award for his philanthropic efforts. He was, of course, surrounded by family and and some of his film co-stars, including Rosario Dawson (Seven Pounds), as he accepted his award.

Other celebrities who attended the dinner were Jurnee Smollett, Vivica A. Fox and Tyrese. Continue reading for the rest of the pics from the event.

PHOTOS: AFP // GETTY IMAGES

Graydon Carter and Vanity Fair played host to the 2009 Vanity Hair Oscar party, which was attended by Russell Simmons, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith, and about damn near everyone who held a big name at this year’s Oscar Awards and then some. Don’t believe us? Continue reading for more pics from the red carpet of the party!

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES

Beyonce and Jay-Z together, without a doubt, is the definition of “black love.” For our generation at least! They’ve been together for over 5 years, and have close to $170 million in the bank (combined), making them Hollywood’s richest couple! Much of their relationship is kept private, but their lives as celebrities, coupled with their fame and huge success as artists and entrepreneurs, makes it hard not to want to know more about them! We put them at the top of our list this time last year, but the only difference between then and now is that they are married. The two decided to tie the knot in a “private” ceremony in April 2008. And if you were around and living on planet earth, you definitely heard about it! After People.com announced that the two had taken out a marriage license in New York, the events that happened the weekend of April 4th 2008 were inevitable. After several black SUVs with heavily tinted windows were seen entering Jay-Z’s Manhattan apartment, in addition to the dozens of vans bringing in wedding decorations, we all knew what was going on.

Every paparazzo in the world set up shop outside of the apartment and snapped photos of Solange Knowles (Beyonce’s sister), Tina & Mathew Knowles (Beyonce’s parents), Michelle Williams, Kelly Rowland, Irv Gotti, and more entering the apartment building’s ground-level garage. The list went on and on, but after seeing all of these people entering one place, we knew Beyonce and Jay-Z were DEFINITELY getting married. People.com actually confirmed it the next morning, and shortly after, we spotted the two wearing their wedding bands. These two getting married was definitely the talk of the blogosphere for the months to follow. And even though “Jayonce” never really confirmed their wedding, in several interviews that followed (Oprah, The Tyra Banks show, Essence Magazine, etc.) they were referred to as husband and wife, and neither contested it. But these two are the same people who never confirmed their initial relationship, so we’re definitely used to it!

Who else made the cut as GOT‘s hottest couples of 2008? Continue reading to see!

Next to Beyonce and Jay-Z, Chris Brown and Rihanna are definitely a power couple in the black blogosphere! In what may have started out as an innocent case of “puppy love” – or a publicity stunt, whatever you’d like to call it – these two have definitely grown together as a symbol of “teenage love,” as noted in Chris Brown’s song “Young Love.” Whether they’re spotted handling each other’s acne issues, spending time together on the set of a music video, arriving at at an airport, or even jet-skiing in Barbados, these two are guaranteed to garner tons of attention from the paparazzi. And once their photos hit the blogs, tons of pageviews and comments promptly follow.

Pregnancy rumors, break-up rumors and anything else you can think of surround this next couple – Janet Jackson and Jermaine Dupri. Right now, they’re both denying that they’re pregnant and have broken up, but only time will tell what’s really going on. Throughout the year 2008, these two were spotted at fashion shows in Paris, and you could catch them hanging out together on JD’s Youtube channel in his “Living the Life” series while Janet toured North America. Are they expecting a baby? Have they really broken up? We’ll just have to see what 2009 brings for one of our favorite couples of 2008!

CONTINUE READING TO PAGE 2 FOR MORE!

The real Mr. and Mrs. Smith (Will & Jada) posed for photos on the red carpet with two of their children, Willow and Jaden, on the red carpet at the New York premiere of The Day the Earth Stood Still this past Tuesday.

Actress Elise Neal looked very happy (kind of like a cute little kid at Christmas) last night at the grand opening of The Conga Room at LA Live last night in Los Angeles.

Rapper Xzibit was spotted by the paps Tuesday as he waited for the valet to return his car. He and the unidentified female friend in the picture had lunch at Mr. Chow’s earlier in the day.

Former NBA player John Salley was spotted as he grabbed a cub of coffee in Manhattan Monday.

Funnyman Dave Chapelle was spotted in Hollywood the other day sipping on a nice warm cup of Starbuck’s coffee.

Actress Stacey Dash (with her fine ass) was spotted in L.A. last night with husband Emmanuel Xuereb as they both left an event held at Minotti. We can’t believe she’ll be turning 42 next month!

PHOTOS: GETTY / WENN / SPLASH

Celebrity supercouple Will Smith & Jada Pinkett-Smith cover the December ’08 issue of ESSENCE Magazine. Can you believe these two have been married for 11 years? More photos from inside of the issue when you continue reading.