Monthly Archives: June 2019

Tyler Perry Awarded Ultimate Icon Award At The 2019 BET Awards

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Tyler Perry has teamed up with BET to launch the network’s ‘BET+’ subscription streaming service coming this fall.

Not only will the platform feature a bunch of Tyler’s new projects, but it’ll also house Tyler’s entire catalog of projects in addition to other BET original series, shows, and movies.

BET awarded Tyler with this year’s Ultimate Icon Award at the 2019 BET Awards.

via Complex:

While accepting the Ultimate Icon honor at the BET Awards on Sunday, Perry delivered an empowering, heartfelt speech about the life experiences that have allowed him to have such a successful career. 

The writer, director, and actor, recalled growing up listening to the jokes his mother and her friends would tell one another, and later, when his abusive father would beat his mother, he would recite the jokes back to her in an effort to make her laugh. He also recalled walking to school as a young boy and being the only one willing to help an old man cross the street. “That moment reminded me of my mother, bringing out of her pain with laughter, helping her cross,” he said. He has spent much of his career trying to help black men and women “cross,” all the while keeping the thought of his mother at the forefront of his efforts. 

“When I built my studio, I built it in a neighborhood that is one of the poorest black neighborhoods in Atlanta so that young black kids could see that a black man did that, and they can do it too. I was trying to help somebody cross,” Perry told the audience. “The studio was once a Confederate Army base, which meant that there was Confederate soldiers on that base, plotting and planning on how to keep 3.9 million Negroes enslaved. Now that land is owned by one Negro.”

Check out Tyler’s soulful uplifting acceptance speech below

Mathew Knowles Says Beyonce’s Career Benefited From Her Lighter Complexion and Kelly Rowland’s Suffered

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Mathew Knowles kept it all the way real about colorism in the music industry and how it affected both Beyoncé and groupmate Kelly Rowland.

via Variety:

In the interview with “The Clay Cane Show” on SiriusXM Urban View, Knowles said he taught a college class that did its own research study on “colorism” in music spanning a period of 15 years and found that, “overwhelmingly,” light-skinned black women fared better than darker-toned divas, especially at Top 40 radio. Among the beneficiaries of the perceived bias cited by Knowles or Cane were Alicia Keys, Mariah Carey, Rihanna, Nicki Minaj and Beyonce.

“In the music industry there’s still segregation,” said Knowles. “Programmers, especially at pop radio, have this imagery of what beauty looks like. … If you look back even at Whitney Houston, if you look at those photos, how they lightened her to make her look lighter-complexioned … Because there’s a perception and a colorism: the lighter that you are, the smarter and more economically (advantaged)… There’s a perception all around the world about color — even with black folks, there’s a perception.”

Asked by Cane if that prejudice toward lighter tones had any impact on Beyonce’s career, Knowles said, “I think she would have had — I think it would’ve affected her success. And I use Kelly Rowland as an example. She’s a great example. But you know, the great thing is, Kelly did exceptional outside of America, especially in Australia. Kelly sold over 4 million records. She just got off-script.”

Rowland has addressed the issue in the past. In 2013, in an interview with Cnikky.com, she acknowledge a period of insecurity about her look — even as it was coveted by many of her fans and admirers — and said, “You know what, I had great women in my life to help me overcome that. I remember I went through a period where I didn’t embrace my ‘chocolatiness.’” Rowland attributed her change of attitude in part to a conversation with Beyonce’s mother, Tina Knowles.

This isn’t new information. Stay WOKE

Nipsey Hussle To Be Honored With Humanitarian Award At 2019 BET Awards

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As long as we do our part in the community ….The Marathon Continues 🏁🏁🏁

Via Revolt

BET is continuing the marathon.

On Thursday (June 13), the network announced Nipsey Hussle will be posthumously honored with the Humanitarian Award at this year’s BET Awards. The Los Angeles native was well known for his philanthropic efforts and activism in his neighborhood before his untimely death in March.

“As a prolific artist and leader, Nipsey Hussle was zealous about driving change for the betterment of his community, empowering and employing those in need and being an influential and highly respected leader,” BET’s Executive Vice-President and Head of Programming, Connie Orlando, saidin a statement.

“We will continue to remember his advocacy and be inspired by the groundwork he set forth and his dire commitment to social change,” Orlando added. The Executive Vice-President also declared that BET is “invested in doing our part to ensure that the marathon will indeed continue.”

Hussle was recently honored with his own day in Harlem, New York when officials declared June 1st as “Nipsey Hussle Appreciation Day.” The news came two months came after the City of Los Angeles paid tribute to the 33-year-old with a memorial basketball court at the Crete Academyin Hyde Park.

Los Angeles Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson has also introduced legislation to rename Crenshaw and Slauson after the beloved artist. “Proud to honor #nipseyhussle by dedicating #crenshaw and #slauson as “Nipsey Hussle Square,” he stated in April.

Since his passing, the support for Hussle has been insurmountable. In May, it was reported that his Marathon Clothing store made $10 million in sales. Additionally, the profits from recent purchases will reportedly go to the investment fund created by Hussle and his business partner David Gross called “Our Opportunity.” Just one of the many ways Hussle continues to give back, even in death.

Baby Phat Returns With Forever 21 Collaboration

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The Cat is BACK!

The iconic early 2000s brand has returned with a collaboration with Forever 21.

via Complex:

Per Refinery 29, the new pieces launching Thursday are actually just a preview of a full relaunch collection slated for September. The Forever 21 collab follows the pricing model the shop is known for, meaning prospective buyers who recall the brand’s 2000s heyday can score some of the first wave of the 2019 edition without totally fucking up the monies.

“It’s perfect timing for this,” founder Kimora Lee Simmons Leissner told WWD earlier this year when it was initially announced that she had purchased the brand after a deep search. “Over the past several years, we realized the brand resonates with people and lives deep in their souls.”

At the time, Leissner teased that she and the team had designs on providing a “new messaging” for young people. 

In new comments given to Refinery 29 ahead of Thursday’s reveal, Forever 21’s VP of merchandising Linda Chang touted the brand’s “iconic” status and looked forward to helping new customers discover the looks. 

“It has been an honor to work with Kimora Lee Simmons and her daughters, Ming Lee and Aoki Lee, on this project, and we can’t wait to help customers rediscover a legendary brand,” she said.

Will you be buying? Idk, im still on the fence 😋

Tracee Ellis Ross Will Produce And Star In Daria Spinoff, ‘Jodie’

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The long-awaited ‘Daria’ reboot is going to be much better than we could’ve ever imagined.

The reboot will now be centered around Daria’s friend, Jodie.

The series itself is called ‘Jodie’ and will be produced by AND star Tracee Ellis Ross.

via Variety:

The series is a reimagining of the classic animated show “Daria,” and is described as a satire of the post college workplace and personal adventures of Gen Z. “Daria” was itself inspired by MTV’s “Beavis and Butthead,” based on the widespread appeal of the Daria Morgendorffer character whose wry wisdom was beyond her high school years.

The new series will center around Daria’s good friend Jodie Landon (Ellis Ross), an African American character from the original series. Viewers will follow her as she comes into her own and enters the workplace in her first post-college job in tech. Other former students from Lawndale High School will also appear.

MTV originally announced the new series would be a re-imagination of the “Daria” series which would feature the titular character. However, the network is now seeking to expand the franchise even further, revealing that “Jodie” will be the first in a series of spinoffs from the adult animated show which ran for five seasons from 1997 to 2002.

“I am thrilled to bring this project to life with MTV, both as executive producer and by voicing Jodie’s character. Being able to give voice to fresh, feminist and unexplored stories of young women excites me,” said Ellis Ross. ” We will feature a diverse cast, comprised mainly of unapologetically smart and ambitious young female characters who are vulnerable and flawed and interesting and funny….‘Jodie’ will be the first adult animated show in almost 20 years that will star a black woman. It will be a smart, funny workplace comedy full of commentary about everything from gentrification to sex to tech to call-out culture.”

The series hails from creator and head writer Grace Nkenge Edwards, known for her work on HBO’s “Insecure, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” and “Inside Amy Schumer.”

“Given the passion for these characters, there was only one person who could build upon the legacy to reimagine Jodie for a whole new generation, and that person is Tracee Ellis Ross,” said MTV president Chris McCarthy. “This marks another exciting step forward for MTV Studios as we build out a wide new slate based on the rich characters from the history in MTV Animation.”

MTV’s Trevor Rose, Morgana Rosenberg and Amy Doyle will executive produce.

I can not WAIT!

Cassie Confirms Pregnancy, Expecting First Child

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It looks like the rumors were true!

Cassie is pregnant and expecting her first child, a baby girl, with boyfriend Alex Fine.

She confirmed the news via Instagram.

Congrats Cassie! Get That Happy Ending Girl