Your Black Celebrities

Dr. Boyce Watkins: Big Ups to Shaquille O’neal

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 01:36:00 +0000

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University

NBA star Shaquille O'neal is planning to cover the cost for the funeral of Shaniya Davis, the five-year old who was recently kidnapped and murdered in a story that rocked the nation. The cost of the funeral is expected to be about $4,500. According to media reports, the child was killed by 29-year old Mario McNeill on the same day that she was found to be missing.

The Shaniya Davis case broke all of our hearts. Shaquille O'neal's intervention was likely welcomed by the family, since funeral costs are usually another problem that families are not prepared to face after the death of a loved one.

Shaniya Davis' mother, 25-year old Antoinette Davis, is charged with human trafficking and child abuse involving prostitution. Her case is a reminder of the dangers of drugs in America and opens a frightening door into the underworld of child prostitution. In spite of the fact that there are ways to save on the cost of a funeral, it is highly unlikely that Shaniya Davis' mother had anything in place to pay the cost of her child's burial. So, I give Shaq major "props" for stepping up to the plate, since we all know that it takes a village to raise and protect a child. It is my hope that the other Shaniya's in the world get the protection they deserve from all of us before it is too late.

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DID PLIES SHOOT SOMEONE???

noreply@blogger.com (Above da Rim) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:00:00 +0000

Five Gainesville residents are suing a Florida rapper, his record label and a local club after they were shot during a 2006 concert.

Billy Dee Williams, Michael Lamar Daymon, Edwin Devasco Faircloth, Steve Ruben Jean-Jacques and Dorian Shannel Johnson are suing rapper Plies, whose real name is Algernod Lanier Washington. They are also suing night club 238 West and Washington's record label, Slip-N-Slide Records Inc., for compensatory damages.

Washington is best known for his 2007 single "Shawty" featuring T-Pain.

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Technorati Tags: Plies,shooting,black celebrity gossip,black gossip

Michael Jackson Auction Fetches Big Money

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 15:55:00 +0000

New York (CNN) -- More than 80 Michael Jackson collectibles -- including the late pop star's famous rhinestone-studded glove from a 1983 performance -- were auctioned off Saturday, reaping a total $2 million.

Profits from the auction at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York's Times Square crushed pre-sale expectations of only $120,000 in sales.

The highly prized memorabilia, which included items spanning the many stages of Jackson's career, came from more than 30 fans, associates and family members, who contacted Julien's Auctions to sell their gifts and mementos of the singer.

Jackson's flashy glove was the big-ticket item of the night, fetching $420,000 from a buyer in Hong Kong, China. Jackson wore the glove at a 1983 performance during "Motown 25," an NBC special where he debuted his revolutionary moonwalk.

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Nicolas Cage Having Big Money Problems

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 05:30:00 +0000

Even Academy Award winners are suffering from financial woes this recession. Actor Nicolas Cage lost two homes in New Orleans worth a total of $6.8 million in a foreclosure auction Thursday.

Birmingham, Ala.-based Regions Bank purchased Cage's 1140 Royal Street property in the French Quarter appraised at $3.5 million for $2.3 million. The bank, which has about 1,900 branches throughout the South, Midwest and Texas, paid $2.2 million for Cage's 2523 Pataniya Street property appraised at $3.3 million in the Garden District.

New Orleans's civil Sheriff Paul Valteau said no other bids were made on the houses.

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Rihanna and Chris Brown: Money Can Be Made From Tragedy

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 05:06:00 +0000

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University

I hated what Chris Brown did to Rihanna. I was angered, disappointed and irritated by the fact that many are quick to forgive egregious behavior on the part of celebrities, and a hit song can forgive all sins. At the same time, celebs are just like the rest of us, full of complexities that the world may never come to understand. Rihanna has walked away from Chris and she is now telling the entire world how bad of a man he is, and we're all taking her side.

The problem for Rihanna, however, is that her actions aren't making much sense.

Rihanna's recent whirlwind media tour has included the likes of ABC News, MTV and other major media outlets. Throughout this tour, she has allowed the world to enter into her dark reflection on the relationship she had with Chris Brown, with that reflection seeming to have almost no productive purpose. I am not sure why the he-say/she-say between two 19-year old kids should be the concern of the nation. But then again, I am sitting here writing about it, so I am as guilty as everyone else.

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What the hayell? The Cosby Show Redone as a Porno!

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:34:00 +0000

Click here to watch the video trailer – hilarious!

The Urban Daily – 11/9/09

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:28:00 +0000

MUSIC

VIDEO: Mos Def & Jim Jones On A Track Together??

By Jerry Barrow, Senior Editor November 9, 2009 8:06 am

TAGS: Dame Dash, jim jones, mos def, The Black Keys

MOVIES

Monique Channeled Own Abuse For Role In “Precious”

By The Urban Daily November 8, 2009 4:38 pm

TAGS: mo'nique, Precious

TV

VIDEO: Taylor Is Swift With Kanye Payback

By The Urban Daily November 8, 2009 2:55 pm

TAGS: Kanye West, taylor swift

NEWS

Men’s Group Wants Rihanna To “Woman-Up” On Hitting Brown

By The Urban Daily November 8, 2009 2:18 pm

TAGS: chris brown, rihanna

NEWS

Lamar Odom Wants Kids With Khloe:”Soon!”

By The Urban Daily November 8, 2009 2:01 pm

TAGS: khloe kardashian, lamar odom

MUSIC

VIDEO: Lil Wayne’s “Tha Carter” Documentary Trailer

By Jerry Barrow, Senior Editor November 7, 2009 2:09 pm

TAGS: Lil Wayne

MUSIC

HOT OR NOT: Juvenile, “Gotta Get It”

By Jerry Barrow, Senior Editor November 6, 2009 5:30 pm

TAGS: Gotta Get It It, juvenile

The Latest from Black Voices – 11/9/09

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:22:00 +0000

Watch Teaser Trailer to 'Why Did I Get Married Too?'

Andrea of 'Fly' and Her Hair Inspiration

Looks for Less : The Soul Train 2009 Awards

Is the Swine Flu Reaching a State of Emergency?

Jay Z vs. Beanie Sigel: It's Nothing but Business as Usual

Steve Harvey: His New Wife is the Woman Who Changed His Life

Health Care Reform: Join The War Room Fight Now and Beat The Tea-Baggers

Former WNBA Player Admits to Smoking Weed While in the League

Deadly Russian Road Roulette All the Rage in Bulgaria

'Permission Slips,' Sherri Shepherd's Memoir About Life's Ups and Downs Will Make You Laugh and Cry

Katt Williams Arrested for Burglary? WTF?

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:18:00 +0000

(AP Photo/Matt Sayles)

NEWNAN, Georgia (AP) -- Comedian Katt Williams has been jailed in Georgia on charges of burglary and criminal trespassing.

A deputy at the jail in Coweta County, southwest of Atlanta, confirmed Williams was being held there and that a magistrate was expected to set bond at an arraignment Monday afternoon. The deputy did not have access to a police report to provide more details.

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Dr Boyce Watkins - Chris Brown vs. Rihanna: Time to Butt Out

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:58:00 +0000

by Dr. Boyce Watkins

When I heard that Chris Brown hit his ex-girlfriend Rihanna, I was concerned and surprised. I also found myself irritated by the fact that many women, along with my teenage daughters, were quick to forgive Chris for his actions, primarily because they think he has a great voice and a cute face. I had little sympathy for Chris Brown, and doing something like that to one of my girls would’ve had him singing a cappella for the rest of his life.

But that’s where I have to get off the Chris Brown bashing bus. In spite of my frustration with Chris’ behavior, I cannot endorse the media’s decision to turn his relationship with Rihanna into a one-sided slugfest, committed by yet another violent black man whose rage consistently overrides his intellect. I also cannot endorse Rihanna’s decision to bring ABC News into her relationship, portraying herself as the completely innocent victim who was terrorized by the big, scary black man. Yes, she is the victim, but we all know that love is not that simple.

Let’s be clear: No man should ever put his hands on a woman in a violent way. We all agree on that. Not only is it morally wrong, but it’s an easy way for a man to find himself in jail (especially if he’s black). We should also agree that no woman should put her hands on any man. The second point might be subject to disagreement, but the truth is that you shouldn’t hit someone if you don’t expect to get hit back. While that person might end up being punished by the police, you might end up in the morgue. We can also agree that the disproportionate amount of force that a man is capable of inflicting is a legitimate reason that the man is more to blame than the woman, even if both parties are involved in a physical altercation.

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Dr Boyce Watkins Speaks on Jay Z and Charlamagne Tha God

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 02:06:00 +0000

by Dr. Boyce Watkins

Consider it a strange dream, but I had some thoughts about the Jay-Z beef with the rapper Beanie Sigal. No, I'm not here to talk about keeping street cred. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Half of the artists in the hip hop industry are not nearly as hard or as real as they claim to be. They're too smart for that. The guys who are really as hard as most rappers claim to be are either in a jail cell or a casket. That's the truth.
What got my attention was when Charlamagne Tha God was fired from 100.3, "The Beat" in Philadelphia. I've known Charlamagne for years from our work on The Wendy Williams Show, so this made me a little upset. What was even sadder is the allegation that Jay Z may have played a role in getting Charlamagne fired, in large part because Charlamagne conducted an interview with Jay-Z's new rival, Beanie Sigal. This incident represents more than the standard thuggery that some might see on the surface. Instead, it brings forth a plethora of issues that relate to business, entertainment, money and corporate power. Here are some quick thoughts:

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How Your Family Can Manage the High Cost of Health Care

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:14:00 +0000

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Get health care tips from Dr. Elaina George - how is your family going to afford it?

Did Jigga Get Charlamagne Fired?

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:07:00 +0000

Radio personality, Charlamagne Tha God, was fired from his post at Philadelphia radio station 100.3 The Beat this week, following an interview with Beanie Sigel where he explained his recent Jay-Z diss track.

Charlamagne revealed the termination via Twitter (@CThaGod) on Monday (November 2) morning.

While he says the station said they wanted to "move in a different direction," many speculate whether Jay-Z may have had a hand in the matter.

"I just got fired from 100.3 The Beat in Philly. Salute to Philly I hope you all enjoyed me the past six months," Charlamagne wrote.

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Michael Baisden Steps Up to Help Heather Ellis Case

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 03:29:00 +0000

by Dr. Boyce Watkins , AOL Black Voices

Just when you thought black celebrities didn't care anymore, the "Bad Boy of Radio,"Michael Baisden announced today that he is going to give $5,000 to the legal defense fund of the family of Heather Ellis, a 24-year old black female college student who faces 15-years in prison after cutting in line at a Walmart.

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EDDIE MURPHY IS DESPERATE

noreply@blogger.com (Above da Rim) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:00:00 +0000

*Eddie Murphy has knocked $15 million off the asking price of his home, hoping to spark some activity after it sat dormant on the market for nearly five years.

The New Jersey estate had an original price tag of around $30 million when the actor listed it in 2004.

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Technorati Tags: eddie murphy,black celebrity gossip,black gossip

KANYE SAYS “I’M ALIVE”

noreply@blogger.com (Above da Rim) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 09:55:00 +0000

Kanye West did not die in a car accident yesterday, as was tweeted all across Twitter and the Internet late Tuesday and early Wednesday.

According to MTV.com, computer security blog Sophos.com tracked the bogus story to hackers who used the rumor to push the false reports to the top of Internet search engine results. By Wednesday morning (Oct. 21), "Kanye West died" (and variations of the phrase) had become one of the most-searched topics on Google Trends.

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Technorati Tags: kanye west died,kanye west,black celebrity gossip,black gossip

Tamala Jones Doesn’t Like her “Tig Oh bitties”

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:42:00 +0000

'Castle' star Tamala Jones is featured on the cover of Heart & Soul magazine.

In addition to talking about past relationships with rappers Nate Dogg and Big Gipp of Goodie Mobb, Jones also discusses how she nearly died from a brain aneurysm, how her home went up in flames and the reasons she regrets getting breast implants.

"I was coming out of a relationship, and I felt that I needed something new," the actress told writer Pamela K. Johnson about her initial decision to have her breasts augmented.

The 34-year-old actress, who has starred in films like 'Daddy Day Camp,' 'The Wood' and 'Booty Call,' wants to have her implants removed.

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Black Review: Michael’s Movie is Gooooood

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:09:00 +0000

Believe the hype. This Is It dispels any doubts about Michael Jackson's creative genius.

Clearly separating him from other artists of his day, longtime collaborator and the film's director Kenny Ortega emphasizes exactly why Michael Jackson earned his "King of Pop" title. Culled from more than one hundred hours of footage, This Is It goes beyond the best of Michael Jackson's rehearsal reels. Instead, Ortega - better known now for directing the High School High Musical films than his many other achievements which include co-creating and co-directing Jackson's Dangerous and HIStory world tours, elects to highlight Michael Jackson's creative process and erases any doubt that what you saw with Michael came from anybody but him and God.

In a world of manufactured music where contemporary artists, many with big names, are unable to sing and dance simultaneously, This Is It reminds us that Michael Jackson was of a generation of cultivated and honed talent where practice did indeed make perfect. There was no resting on laurels with Michael Jackson. It wasn't just magic. It was tireless work and effort - the two attributes that aren't often applied to the genius of African-American performers so liberally.

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TEYANA TAYLOR HAS CHRIS BROWN’S BACK

noreply@blogger.com (Above da Rim) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:05:00 +0000

Teyana Taylor is still not holding her tongue.

One of a short list of Chris Brown supporters left after his violent altercation involving former girlfriend and edgy pop vixen Rihanna, Taylor explained to VIBE why her solace is unwavering.

"A lot of people were jumping on different bandwagons and I really felt like that was wack," the 18-year-old Taylor told VIBE. "Before the incident between him and Rihanna, Chris had always been my brother. When we met we clicked instantly from our fashion styles to our love of basketball to dancing to everything. I've known him for four years and I was one of the only people that stood by his side when the situation happened."

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Technorati Tags: teyana taylor,black celebrity gossip,black gossip

Mother, Wife and Businesswomen: How do you Balance?

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 22:11:00 +0000

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In this episode of Financial Lovemaking, Dr. Boyce and Tia talk with Towanna Freeman, an author, speaker, wife and mother on how to balance love, life, and success.

Dr Boyce Watkins: Spike Lee vs. Tyler Perry - What Gives?

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:50:00 +0000

by Dr. Boyce Watkins

I woke up this morning to see that Tyler Perry is being forced to defend himself against nasty allegations coming from Spike Lee. Spike has made it clear that he doesn’t appreciate what he perceives to be “coonery” in Tyler Perry films and TV shows. When I saw Perry flat out say that the accusations “pissed him off,” I thought, “Wow, now that’s an honest brother!”

I grew up on Spike Lee and I’ll always love him. I am also certain that images of black people singing, dancing and eating chicken certainly won Perry instant favor with the not-so-in-touch executives in Hollywood. But here are three reasons that Spike Lee might be wrong about Tyler Perry:

1) Tyler Perry is not all about Madea: I went onto BET a few times to talk about Hip Hop. My hoity-toity friends in academia (many of whom pride themselves on writing research papers for journals that nobody ever reads) criticized me for being “unscholarly” by talking to rappers. But my response was that hip hop culture has a dramatic influence on the young minds that I am trying to reach with education. You don’t get a baby to eat healthy by only forcing vegetables down his throat; you sprinkle sugar on the food to get the child’s attention. It’s not always a matter of forcing people to consume what they NEED – you should also be willing to let them have some of what they WANT. Every positive black movie doesn’t have to be a PBS special.

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Tavis Smiley Gets Named Taken Off Building

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:19:00 +0000

A long-simmering disagreement between broadcaster Tavis Smiley and Texas Southern University ended Friday when the university's governing board agreed to strip Smiley's name from its communication school.

Smiley promised in 2004 to donate $1 million and to raise another $1 million for TSU. The school later created the Tavis Smiley School of Communication in his honor.

In return, Smiley made one $50,000 donation in mid-2005 and raised $250,000 from three corporate donors.

But he said Friday that he had intended to fulfill his personal $1 million pledge.

“Any institution that turns away a $1 million gift in this economy, I think ought to have good reason for doing that,” he said in a telephone interview.

He also said former university President Priscilla Slade offered to name the school for him before he pledged any money.

“I even made a joke, how much is this decision going to cost me?” he said. “She said, ‘This decision has already been made.'”

“It doesn't feel good,” he said of the board's decision. “My intentions were to help the students.”

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CHRIS BROWN TOUR MONEY GOES TO CHARITY

noreply@blogger.com (Above da Rim) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:10:00 +0000

On the same day Rihanna unleashed her new single and album release date, former boyfriend Chris Brown announced he will donate partial proceeds of his upcoming "Fan Appreciation" tour to a domestic violence intervention program.

On June 22, Brown pleaded guilty to felony assault for beating Rihanna and accepted a plea deal of community labor, five years' formal probation and domestic violence counseling.

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Technorati Tags: chris brown,black celebrity gossip,black gossip

MEET “PRECIOUS”

noreply@blogger.com (Above da Rim) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:05:00 +0000

Gabourey Sidibe is the lead actor for the upcoming blockbuster movie "Precious." The film isn't going to open in theaters until November 6, but it has been garnering Oscar buzz for months. It's executive produced by Oprah and Tyler Perry and directed by Lee Daniels of "Monster's Ball."

For the first time, we're getting a bird's eye view into the woman behind the "Precious" character. Sidibe sat with ABC's Good Morning America host Robin Roberts and revealed that she hasn't even acted before. This is her first role! She is 26 and a college student.

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Technorati Tags: precious,tyler perry,oprah winfrey,black celebrity gossip,black gossip

RHIANNA NEW SINGLE

noreply@blogger.com (Above da Rim) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:00:00 +0000

Rihanna is back with an official new single titled "Russian Roulette," the first release from her upcoming album "Rated R," due out Nov. 23.

The single's cover art features a topless RiRi wrapped in barbed wire.

"Rated R" is the singer's first album since 2007's multiplatinum effort "Good Girl Gone Bad." The single is her first new solo material since being assaulted by former boyfriend Chris Brown.

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Technorati Tags: rhianna,black celebrity gossip,black gossip