Chris Brown took over the BET Awards stage tonight to give the world a preview of his upcoming 8th studio album Heartbreak on a Full Moon, due out in July.
Brown started things off slow with a seductive performance of “Privacy” before quickly launching into “Party,” which featured an appearance from Gucci Mane. The song’s other featured artist Usher didn’t join them, but Breezy’s wicked dance moves definitely made up for his absence.
He may not have walked away with any awards, but Chris did walk away with one of the best performances of the night.
Trey Songz showcased his animalistic side at the 2017 BET Awards. And I have to say, I was unimpressed. The singer performed “Nobody Else But You” and “Animal” from his latest album, the self-titled Tremaine.
Trey began his set with “Nobody Else But You” accompanied by a solo female dancer and a fog machine that, quite possibly, upstaged the main act. Normally, on point during live performances, Trey’s vocals seemed a little off from the get go.
Things didn’t get much better as he transitioned to the livelier and more sexual, “Animal.” One would think this is where the performer would go off, especially to the excitement of his female fans. But… he didn’t.
Although he appeared more comfortable as other female dancers joined him onstage, Trey never really got into the performance. And neither did the audience. The few crowd shots aired during the live broadcast showed the audience barely moving to the singer’s performance.
I guess we can blame the fog machine!
Watch Trey Songz’s BET Awards 2017 performance below:
Migos and Post Malone are responsible for some of the year’s biggest hits, so it’s only right that they teamed up for a hit-filled performance during the 2017 BET Awards.
Post Malone kicked the performance off with his platinum-selling single “Congratulations,” as he was joined by the track’s featured artist Quavo.
Not too long afterward, Quavo linked up with his Migos bandmates Offset and Takeoff to perform “T-Shirt” (complete with a wintry background, just like the video).” The trio’s set then turned red and they performed Bad & Boujee,” the biggest single of their career (and first Billboard Hot 100 No. 1), while the crowd vibed along to the music.
Watch Migos and Post Malone’s 2017 BET Awards performance medley below:
French Montana and Swae Lee performed their collab single “Unforgettable” tonight at the 2017 BET Awards.
Recreating their music video, the duo — performing in front of a makeshift village, complete with firepits, acrobatic dancers and more — actually flew some of the dancers all the way from Africa for their set, and the crowd was all the way turnt up.
Watch French Montana and Swae Lee’s performance below:
Bruno Mars opened up the 2017 BET Awards with an electrifying performance of “Perm,” a new single from his 24K Magic album. We’re not sure whether or not Mars was actually rocking a perm, but if he was, he sure enough sweated it out by the end of his opening set!
In typical Bruno Mars fashion, he combined his harmonies with some sick dance moves and a little help from the Hooligans. In the middle of his performance, he stopped his set (which felt like a mini-concert) and talked to the crowd, who he caught recording him with their phones.
“You can’t film and dance at the same time. You know they’re filming it, right? You can watch it at home,” he joked. “It’s for your Instagram, right? Well put this on your Instagram!”
Watch Bruno Mars’ opening performance of “Perm” at the 2017 BET Awards below:
It has been announced that Bruno Mars will be bringing his 24K magic to the 2017 BET Awards and opening the show with a performance. The announcement is probably no surprise given that, with five nominations, he will be the most nominated artist in attendance.
(Though she has 7 nominations, Beyoncé’s new twins will most likely keep her away from this year’s ceremony)
However, the news that the pop/soul/funk singer would be opening the show did not sit well with one Twitter user. In a series of several tweets, @JennMJack accused Bruno of appropriating funk music and opined that the non-black singer shouldn’t open an awards show meant to celebrate black artists.
These are just a few of her tweets. The entire thread (which is quite the read) can still be found on her page.
@JennMjack’s Bruno Mars criticisms did not go unnoticed or unchecked. In this “woke” state we’re all in right now, she probably thought many would be in agreement that Bruno was appropriating black music. But, she thought wrong!
Several people defended Bruno’s artistry and noted the non-black singer understands the history and roots of the music he produces and often shows appreciation to the ones who came before him.
One super fan had time today and practically went tweet-by-tweet explaining why @JennMJack was wrong.
Bruno Mars minds his business, makes his music and gives credit to black music legends consistently. I'm not tolerating this slander. pic.twitter.com/ErPNntcHhZ
Y'all better stop with trying to cancel Bruno Mars. It's just not gonna happen ?? worry about other people who are WAY more problematic pic.twitter.com/49PXuEBae4
— #1 Giving Me Life Stan ? (@Katyxmimi) June 25, 2017
How do you wake up at 10 AM and the first thing you do is make a thread hating on Bruno Mars of all people
Bruno is of mixed heritage, including Filipino, Hispanic, Puerto Rican, Asian, Hawaiian, and several others. Though he is not black, he does often credit black artists as the creators of the popular music we hear today.
“When you say ‘black music,’ understand that you are talking about rock, jazz, R&B, reggae, funk, doo-wop, hip-hop, and Motown. Black people created it all. Being Puerto Rican, even salsa music stems back to the Motherland [Africa]. So, in my world, black music means everything. It’s what gives America its swag.”
Yeah, this definitely sounds like appreciation (not appropriation) to me.
Bruno Mars is extremely talented and his BET Awards will be fire. The 2017 BET Awards airs tonight (Jun. 25) at 8 p.m. on BET and other Viacom networks.
Mars, who is nominated for five BET Awards — including Best Male R&B/Pop Artist, Video Director of the Year for “That’s What I Like,” Video of the Year for “24K Magic” and Album of the Year for 24K Magic — has been on tour for most the summer in support of his third studio album.
Due to his tour schedule, earlier this year for the Billboard Awards, Mars was forced to pre-record his “Versace on the Floor” performance from one of his many tour stops, but thankfully he’ll be present and accounted for at the BET Awards tonight at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
It hasn’t been revealed what he’ll be performing (artists usually like to keep things of that nature a surprise), however, we expect him to either do a medley or hits, or maybe he’ll possibly debut what should be his next single, “Chunky.”
In addition to Bruno’s performance, the BET Awards will feature performances from DJ Khaled, Lil Wayne, Big Sean, Future, Migos, Chris Brown, Mary J. Blige, Trey Songz, Lifetime Achievement Award recipients New Edition and many more.
The 2017 BET Awards will be hosted by actress/comedian and SNL star Leslie Jones. “I am so excited to be hosting The BET Awards this year,” she said in a statement. “BET was the first network and place where I was on TV. I am looking to turn this whole experience into a joyful homecoming.”
Leading the pack of nominees is Beyoncé, who we don’t expect to be at the show due to the recent birth of her and JAY-Z’s twins, with a whopping seven nominations. Following her lead is show-opener Bruno Mars with five nods, and Solange, Chance the Rapper and Migos, who each have four. Chance is also set to receive the Humanitarian Award.
The 2017 BET Awards airs tonight from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles at 8 p.m. ET.
Tonight is the 2017 BET Awards, and you’re probably wondering who’s performing at the show.
Hosted by SNL fan-favorite Leslie Jones, the 17th annual BET Awards, dubbed the “Family Reunion for the Culture” on Twitter, will air live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California.
As far as nominations are concerned, Beyoncé has the most, with seven total. Bruno Mars has five nods, followed by Solange, Chance the Rapper and Migos, who all have four.
In addition to being nominated for several awards, Chance the Rapper will also be honored as a recipient of the Humanitarian Award, and New Edition will receive the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award and will also perform during the show.
Other performers for the night include Bruno Mars, Lil Wayne, Future, Chris Brown, Big Sean, Maxwell, Migos, A$AP Rocky, Gucci Mane, Xscape and many more.
Take a look at the full list of 2017 BET Awards performers below!
Bruno Mars
Bruno Mars — who is nominated for five BET Awards — has been on tour for most the summer. However, he is currently on break until July 15th when his “24K Magic World Tour” resumes in Las Vegas, which means that he will definitely be present and accounted for Sunday night (Jun. 25) at the 2017 BET Awards in Los Angeles.
Because of his tour schedule, earlier this year for the Billboard Awards, Mars was forced to pre-record his “Versace on the Floor” performance from one of his many tour stops, but since he doesn’t have a show scheduled tonight, he’ll definitely be able to hit the stage tonight for the BET Awards. In fact, he’s scheduled to open the show!
Though it hasn’t been revealed what he’ll be performing (he probably wants us to be surprised), we expect him to either do a medley or hits, or maybe he’ll possibly debut what should be his next single, “Chunky.”
Mars is nominated for five BET Awards — Best Male R&B/Pop Artist, Video Director of the Year for “That’s What I Like,” Video of the Year for “24K Magic” and Album of the Year for 24K Magic.
Full disclosure: Beyoncé opened the show last year with a surprise performance of “Freedom” from Lemonade, and she brought Kendrick Lamar and a whole pool of water with her, so Bruno has some pretty big shoes to fill if he’s going to even attempt to top that.
New Edition
New Edition’s popularity has had a recent resurgence, thanks to their critically acclaimed three-part BET biopic, “The New Edition Story.”
During tonight’s BET Awards, the R&B sextet will be honored as Lifetime Achievement Award winners, and they are also expected to hit the stage for an unforgettable performance.
The last time the group performed for BET was in 2005 for the network’s 25th anniversary special, which was reenacted in their biopic. The last time New Edition has taken the stage together at all was during their tour in 2012.
Lil Wayne
Lil Wayne, who is nominated for two awards (Best Group with 2 Chainz and Best Collaboration with Chance the Rapper & 2 Chainz for “No Problem”), is scheduled to take the stage along with DJ Khaled tonight for a performance of their hit single “I’m the One.”
The beef between Nicki Minaj’s exes may have just reached epic proportions.
If we take Safaree’s word for it, the Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood star was just jumped by Meek Mill’s crew on the streets of LA.
In a now-deleted Instagram video that has gone viral, Safaree claims he was jumped by Meek and his crew after attending at a BET Awards weekend event hosted by DJ Khaled in Los Angeles on Friday (Jun. 23).
“I hopped out the whip, saw Meek, he hopped out and then I just got snuffed. N***as jumped me… Meek, you are the biggest p*ssy on this planet. You saw me, you ain’t do sh*t, you had your n***as jump me. One-on-one you can’t f*ck with me, so that’s why you had to do that.”
Safaree says he was jumped by multiple guys from all directions. He said Meek was too scared to step to him himself, so Safaree challenged him to meet one-on-one at some point during BET Awards weekend.
Another video, recorded after the alleged altercation, shows a fuming Safaree on the street shouting, “That guy’s a f*cking p*ssy!” The woman recording the video from a car explains, “He just got jumped! Damn!”
The viral videos got people talking and caused “Safaree” to become trending topic on Twitter. However, many questioned if a fight even went down, because at the time, video footage of an altercation was missing. And Safaree came out with no visible signs of being jumped, which he even noted in his IG post. “All white, I’m still clean, and I still got all my sh*t on,” he said.
Me trying to figure out how Safaree got jumped but his outfit looks like it was just pressed by the cleaners pic.twitter.com/diJsDnf8xe
Not surprised Safaree ain't have a scratch on him after getting jumped, because this is how Meek fights smh https://t.co/7R638XjwgI
— Rita Louise Watson! (@_CoolStoryCori_) June 24, 2017
Later on in the day, The Shade Room shared shaky video footage from the alleged “jumping” incident. It’s hard to tell exactly what’s going on in the clip, but from the looks of it, Safaree was definitely “touched” by someone, though it’s not clear who grabbed him. You can also clearly see Meek Mill exiting his car before a group of men rush towards Safaree.
Meanwhile, Meek doesn’t seem too pressed over Safaree and his claims. The rapper doesn’t confirm or deny that his crew jumped the LHHH star, but he did seemingly address the situation on IG soon after Safaree’s initial post. He dismissed the accusations by writing:
“I wish I would pay attention to these homeless n#%gas”
Safaree and Meek and gone back forth with each other on social media for years due to their romantic connections to Nicki Minaj. Safaree has even claimed Meek was one of the main reasons the two broke up.
Maybe their beef finally came to a head (and blows). However, no one really knows what exactly went down.
The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce made sure it wouldn’t face any #OscarsSoWhite-like criticism when selecting the next group of celebrities to receive stars on the Walk of Fame. The 2018 honorees were just named and many of the recipients are people of color.
“The Walk of Fame Selection Committee is pleased to announce our newest honorees to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The Committee looked carefully at each nominee and we feel that we have selected an eclectic group of talent that will appeal to the tastes of many fans around the world,” said Vin Di Bona, chairman of the 2017 selection committee.
Each year, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce selects celebrities to receive stars on the Walk of Fame due to their contributions to the entertainment industry. 2018’s recipients who are also people of color include:
Taraji P. Henson, Anthony Anderson, Niecy Nash, Shonda Rhimes, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg, Ice T, F. Gary Gray, Lin-Manuel Miranda, RuPaul, and the “not black” black Zoe Saldana. The late Bernie Mack will also receive a posthumous star.
Stars are broken into five categories. Here is the complete list of the 2018 honorees:
Motion Pictures: Jack Black, Kirsten Dunst, Jeff Goldblum, Mark Hamill, Jennifer Lawrence, Gina Lollobrigida, Minnie Mouse, Nick Nolte, F. Gary Gray and Zoe Saldana
Television: Gillian Anderson, Lynda Carter, Simon Cowell, Eric McCormack, Ryan Murphy, Mandy Patinkin, RuPaul Charles, Taraji P. Henson, Shonda Rhimes, and posthumously Steve Irwin
Recording: Sir Richard Branson, Petula Clark, Harry Connick Jr., Carrie Underwood, “Weird Al” Yankovic, Mary J. Blige, Ice T, Snoop Dogg
Radio: Steve Jones
Live Theatre/Live Performance: Charles Aznavour, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and posthumously Bernie Mac
This is a solid list, though the one nominee I question is Zoe Saldana. I also would prefer Taraji P. Henson’s star to be in the motion picture category. Despite Empire being her most notable TV role, I feel her contributions to motion pictures is greater and more significant than her contributions to TV, but that’s just me.
Nonetheless, congratulations to the “Walk of Fame Class of 2018!” Ceremony dates have not been announced, however, honorees must agree to a date within two years or must hope they’re selected again in the future.
In the moments following the shooting of Philando Castile, his fiancée’s daughter begged her to “stop saying cusses and screaming because I don’t want you to get shooted.”
An extremely heartbreaking 2-minute video clip showing Diamond Reynolds and her 4-year-old daughter sitting in the backseat of a police car after witnessing Castile’s death has been released (see above).
The footage shows Diamond Reynolds screaming “F**k!” right before her daughter pleads with her to calm down so that she doesn’t get shot too.
“I can keep you safe,” the child says after kissing and hugging her mother. “It’s OK, I got it, OK?” Reynolds tells her. “Come here… I can’t believe they just did that,” Reynolds whispers as she embraces her whimpering daughter.
After Reynolds makes a comment about trying to remove her handcuffs, her daughter yells, “No, please don’t! I don’t want you to get shooted!”
Reynolds responds, “They’re not gonna shoot me, OK? I’m already in handcuffs.” Her daughter says, wiping her eyes, “Don’t take them off, because if you take them off, then everything starts…”
In possibly the most gut-wrenching moment of the footage, Reynolds’ daughter says, “I wish this town was safer… I don’t want it to be like this anymore.”
Castile and his fiancée Diamond Reynolds were reportedly pulled over in Falcon Heights for a broken tail light, and not too long afterward, Yanez opened fire on Castile (“out of fear,” he said in court), killing him.
The moments immediately following the shooting were recorded and shared on Facebook Live by Reynolds, who had been in the car with Castile, along with her young daughter.
Reynolds said in the now viral video that Castile had told the officer he was in possession of a firearm, and as he attempted to hand over his license and proof of insurance, as requested by Yanez, Castile was shot several times.
“He let the officer know he had a firearm, and he was reaching for his wallet, and the officer just shot him,” Diamond said to the camera. “He just shot his arm off.” As Reynolds continued recording the video on Facebook Live, Yanez was seen pointing his firearm at the couple through the vehicle’s window.
Reynolds’ 4-year-old daughter could be heard in the background crying after Reynolds was told to get out of the vehicle by another police officer.
The dashcam video footage, which actually shows the shooting, as well as the moments leading up to and following it, was also released this week.
WATCH AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION BELOW:
Charged with manslaughter, Yanez recently had his day in court over the shooting, which took place shortly after Yanez had alerted one of his partners that Castile looked like a suspect in an unsolved armed robbery case.
Prosecuting attorney Jeffrey Paulsen argued during his closing remarks that Yanez had failed to control his own traffic stop and he didn’t give clear commands about what he wanted Castile to do after the 32-year-old had disclosed to him that he was carrying a firearm.
Paulson told the jury:
“We all know what happens next. (Yanez) pulls out his gun and without warning, without saying ‘Stop, or I’ll shoot,’ he fires seven rounds into that car. He killed Philando Castile and endangered the lives of Diamond Reynolds and (her 4-year-old daughter). … And (Yanez) says, ‘I was nervous,’ but everyone in this case agrees that is not a justifiable use of deadly force.”
“He got nervous and he put his safety above the safety of everyone else,” Paulsen said.
The dashcam video clearly shows Yanez asking Castile to provide him with a driver’s license and proof of insurance. Castile appears to give him his insurance information, and while reaching for his driver’s license (as requested by Yanez) he informs Yanez that he’s carrying a firearm, which he had a license for.
“Sir, I do have to tell you, I do have a firearm on me,” Castile said. Yanez responded, “OK, don’t reach for it then,” followed by, “Don’t pull it out.”
Yanez, haphazardly reacting to the word “firearm,” fired seven shots into the vehicle, killing Castile as Reynolds and her daughter watched. The backdoor flings open just before Reynolds’ daughter runs out and is escorted away by another cop.
Castile’s gun permit and driver’s license were later found in his wallet.
Yanez was heard describing his version of the incident to another cop as Castile’s body was removed from the vehicle, and officers attempted to perform CPR on him to no avail. He told the officer that his reaction, which resulted in Castile’s shooting death, was a result of him being “nervous.”
Yanez said to Officer Tressa Sunde:
“[Castile] was sitting in the car, seat belted. I told him, can I see your license. And then, he told me he had a firearm. I told him not to reach for it and (sigh) when he went down to grab, I told him not to reach for it (clears throat) and then he kept it right there, and I told him to take his hands off of it, and then he (sigh) he had his, his grip a lot wider than a wallet.”
Yanez went on to say:
“And I don’t know where the gun was, he didn’t tell me where the f***ing gun was, and then it was just getting hinky, he gave, he was just staring ahead, and then I was getting f***ing nervous, and then I told him, I know I fucking told him to get his fucking hand off his gun.”
In an interview with the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension after the shooting, Yanez said:
“It appeared to me that [Castile] had no regard to what I was saying. And, he put his hand around something. And his hand made like a C-type shape and it appeared to me that he was wrapping something around his fingers and almost like if I were to put my hand around my gun. It was dark inside the vehicle. I was trying to fumble my way through under stress to look and see what it was to make sure what I was seeing.”
Later in the same interview, Yanez continued:
“I know he had an object and it was dark. And he was pulling it out with his right hand. And as he was pulling it out, a million things started going through my head. And I thought I was gonna die. … He just had something in his hands.”
Though Yanez said he “thought [Castile] was reaching for the gun,” he could never truly confirm in his BCA interview that he had seen Castile brandish a firearm that day.
However, he did use various terms to suggest that there was a firearm present, saying at one point that “it seemed like he was pulling out a gun and the barrel just kept coming.” Yanez said, “It was to me it just looked big and apparent that he’s gonna shoot you, he’s gonna kill you.”
Later, Yanez was asked again about “the object” he thought he witnessed Castile holding, and if he could describe how big it was. “It was, to me it looked like [Castile’s hand] was wrapped around the butt of a gun,” he said.
In his testimony during the trial nearly a year later after the incident, Yanez sounded more certain of what had happened. He testified that he was “able to see the firearm in Mr. Castile’s hand,” forcing him to shoot.
“I had no other choice,” Yanez told the jury. “I didn’t want to shoot Mr. Castile. Those were not my intentions.”
Yanez’s defense attorney argued that that Castile “ignored” orders from Yanez because he was “stoned” on marijuana, and the officer “did what he had to do” when he shot Castile.
The ink is barely dry, but NeNe Leakes is already rustling the feathers of current Atlanta housewives.
Porsha Williams doesn’t seem too excited to see NeNe return to her reality show roots. Rickey Smiley, Porsha, and the co-hosts of Dish Nation discussed NeNe officially coming back to The Real Housewives of Atlanta. Porsha was quick to throw shade NeNe’s way.
“She has been waiting. I am glad she got her job back.”
“Yeah, you gotta be pretty excited to go do a full photo shoot—all this, that. I’m glad. I’m happy for you. I am glad you are happy.”
Porsha was clearly referencing the photos NeNe posted on Instagram that accompanied her announcement that she was returning to RHOA for its 10th season.
NeNe caught the shade Porsha threw and clapped back with an Instagram post, suggesting she was bothered and threatened that the queen was returning to her throne.
We like to keep’em talking? Nites at the Leakes #thethreat #queen #theybothered? #slaynethia #eatmypeachbitch ??#thephotoshootthatKILLED
Porsha and NeNe have had a cordial relationship in the past. However, NeNe revealed on Watch What Happens Live! that it all changed when she briefly returned to the show in season 8.
She said they haven’t spoken since that reunion show (when she tried to give Porsha advice about laying hands on people) and called Porsha a liar, who had recently claimed NeNe refused her phone calls. The OG Atlanta housewife said Porsha had never called her.
It’s clear a simple announcement and photoshoot has Porsha and the girls shook. NeNe reportedly hasn’t even started filming with them yet and she’s already sparking drama. Season 10 is gonna be fun
Michael Brown’s story will soon be told on the big screen.
Warner Bros. has confirmed the black unarmed 18-year-old who was killed by a white police officer and sparked a nationwide movement will be the subject of an upcoming film.
Mike Brown’s mother Lesley McSpadden’s memoir, Tell the Truth & Shame the Devil: The Life, Legacy and Love of My Son Michael Brown, will be adapted for film. A Warner Bros. rep confirmed the project Wednesday (Jun. 21) after it was first reported last week.
Development is current in the earlier stages. However, The Tracking Board reports the film will be similar in style to the 2004 drama Crash. It will feature the intertwining stories of several characters, including Brown.
Michael Brown was shot and killed by Ferguson, Mo. Officer Darren Wilson in 2014. Brown allegedly had his hands up and told the officer not to shoot prior to Wilson opening fire. However, this account has been disputed.
Wilson was not indicted on any charges, but Brown’s death sparked civil unrest and helped mobilize the Black Lives Matter movement.
Earlier this week, Brown’s parents reached an undisclosed settlement with the city of Ferguson in a wrongful death lawsuit. The settlement amount will be distributed between the two parents and their attorneys and was sealed to protect the safety of those involved in the matter.
The settlement also dismisses any other claims against those named in the suit, including Darren Wilson.
Maybe he didn’t “break the internet,” but I definitely think Milan Christopher got Kim Kardashian beat. The rapper and former Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood star just bared it all in an extremely NSFW photospread for Paper magazine.
Milan paired with photographer Matthias Vriens to create an artistic nude photoshoot, which left absolutely nothing to the imagination. The photos were accompanied by an interview with Paper and was released Wednesday (Jun. 21).
If these piqued your interest, the uncensored shots can be found on the Paper magazine website.
Many were impressed by Milan’s “body of work,” while some were simply not prepared.
Milan told Paper he agreed to pose nude because he wanted show the world that it’s OK to celebrate the male body in the same way society appreciates the female form.
“Well, I just feel like in our culture it’s so taboo for a guy to show their bodies but it’s ok for a woman to do it. I just kinda want to break that. I think I have a nice body and I think it’s art and I just think that it should be celebrated like they celebrate women’s bodies. So, you know, I could be a guy and be gay and be black and be artistic and be artistic in a nude fashion shoot in the same way that anybody else could.”
He also compared his moment to Kim Kardashian’s infamous 2014 Paper cover and when 70’s leading man, Burt Reynolds, broke traditional norms and posed nude for Cosmopolitan.
“And so I want that. I want that “break the internet” moment. I want people to look at this and be like, ‘Oh, wow, it’s ok.’ This guy is a musician, he’s on TV. He’s doing this, he’s doing that but it’s ok.”
Appearing on season 2 of Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood (along with his ex-boyfriend), the musician became the first openly gay male to star in the Love & Hip Hop franchise. Though his casting caused some backlash, Milan says he received lots of positive support. However, he also says the hip hop community continues to be homophobic.
“It’s super homophobic… Even with the producers and the directors and just everything. I mean, I was on Love and Hip Hop, I had my own Out in Hip Hop television show, I was on the cover of the New York Times, the cover of LA Times twice, on Wendy Williams, Ellen, you know, everywhere.
And you know the Hip Hop Awards, the BET awards didn’t even invite me to do anything. It’s like, this is the first time this has ever happened in the history of hip hop music and you didn’t make a place for me because I’m gay? I felt very disrespected by that.”
Nonetheless, as a black gay male, Milan is proud of his identity. He feels a responsibility to represent his communities and also wants to be a role model for others.
“I think it’s not that many gay guys who are African American who are out and who are comfortable? Right now, I can probably name about 5. And it’s millions, you know what I mean? I do think that I have a huge [responsibility for] representation of the community and I do think that I’m doing pretty well…”
“I do think, in a sense, yes, I am a role model. But I also think that at the same time… I’m nervous. But this takes a very strong person to go face forward and make it happen and make people accept it.”
If this was your first introduction to Milan Christopher (and you were able to get past the full frontal pics to actually you read the article), you may believe he posed for such a provocative spread to make an important statement. And maybe he did.
However, not to dismiss his intentions, as someone who watched him on LHHH and occasionally catches his social media posts, I can’t help but wonder if Milan just wanted the attention.
He definitely has an “all eyes on me” personality and is basically a walking Gucci/Versace/Louis Vuitton billboard. I don’t think he was lying when he said he wanted a “break the internet” moment.
Hopefully, I’m wrong though. Because as a gay black man in the hip hop industry, Milan does have a specific platform and has the ability to make a difference, even if it’s a small ripple in a large lake.
There is about to be another Kardashian-West offspring! Although Kim Kardashian is not pregnant, she and Kanye West have reportedly hired a surrogate to carry their third child.
A source confirmed to People magazine that the Hollywood couple is prepared to expand their family via surrogacy. According to TMZ, Kim and Kanye have selected a surrogate through an agency and will pay her $45,000 over the course of 10 months.
The surrogate will also receive $5,000 for each additional baby (if the procedure results in multiples) and $4,000 if she suffers the loss of reproductive organs. The hopeful parents have also agreed to “assume the legal and parental responsibilities for any child … that may possess any congenital or other abnormalities or defects.”
The surrogate has to follow some strict rules as well. While pregnant, she cannot smoke, consume alcohol, get into hot tubs or saunas, handle or change cat litter, use hair dye, consume raw fish, and is limited to one caffeinated beverage per day. She also can’t have sexual intercourse for three weeks following the embryo implantation.
Kim and Kanye must pay the agency a $68,850 deposit for their services.
Kim has expressed she wanted a third child. However, several doctors advised her that another pregnancy could be life threatening. She suffered from placenta accreta with her two previously pregnancies, which causes the placenta to grow into the wall of the womb and difficult to detach during birth.
Kim underwent uterine surgery to correct the issue, but it was unsuccessful. She also experienced preeclampsia with first child North.
“After talking to Kanye, I think that I always knew that surrogacy was an option, but I didn’t think it was that realistic of an option,” Kim admitted during an April episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians. “Now, I feel like that’s my reality. I feel like surrogacy really is the only other option for me.”
Neither Kim nor Kanye have released a statement on the matter or confirmed plans for surrogacy. However, all signs point that this is their path to welcoming a third child.
Beyoncé reportedly gave birth to her twins with Jay Z early last week, but according to recent reports, she delivered early.
According to TMZ, the Carter Twins were born premature, and as a result, are suffering from a condition known as “infant jaundice,” which isn’t dangerous, but requires the babies to be placed under lights. This is likely the “minor issue” the gossip site was alluding to the other day.
Jaundice, a liver condition that causes yellowing of a newborn baby’s skin and eyes due to elevated levels of bilirubin, is common in premature babies. It is treated with a combination of incubators and a special type of fluorescent light that is absorbed into the baby’s skin.
According to WebMD, a baby with jaundice may need to stay under a phototherapy light for several days. The lights, which are completely safe and don’t damage the baby’s skin, help lower bilirubin in the blood to eliminate jaundice by changing it into another form that can easily be passed in the stool and urine.
This could also explain why the Carter-Knowles clan (with the exception of Mathew Knowles) has been quiet about the twins’ birth. It’s good to know that everyone is OK, and the twins will likely be sent home soon.
“Beyonce is eager to get her new babies home,” an insider told Hollywood Life. “She has been stuck inside the hospital for a week now and Jay has been by her side daily as they follow all of the doctor’s conservative orders to ensure the newborns are healthy and strong before going home.”
The mystery has been solved! Last week, we were all stunned to learn that Kenya Moore was a married woman. What was even more puzzling was that we didn’t know anything about her new husband. We didn’t have a name, an age, or even what he looked like — until now!
The Real Housewives of Atlanta star posted the first clear photo of her hubby on Instagram and revealed his name. “Marc, you are the best man I have ever known,” she wrote. “Thank you for loving me unconditionally. My #rideordie #bonnieandclyde”
Here are a few things you need to know about Marc Daly.
Kenya’s new hubby is reportedly the owner of the Brooklyn southern fusion restaurant, SoCo.
Marc Daly is a restaurateur. He is the owner of the restaurant SoCo in Brooklyn. According to its website, the restaurant serves a “mixture of cajun/creole, barbecue, and soul food dreamt up with everything else you can imagine.”
Former SoCo owner Malissa Browne confirmed to Radar Online the restaurant’s current owner and Kenya’s husband is one in the same. “I parted ways with SoCo, but Marc is the owner now. The wedding took us all by surprise,” she said.
A source tells MTO that Marc would often “shut down the back of his restaurant so that Kenya could eat in peace.”
Marc may also be the owner of another restaurant, Eleven Madison Park, also located in NYC. However, this has yet to be confirmed.
Marc Daly was previously in finance and was the Vice President of a Citibank branch in New York.
Prior to becoming a successful restaurateur, Marc reportedly worked in finance. He received he broker license in 2006 and was employed by Credit Suisse and Citigroup. However, it seems he opted not to renew his broker license in 2015.
Even so, Marc was listed as a Vice President of the Citibank Park Avenue office in NY as of late 2016. It’s unclear if he still holds that position.
The groom is believed to be 47-years-old and (reportedly) the father to at least one child.
On Sunday (Jun. 18), Kenya wished her husband a happy Father’s Day on social media. We don’t think Kenya is pregnant (yet), so we can only guess that Marc is already a father. It has been rumored that he has adult children, but that hasn’t been confirmed.
If his kid(s) are reportedly of adult age, exactly how old is Marc? The groom has been described as “age appropriate,” as Kenya does not mind dating a little younger. Marc is believed to be 47 years old, with the Aries celebrating his birthday on April Fool’s Day (Apr. 1).
Kenya is 46.
The newlywed’s relationship moved rather quickly, getting hitched after only 7 months of dating.
The newlyweds previously met over year ago, but sparks didn’t exactly fly. The two reconnected in December 2016 and started dating. They only dated for 7 months before tying the knot, but Kenya believes she found her true love. “This man is the love of my life and I’m so happy,” she told People magazine.
Kenya wrote in a Father’s Day Instagram post:
“Since we reconnected you have been my everything, my one and only, my heart…I love you. #devotedwife #family #happyfathersday #truelove #bliss”
In another post, she wrote:
“A good man is hard to find but true love is even harder. I found both.”
Not to rain on a bride’s parade, but former SoCo owner Malissa Browne may have a different perception of Marc. When Radar asked if Marc is a “good man,” she responded, “I don’t want to say anything on what kind of guy he is. Let’s just say, ‘no comment.’”
Kenya Moore is officially free of her former off-and-on boyfriend, Matt Jordan. And I’m not just talking about her recent marriage to another man. The Real Housewives of Atlanta star was just granted a restraining order against Matt.
TMZ reports a judge granted a 1-year restraining order, requiring Matt to stay at least 200 yards away from Kenya and her family, including her new husband.
The long-term order replaces the temporary restraining order Kenya had placed, which expired in April. It was not extended at that time because Kenya was a no-show in court and explained that she was unable to find Matt and serve him papers.
Kenya and Matt’s volatile relationship was broadcast on RHOA for several seasons. Though not captured on camera, he was accused of vandalizing Kenya’s property by breaking the windows of her car and glass garage door.
Even though Matt and Kenya have not been together in some time, he’s probably not going to like this restraining order. He wrote on Instagram that he was a disappointed to learn of Kenya’s surprise wedding to a mystery man. He even says she dated her now-husband while they were still together.
He wrote in part:
“As if the embarrassment from the show wasn’t enough, the false aligations [sic] of domestic violence, the unwarranted restraining order, the loss of business opportunities, money. My personal & professional image… Find out she is married from stranger online. Realizing it’s to someone she was seeing during your relationship.”
At this point, Matt really needs to just let Kenya go! Their relationship was toxic and I don’t think either one of them benefitted from the made-for-reality-TV romance. The restraining order is probably the best thing for the two exes.
Video footage of a racist mother with a sick child has gone viral. Despite her son’s needs, the white Canadian demanded her son only be treated by a white doctor, even though none were available at the time.
An unidentified woman in Ontario brought her son complaining of chest pains to a walk-in clinic on Sunday (Jun. 18). However, after being approached by a non-white doctor, the woman demanded to see a white doctor who “doesn’t have brown teeth and speaks English.”
“So, you’re saying, in the whole entire building there isn’t one white doctor? You’re telling me that my kid has chest pains and he’s going to have to sit here until four o’clock? Can I see a doctor that’s white, that doesn’t have brown teeth and speaks English?”
“God, what type of horrible country do I live in?” she complains after being repeatedly told the qualified doctors available don’t fit her racist demands.
Hitesh Bhardwaj, who immigrated from India to Canada five years ago, was disturbed by the comments and began recording the woman’s outburst. The 4-minute long footage has gone viral and already amassed nearly 100,000 views.
Ha! Apparently ?? hasn't cornered the market on the craycray.#Canada
Some also waiting to be seen by a doctor could no longer stand the racist mother’s comments. One “brave young girl,” as Bhardwaj described her, confronted the woman.
“Your child has more issues with you being his mother than him needing to see a doctor. You are extremely rude and racist. You want to talk about ‘Paki’ people being in a hospital? Maybe you should check yourself in.”
Other agreed and also began to express their thoughts on the woman’s racist behavior. The woman claimed they were calling her out because she’s white.
“You’re brown and you’re attacking me because I’m white. It’s because I’m white… Being white in this country… I should just shoot myself.”
Throughout this ordeal, the mother’s son continued to experience chest pains. She finally conceded that her son was “part not-white” and said she would settle for a doctor who spoke English. The video ends.
According to CTV News, the mother was eventually escorted out of the building after police were called to the clinic due to a “disturbance” of a woman “being verbally aggressive.”
Bhardwaj told CTV Toronto he was shocked by what he witnessed.
“Seeing it so openly without any fear and in front of so many people, without even fearing that someone can report her, it was really shocking.”
He added the incident bothered him for the rest of the day. “It was a mixed feeling of being angry and being frustrated.”
Prodigy, one half of the rap duo Mobb Deep, has died. He was 42 years old. How did he die? What was his cause of death?
According to a statement from the rapper’s publicist, he was hospitalized a few days ago in Las Vegas after a Mobb Deep performance, and he passed away due to “complications caused by a sickle cell anemia crisis.”
Read the full statement below:
“It is with extreme sadness and disbelief that we confirm the death of our dear friend Albert Johnson, better known to millions of fans as Prodigy of legendary NY rap duo Mobb Deep. Prodigy was hospitalized a few days ago in Vegas after a Mobb Deep performance for complications caused by a sickle cell anemia crisis. As most of his fans know, Prodigy battled the disease since birth. The exact causes of death have yet to be determined. We would like to thank everyone for respecting the family’s privacy at this time.”
TMZ is reporting that Prodigy choked on an egg this morning while he was in the hospital, though it’s “unclear if that ultimately caused his death.”
We’re told officials are trying to find out if it was the choking or the sickle cell symptoms he’d been battling for days.
Prodigy had to be pulled out of a fan meet-and-greet event after Saturday night’s concert in Las Vegas … because his security team noticed he was struggling. It appears his sickle cell was exacerbated by extreme desert temps — it was reportedly as hot as 110 during the concert. The disease made him prone to dehydration and weakened his immune system.
We’re told on his way out of the venue, Prodigy told Ice-T goodbye … and headed to his hotel to get some rest.
Mobb Deep performed Saturday night (Jun. 17) in Las Vegas for the “Art of Rap” tour, along with other big names like Ghostface Killah, Ice-T, KRS-One, Onyx and others.
Peep the performance, which would end up being his last, below:
Prodigy (real name: Albert Johnson) and his partner, Havoc, formed Mobb Deep in New York City in the early 1990’s.
Throughout his career, Prodigy was considered a master wordsmith who oversaw the majority of Mobb Deep’s lyrics, while Havoc made a name for himself as one of New York’s leading record producers.
Two of Mobb Deep’s albums — The Infamous (1995) and Hell on Earth (1996) — are considered critical successes. Their biggest hits included “Quiet Storm” and “Shook Ones.”
The duo briefly disbanded in 2012 but had since reunited. Their last album, The Infamous Mobb Deep, was released in 2014
