I hope that you all had a wonderful holiday yesterday that was filled with love and fellowship with your loved ones. I appreciate everyone who has visited my blog during the past two years. It has helped me to publish my thoughts and spark conversations with my readers.
Thank you again and I hope that you have a prosperous new year. I look forward to the future and hope that you will continue to support me, my blog, and my future endeavors. See you in 2012!!!!!
The jig is up Trey! I mean really...how many sex songs can you make? You do NOT have to be the new R. Kelly...we already have him & even HE isn't being overtly sexual anymore.
The second of two mix-tapes that the he released (the other was a rap one called "Lemmeholdatbeat 2") is full of his somewhat-signature, sexual songs. I was cool with the 1st Anticipation mix-tape (which made me a fan of his), then Ready, his most successful album to date which yielded "I Invented Sex" and equally-racy video. But THEN it was "Passion, Pain & Pleasure" & now this.
Trey has made other songs about other topics, but real R&B does not have to be JUST about sex! Yes, I enjoy songs like "Does He Do It" & "Jupiter Love" but I feel like he's putting himself in a box. Marvin Gaye had "Sexual Healing" & "Let's Get It On" but he also make socially-conscious songs like "Inner City Blues" and "What's Goin' On" to offset that. Even R. Kelly made BLOCKBUSTER collaborations with people like Celine Dion & Ron Isley. He has classics like "I Believe I Can Fly" to go along with "Bump & Grind"
He has a few songs that steer away from that topics and are actually good, like “She Needs Me” and “Top of the World”, which he talks about his hometown and his supporters in Virginia. But just a look at some of these titles lets you know EXACTLY what you’re about to hear: “French Kiss”, “Inside", "Bomb (a.p.)", & "Girl on Girl".
Here's my favorite song from the mixtape, "She Needs Me", which has an old-school, doo-wop feel to it...Check it out:
Last night, the 2nd-annual Black Girls Rock! awards aired on BET. Hosted by Tracie Ellis-Ross & Regina King (who I met last year), the night celebrated black women who have made a difference in the lives of other black women and the world.
Honorees included Angela Davis (who I met last year), Laurel J. Richie, Taraji P. Henson, Tatiyana Ali, and Shirley Caesar. Performances during the show included Erykah Badu, Melanie Fiona, Elle Varner performing "Give It To You" (one of my FAV songs right now), Estelle, Mary Mary, and Mary J. Blige.
Angela Davis, the political activist who I was honored to have met last year in Syracuse, was honored for her contribution to the fight for equality and prison reform. In her speech, she advised black women to make connections with each other and to stand up and work together. Laurel J. Richie was honored as the 1st black woman president of the WNBA who has helped the league with branding and targeting women & girls. This was a special one for me, as the WNBA was a BIG part of my childhood and seeing women play basketball inspired and empowered me to play and it got me to college.
Taraji P. Henson (who I was honored to interview in 2009) was presented by LaLa Anthony. She has worked hard to make it in the movie industry as a single mother on her way to being an Oscar-nominated actress. In her speech, she said that black women must maintain love and respect for each other and that it's important that we support each other.
Sisterhood is very important...we don't have to be an afterthought!
Tatiyana Ali, who was a child
star best known as Ashley from Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, was honored for her efforts in promoting education as an activist . She left the industry who left to get an education and is now a Harvard grad.
Other honorees includedImani Walker and Malika Saada Saar, incarcerated expectant mothers who were abused.
Presented by Sheryl Lee Ralph & CeCe Winans, gospel legend Shirley Caesar was given the "Living Legend" award. In her speech, she said of black girls:
My mama always said 'the hand that rocks the cradle
rules the world'...As black women, we have been challenged but our faith is strong!
~Elle Shanice~ NOTE: As someone who wants to inspire black teen girls, I commend Beverly Bond & the Black Girls Rock! organization for acknowledging celebrating black women, young & a little older.
Here is video of Jill Scott's POWERFUL spoken word performance:
Last night, the 4th season of "Real Housewives of Atlanta" premiered on Bravo and these women are at it again...with new projects, new babies (on the way) and of course, new DRAMA!!!!!
Last season saw Cynthia get married, Nene file for divorce, Sheree pursue an "acting" career (and I use those words LOOSELY), Kim find a new man who can go out in public with her, Phaedra welcome her 1st son, and Kandi balance career & motherhood.
Now this season kicked off with Kim Zolciak moving stuff from her storage unit into her dream house with boyfriend Kroy. In addition to her live-in assistant Sweetie and her two daughters, they are expecting a baby so they probably DO need some extra space.
We join my FAV housewive (who may not be a wife for much longer after filing for divorce from Greg) NeNe Leakes at a car dealership where she is buying son Bryson a car so he can help her out by running errands. He's still living with her but she will just put him to work running errands. She's enjoying success from her appearance on "Celebrity Apprentice" and other business ventures and writes the check for the car on the spot.
Sheree Whitfield visits her friend Lawrence in the studio where he's working on new music. She talks to him about some drama she's having with NeNe based on an event with a promoter. She claims that they were supposedly hosting a party together and NeNe tried to backdoor her & take money from it. Why is Sheree SO upset about a little hosting gig? Hmmmm...interesting!!!
Newlywed Cynthia Bailey-Thomas started a modeling agency in ATL & enlisted diva runway coach Miss Jay (Oh how I've MISSED him) to teach a class to some prospects. She gives the BEST quote about modeling:
I want to teach them that being a model isn't the same as auditioning for a rap video.
AMEN Cynthia!!!!! A few notes about the other housewives:
Phaedra Parks wants to start a funeral home after setting
up a funeral for her great aunt
Kandi Burress is starting a “adult” sex toy line...by the way, her hair looks GOOD! That brown straight
mid-length look works for her
·Meanwhile, NeNe & Sheree meet to have a “grown lady conversation”
but end up arguing and insulting each other (of course). I DO think Sheree is a little jealous of NeNe because she's doing things outside the show and Sheree can't get her acting career off the ground. She brings up the stereotype of black women not supporting one another but she should take her OWN advice.
After the meeting, Cynthia consoles Nene because she’s upset that
Sheree believed the promoter who she knew for a short time over her who she's known for years. Cynthia gives good point about real friends and keeping a good attitude. NeNe ends the show with another GREAT quote:
“(If you cross me) I’m not gonna stab you in the back…I’m gonna stab you in the
chest”
Season 4 is off to an EXCITING start and I'm looking forward to next week! Here's a video of the confrontation courtesy of Dime Wars:
Last month, I read an article on Essence.com about how black women should stop hating on Kim Kardashian. Demetria L. Lucas wrote that we as black women shouldn't hate her just because she makes the kind of money that we can't & has dated the guys that we want. Well EXCUSE ME Ms. Lucas...I didn't know that I had to like her or kiss her ass because she's a celebrity.
I'm NOT going to use the word "hate" because I don't know her personally but I STRONGLY dislike her. It has NOTHING to do with race or her dating FINE black guys like Reggie Bush (I honestly think that she took some of his sexy away when they broke up but that is just my personal opinion).
I don't expect her to be an honorary black woman or give back to the black community just because she dates black men. I just honestly think that if she were black, she'd be LESS famous. Take a look at people like Superhead: yeah she sold a couple books based off her life as a groupie but didn't flip it into a career like Kim K did w/ her sextape (btw KUDOS to her mom-a-ger Kris Jenner, who is already at work spinning this divorce).
I'm tired of our culture idolizing celebrities for NOTHING. These reality shows follow the lives of REGULAR people and then they become BIG stars (i.e. Jersey Shore). I guess I am a little salty that a woman with NO college education...NO real TALENT...& NO morals apparently can get THIS famous.
Everyone is talking about her filing for divorce like it's BREAKING NEWS...when I heard about it, I was like "DUH! Did you not see this coming??? They don't even LIKE each other. It's funny that she's asking for privacy after filing for a divorce, when the whole thing will probably be covered on the next season of Kourtney and Kim Take New York.
Here are just a few reasons why I don't like her:
She is famous for NO REASON- She may get paid BIG bucks to be a "host" for parties or to "endorse" products, but let's face the facts: she has NO real talent to speak of. She got famous off of a SEX TAPE!!!!! No matter how much she wants us to forget about that incident with Ray J or how much she denied her part in its release, she is still known first and foremost for this.
She does EVERYTHING for publicity- If a family reality show weren't enough, EVERY personal moment in her life has been put on TV. When her & her sisters open a store...it's on TV! When she went through the ordeal w/ the sextape...it was on TV! Even her "engagement" and "wedding" (& I use those words LOOSELY) were both shot for the reality show. Some things are just meant to be PRIVATE (-_-)
She's ALL ABOUT MONEY- Yes, I admit that she is a business woman that has made MILLIONS for herself over the years but my thing is this: There is a such thing as a "grind" or "hustle" but that's different from being a fame whore.
She comes off as FAKE- I don't care if she X-rayed her butt to prove it's real...She doesn't seem like the kind of person that I would hang out with...& I get along with pretty much ANYBODY! I've seen the way that she acts on her show & it's just AGGRAVATING.
She wants what EVERYONE else has- I used to think that she wanted to have a wedding and get married just to say she did...but I think that's BS now. I feel like she wants what everyone around her has. First, her sister Khloe gets married to an NBA player (Lamar Odom), then her friend Lala married an NBA player (Carmelo Anthony) and she felt like she could do the same.
Here is the link to a video from this CW show "H8R", where Kim confronts a black woman who is hating on her (skip to around 26:47). While I don't agree 100% with the lady, I think it's funny that Kim put on that "fake" attitude and tried to put it on the Armenian culture (I wonder how much MONEY she made off of this SMH):
After 6 months of hiding them, Nick Cannon and Mariah Carey FINALLY let us see their beautiful twins Monroe and Moroccan.
In typical celebrity style, Nick & Mariah unveiled them in a primetime 20/20 interview with Barbara Walters, where they discussed their marriage (which I think will last) and Mariah's difficult pregnancy at 40.
"Roc & Roe" as they are affectionately called by their parents. made their debut dressed up. Monroe is so pretty and will probably be a DIVA, just like her mother Mariah and Moroccan is adorable as well and I'm happy that they are both healthy and well.
Monroe and Moroccan are SO cute at bathtime!
I'm happy to finally see "dem babies" because I was so happy for Mariah to finally be happy with her husband and pregnancy. Mariah is known for being a DIVA and the nursery for the twins is a PERFECT examples, with all white furniture and $3,000 cribs.
I was pleasantly surprised that Nick was so adamant about wanting his children to go to college and get an education. You just DON'T hear that from many celebrities nowadays and many of them take their kids out of regular schools to try & make their kids STARS (*cough* Will & Jada *cough*).
I wish the best for Nick, Mariah and their 2 gorgeous children!!!!!
Here is my 1st ever double post...a 2-in-1 movie review...ENJOY!!!!!
LMAO at Kevin Hart's Pain
Kevin Hart has done it AGAIN!!!!! The Philly comedian delivers another HILARIOUS set of jokes and personal anecdotes in Laugh At My Pain.
The movie was filmed during his LA show on his recent tour and also follows him home to Philadelphia & his old neighborhood. We catch up with Kevin's one-of-a-kind father, CrAzY uncle Richard Jr. as well as hear stories about his daughter's birthday party, a fun day at an amusement park, an out-of-control funeral for his mother, and other HILARIOUS moments from his life.
He actually came to the AMC theater where I work & while I wasn't able to get a picture with him, I did get star struck when he walked in with his small frame but BIG smile & personality.
GO SEE THIS MOVIE...You will do MORE than laugh at his pain and he will have YOU in pain LOL!!!!!
I was SOOOO excited to see my favorite Disney movie The Lion King come back to theaters in 3D. 17 years after it's original release, it premiered for a two-week run in theaters and was the #1 movie this past weekend, making $29.3 million.
I work at an AMC theater and I saw a lot of parents bringing their children to see it this weekend. It was great to see a new generation being introduced to the classic movie that has some of the best music and one of the best messages EVER.
We all know the story of Simba, who is thrust into his role as king of the Pridelands after his father, Mufasa was killed by his uncle Scar. He has to come to terms with his past and figure out his destiny.
Even though I've seen this movie a million times, I sat in the theater feeling like it was my 1st time all over again. It was such a great flashback to my childhood & I was singing my favorite songs such as:
"Circle of Life"
"I Just Can't Wait to Be King"
"Be Prepared" (my personal favorite...Is that wrong? LOL)
"Can You Feel The Love Tonight"
"Hakuna Matata"
Everybody go see the movie in 3D while it's still in theaters!!!!! "Asante sana squash bana...& hakuna matata" from ~Elle Shanice~ :-)
I have a confession: I have an inner beauty queen inside of me that loves to watch beauty pageants.
The gowns, swimsuits, poise, elegance, grace...I just LOVE it. I have been in a couple pageants myself (Miss North Meck in 2005 and Miss A&T in 2009) but I have NO idea how nerve-racking it is to be in one at the level of Miss Universe.
I turned to the pageant last night and see the Top 10 finalists. After seeing that Miss Angola was the only black finalist left, I immediately started cheering for her.
It was great to see an African country represented and a black woman being in the running. I always cheer for the black contestants because I want young black girls to know that they are beautiful too. Having good and diverse examples of black beauty and beauty in general is important to me in what I want to teach young girls.
Leila is SOOOOO pretty and I'm HAPPY and proud that this beautiful black woman was chosen for the title of Miss Universe. She looked AMAZING in her evening gown, which I'm sure there will be some recreations made very soon. I look forward to seeing her serve during her reign.
CONGRATULATIONS TO LEILA FOR BEING NAMED MISS UNIVERSE!!!!!
Learn more about Leila Lopes, the new Miss Universe 2011 on the official website here! Also, enjoy this video of her answering questions...she is so poised and elegant :-)
Last week brought bad news for my Tuesday night TV lineup...HawthoRNe starring Jada Pinkett-Smith had been cancelled after three seasons.
My initial reaction was NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! How could TNT cancel a show with such a DIVERSE cast (i.e. more than ONE black or latino actor in it) when it was getting SO good? The 3rd season was the best one yet and it's CRAZY to end the show after a cliffhanger like THAT!
There was so much drama going on from episode 1, such as:
Christina and Tom got married
She was attacked as she walked to her car
She lost her & Tom's baby (or what it Renata's?) and had a breakdown that required therapy
She was fired from her job & replaced by her "best friend"Bobbie
Her relationship with Nick Renata rekindled (including a steamy love scene)
Nick Renata is SHOT...BY TOM (I think)
*Not to mention her daughter Camille's "almost" affair with another doctor (who was married & led to her getting the taste SLAPPED out of her mouth in the ER by his wife after their son got sick after being in her care).
I have been a fan of this show since season 1 but was glued to my TV this season every Tuesday night at 10pm. I always thought that Christina was settling with Tom and that she truly loved Nick & should have been with him anyways. Now I will never know what happened to Renata, how Christina reacted to it, and if she ran to his deathbed like she did his mother's for him.
I have SO many questions now that I know the show is over...Is Renata DEAD? Did Tom really shoot him? If so, will she leave him? The world may NEVER know...but I say make a HawthoRNe MOVIE!!!!!!!
Now with HawthoRNe and Stacey Dash leaving Single Ladies...What am I supposed to watch on TV now????? SMH
I've been saying for YEARS (ever since they got married) that Beyonce' should take some time away from her career while she has it and have a baby (like a normal human being). There have been countless rumors swirling that she was pregnant...and just when I thought she would NEVER have a baby...it really HAPPENED!!!!!
Just six days shy of her 30th birthday, Beyonce' made the long-awaited announcement on the 2011 MTV VMA's red carpet that she was indeed pregnant. I missed the initial announcement and while it was probably unexpected, Bey was positively GLOWING during her fun and inspired performance of "Love On Top".
First of all, this was NOT the usual Beyonce' performance: it was the first time I saw her perform in pants...EVER!!!!! As a matter of fact, that was the most clothes that I have seen on her since her Destiny's Child days and she was barely dancing in her black heels. You could just see how HAPPY she was:
I want you to feel the love growing inside of me!
I haven't been the BIGGEST Beyonce' fan lately because I felt that she was overdoing it with her career at the moment. I honestly just wanted her to SIT DOWN, be married and have some babies. While I don't think that she will completely disappear until the baby comes, I'm just happy that she is showing her happiness to the world and not holding it in. I LOVE YOU BEYONCE' AND I WANT TO SEE YOU HAPPY!!!!!
I'm TRULY happy for her and Jay-Z because I genuinely like seeing a happy couple EXPRESS their happiness. They are notoriously private about their marriage and personal lives, which irked my nerves because I just wanted them to kiss or talk about each other...or SOMETHING!!!!!
I wish Beyonce' a healthy pregnancy and I know that she will be a great mother. At this point in her career, she has the accolades and now she can get the personal ones too.
CONGRATULATIONS MAMA BEY!!!!!
See what I had to say about Beyonce' getting pregnant just two months ago here! Also, check out the last moments of her performance when she unbuttoned her jacket and rubbed her belly. Jay-Z's face was PRICELESS...
While I wasn't completely sold on her as an action star at first or that she could carry this kind of movie by herself, I wanted to see this movie because this was the first time that I can remember a black woman (though she's not really black...I still claim her LOL) who starred in an action movie.
Columbiana was more than I expected and while it has the same basic elements of the overdone revenge action movie, ittells a new story in a new way with a new setting.
Saldana plays Cataleya, an assassin from Columbia who is ruthlessly trying to find and kill the man who had her parents murdered when she was nine years old. She goes around the world killing people who have done her wrong while trying to track down the man responsible for her parents' death.
I have liked Saldana since she was in Drumline and Center Stage and thought shewas a good fit because of her Spanish heritage. She was able to pull off the stunts and still be sexy and agile.
Vartan & Saldana's characters share an intimate moment.
I thoroughly enjoyed the Spanish twist with this movie when it mixes the two cultures, as well as seeing eye-candy Michael Vartan as her love interest, Danny. She has an intimate but elusive relationship with him, as in he doesn't know her real name or what she does. She tries to have a real life and even opens up to him a little but the details of her mission keep her from that.
Overall, I thought that the movie was interesting and while it may not satisfy the normal action movie buff, I enjoyed it and would recommend it to my ~Elle Shanice~ readers.
WOW!!!!! I just have to take a moment and realize that it has been 10 years since the passing of one of the most promising artists of my lifetime, Aaliyah Dana Haughton.
She was SOOOOO underrated as a true singer/dancer/actress combination! We had no IDEA the potential she truly had and how much that we would miss her when she was gone until she was.
Reflecting over the past 10 years has made me realize just how much of a difference she made in such a short time. Still to this day, I cringe a little at the thought of what she could have been if she had not boarded that plane in the Bahamas that day.
She only had 3 albums in her short 22 years of life but each one gave us music that will last longer than our hurt as fans. I think about her every time I watch Romeo Must Die, hear one of her songs on the radio or on my iPod. I watch videos on YouTube to just get another glimpse of the angel that was put here on Earth to bring us joy and make us smile.
I was a fan of hers while she was alive because I'm a 90's music baby and TLC, the Spice Girls & Aaliyah were my LIFE!!!!! I remember growing up that there were two hairstyles that I wanted to get: Scary Spice's twists/curls & Aaliyah's bang over my eye.
What set Aaliyah out from the rest for me was her natural beauty, humble spirit, sweet personality and sincere delivery in her singing. She didn't have to SCREAM or do a lot of riffs and tricks with her voice to make you feel the song...she just SANG it:
How Could The One I Gave My Heart To, Break My Heart So Bad?
How Could The One Who Made Me Happy, Make Me Feel So Sad?
Wont Somebody Tell Me? So I Can Understand.
If You Love Me, How Could You Break This Heart Of Mine?
Tell Me...
I still remember that day when I found out that she had passed. I immediately thought of my childhood friend, Sasha, who was a BIG fan and would ALWAYS be Aaliyah when we played after school. I had just started the 8th grade and went to a private Christian school. I remember coming to class talking about it the next day and actually praying in class for her family.
That 2001-2002 school year proved to be rough for me to say the least, with September 11th happening just weeks later and Lisa "Left Eye"Lopez dying in a car accident days after my 14th birthday. All memories that are set in my mind.
I have always said that if Aaliyah & Selena were alive today that they would be a SUPERSTAR and that they would be better than all of the singers now...including Beyonce'! At the time of her death, Aaliyah was balancing a budding acting career as well as continuing her already successful music one. While I stand by that statement, I will say that there is no way to gage Aaliyah's success today because she is gone. I realize today that it was only after death that I truly developed an deep appreciation for her music.
Rest in Peace "Baby Girl"
Aaliyah Dana Haughton (January 16, 1979 – August 25, 2001)
Here is the video for my FAVORITE Aaliyah song...her delivery was powerful & yet sincere...you felt her broken heart as she sang it:
I wasn't completely sold on a Jay-Z/Kanye West collab album when I first heard about it, especially with all of the hype behind it and them keeping it SO much under wraps.
I'm a fan of both rappers but have always like Kanye a little bit more (even though he ALWAYS pushes the envelope). Jay-Z is smart and one of the greatest rappers alive but I feel like he is the one who doesn't know when to leave the party (or does he?).
I gave Watch The Throne a listen today and have to say that while it is not a CLASSIC, it does blend the two well and is a good album overall. While there were way TOO many samples for my taste, I think that it sounds exactly how I would expect an album to sound from these two together.
You get the wordplay and content that both have become famous for (and sometimes infamous) as well as some of Kanye's new sound from both 808's and Heartbreak and My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (both of which are on my iPod). I do think that Kanye does better in his parts but Jay-Z holds his own as well.
~Elle Shanice~ grade for Watch The Throne: B+
I was a little put off by some of the song titles but I gave the album an honest listen all the way through in order to give it a fair review. The 1st track, "No Church in the Wild" was one of those songs that I was hesitant to listen to because of its title but I did like the song. The 2nd song is one of my favorites, "Lift Off" and of course features Jay-Z's wife, Beyonce'. Another song that I was wary of because of the title was "N*iggas in Paris" but it is also one of my favorites.
The first single from the album, "Otis" features an Otis Redding sample and was one of the most HYPED songs I've ever heard. You couldn't find it ANYWHERE to even listen to it! Other songs that I liked include "Gotta Have It", "New Day", and "Why I Love You", but my favorite song on the whole album (despite it's title) was "That's My B*tch". Kanye KILLED this song, which is the one that I was convinced that he had surpassed Jay-Z, at least on this album.
In many aspects, I think that this album is Jay-Z's way of rising from his "throne" and passing the reigns to Kanye. I feel like he made the album to show that he still can but to me, Kanye is slowly surpassing him as an artist (if he can just keep his mouth shut).
Last week, I was fortunate to view an advanced screening of The Help while I was in Philadelphia for the 2011 NABJ Convention. This was the most anticipated session for me & I made it there early to get a good seat.
In the movie, Abilieen (Viola Davis) & Minny (Octavia Spencer) are two friends who are maids in Mississippi during the 1960's. They are just what you expect: making their lives work while holding together someone else's. Both of the women agree to speak to Skeeter (Emma Stone) for a book that she wants to write from the point of view of "the help". The book stirs up controversy in the town as more maids come forward to tell their stories.
First things first, I haven't read the book version but I know thatit is FICTIONAL...it was NOT based on any personal accounts from real people. That being said, this movie was PHENOMENAL and a varied mix of emotions. I laughed & cried but most of all, it made me think:
I appreciate women like Abilieen & Minny who came before me as black women so that I don't have to go through and deal with blatant ignorance from that time. In fact, I realized that I couldn't have lived in this time where white women could talk to us ANY kind of way, especially when we did SO much for them (like raise their children). I wouldn't have been able to hold my tongue against all of the ignorance in that time.
Some people were upset that such a great actress like Viola Davis was subject to playing maids but it is not a bad thing to me. It's a period piece & these things were going on then. The fact that Viola Davis is an Oscar-nominated actress makes it better & you REALLY see her acting chops in this one. She makes you FEEL Abilieen down to her soul & I wouldn't be surprised if she is nominated for another Oscar (& actually WIN this time). Also, Octavia Spencer gives a GREAT performance as sassy Minny, who is as caring and compassionate as she is no-nonsense & blunt.
Even though racism still exists, this is a survival story that all people can appreciate. EVERYONE go see this movie!!!!!
Last night's season finale of "Single Ladies" was a GREAT setup and left several cliffhangers for next season...since it was picked up by VH1 for season 2.
CLIFFHANGER #1-The "ish hit the fan" with Keisha, who found out that boyfriend Malcolm not only has been lying about the nature of his relationship with "ex-wife" Ashley but has run off with her as he is being investigated by the FBI. The agent asks her if she will help bring him down...we get NO answer.
CLIFFHANGER #2- April & her estranged husband have finally mended fences with their divorce, and he makes it seems like he still loves her and is not viciously after his money. However, the relationship with her artist she developed is heating up, after they kissed a few episodes ago & he helped her get the A&R job she wanted at his new label.
But the BIGGEST cliffhanger is of course with the show's main character Val. She was dumped by 5-year boyfriend Quinn because he felt pressured to marry him and then started dating his boss, handsome & wealthy older gentleman Jerry. However, right when Val thought he was the one, he says that he's been married 3 times before and doesn't want to do it again, which forces Val to break up with him.
THEN...
Val confides in Quinn who had FINALLY realized what he had. They have dinner...and eventually sex. When Val wakes up the next morning, she is shocked to find Quinn in her bed, who PROPOSES to her. Just then, she gets a knock on the door and THIS happens...
Kelly Rowland has always had a sound that you wouldn't expect from her as an R&B singer, dating back to her debut solo album Simply Deep (which I still love).
This album, Here I Am, is no different as she is finally able to make music that SHE wants to make. Although there are only 10 songs and I’ve heard people comment that it’s too few, I think that it is JUST enough.
The success of 1st single (& my current ringtone) “Motivation” brought HIGH expectations from me in both content and sales (see my post about her & Beyonce’ HERE). Ms. Rowland didn’t disappoint as the album debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200 chart.
This is an album that has a variety of songs that could appear on R&B, pop AND dance charts and can’t be put in just one genre. There truly is something for everyone. The first song on the album, “I’m Dat Chick” serves as the female anthem of the album, declaring:
I’m that chick...How you know? I TOLD you so!
Also, “Feeling Me Right Now” is a song where she sings to herself in the mirror in the club and “Turn It Up” tells the story of her confronting a lover about spilling the beans to his woman. The “ballad” of the album is “Keep It Between Us” and “Work It Man” tells women to find a good man if theirs isn’t.
Here I Am also has songs for the grown & sexy too with both sexual and sensual grooves like “Motivation” & “All of the Night” that surprised me in a good way.
Much of her success in the US has been collaborations like “Dilemma” with Nelly, but overseas she has had BIG success on dance charts. There are songs like “Down For Whatever” and “Commander” that are definite dance club material but also songs that feature hip hop artists like Lil Wayne (“Motivation”) & Big Sean (“Lay It On Me”).
Overall, the album is a good example of her singing ability and I could see several of the songs being potential singles. Not a lot of female anthems or sassy songs telling men off like from her Destiny’s Child counterpart, but Kelly Rowland holds her own.
Congrats Kelly on a GREAT 3rd album!!!!! Here is a video of Kelly Rowland performing "Motivation" on the Tonight Show w/ Jay Leno last week:
I was shocked and immediately saddened today when I heard the news that one of my favorite singers had died.
Amy Winehouse, only 27 years old, was found dead in her apartment in London. While everyone suspects an overdose, the cause of death remains unknown at the moment. She is just the latest artist with limitless talent but died young because of personal demons that get the best of them.
I remember when I first heard her album, Back To Black, during my freshman year of college in 2006. I immediately added her to my iPod. Songs like "Love is a Losing Game" and "Some Unholy War" became favorites of mine and I played them over and over.
If my man was fighting
Some unholy war
I would be behind him
Straight shook up beside him
With strength he didn't know
It's you I'm fighting for
He can't lose with me in tow
I refuse to let him go
At his side and drunk on pride
We wait for the blow
Her soulful delivery and lyrics would not make you think that she was a white girl from the UK, but despite that she had me as an instant fan. I have always said that I am a fan of music and not of individuals, and that a musician's personal problems were none of my business as long as they made great music. While she was not perfect in the least bit, I supported her music and will have it to remember her by.
She only released two albums in her career, and I was waiting for new material from her but obviously we will never hear it. It is sad to say that she will never be able to reach her full potential because of her drug and alcohol problem, but I'm still happy to have been exposed to her talent while she was alive and call myself a fan.
R.I.P. Amy Winehouse 1983-2011 :-(
Here is a video of her from 2007 performing my favorite song of hers, "Some Unholy War" in London...
I love this because you can feel her love for this man, and the soul of her voice is extraordinary.
I stumbled on this documentary on Tumblr and was moved so much to write about it.
These beautiful women of color share stories about how they have struggled with their complexion and battled comments from their mothers, friends, and society in general.
It hurts my heart when I hear a BEAUTIFUL dark skinned woman say that she wishes that she were lighter. It's not because I feel pity for her, but because I know that it is NOT her fault that she feels this way.
If I had a little girl, I didn't want her to be dark.
Years and years of perpetuated stereotypes and unreasonable standards keep them from seeing the TRUE beauty in themselves & I fight back tears. Not for them but for their daughters, who will feel this way about themselves as well unless the cycle is broken.
The MOST heartbreaking part is when the little girl is told to point out the "smart" child and then the "dumb" child, followed by the "good-looking" child vs. "ugly" child. Of course, she points to the lighter skinned figure as the smart and good-looking one and said that the darkest one was dumb & ugly "because she is black".
It doesn't help that the stereotype with black men shows that they prefer light skinned women and that makes a lot of women want to be lighter just to cater to them. I've heard stories about bleaching skin, perms, and all of the ways that people think will make them "prettier". I have light skinned friends and dark skinned friends. I have friends w/ straight hair, curly hair, afros. wigs, weaves...EVERYTHING!!!!!
We have to start seeing the beauty in ourselves and stop looking for validation from others. This is something that I want to teach my girls in the non-profit that I'm going to start. One of my biggest mantras that I believe 100%:
If you don't believe that you are beautiful...NO ONE ELSE WILL!!!!!
Casey Anthony acquitted of the murder of her daughter, Caylee.
Let me preface this post by saying that I'm NOT a lawyer and was not following the case very closely. I'm just familiar enough with the situation to have formed an opinion on it. That being said...
This was a sad case that has come to an even more sad conclusion. I was surprised when it was announced that the jury had come back with a verdict so quickly, but I figured that when everyone KNOWS the answer then there wasn't much to talk about. My surprise quickly turned to SHOCK when the verdict was read...NOT GUILTY.
Charge after charge upheld this verdict, except for the four counts of lying to the police, which served as my DUH!!!!! moment in the whole thing. How could you say that she lied to the police but did NOT commit murder? We KNOW that she lied to the police when she said that she didn't kill her daughter Caylee.
This entire case really hurt my heart. I understand if you were a young mother and could not handle raising your child, but I just don't understand how any mother could KNOW her child was "missing" and be partying instead of searching day & night to find them. I know that she was proven innocent (though guilty in the court of public opinion) but if you can't deal with the responsibility, but there are so many options other that killing your child. Adoption, foster care, other family or friends...SOMEONE else in this world could have loved this precious little girl if you didn't. Especially with all of the people who want children but can't have them...
RIP Caylee Anthony (August 9, 2005-June 16, 2008)
There was a LOT of comparison between Casey Anthony and OJ Simpson's acquittal of murder in 1995 and at first I thought it was similar, but I think that there will be a special place in hell for what Casey Anthony did (or "didn't do" since she was acquitted). Also, there was talk about how if Casey Anthony were black that the verdict would have been different.
While I did think this at first, I will not play the race card on this one. All I can say is that no matter what we believe, only she & God know what happened to Caylee and she has the rest of her life to deal with this. Although we think that the verdict was wrong and a crude misuse of justice, God will be the only one that she will have to answer to.
Call me crazy but I actually prefer Kelly Rowland over Beyonce'...
*pause for reaction*
Yes, I said it! I know I just lost some viewers who may have clicked off the page & said "She's TRIPPIN'"...but I will say it again...
I like Kelly Rowland better than Beyonce', especially right now since I think Bey is OD'ing it w/ this less-than-stellar "4" album. Kelly's career is FINALLY on a real rise just as Beyonce' may be making a few missteps.
WAIT!!!!! Before you leave the page...let me explain:
Although I am a Beyonce' fan, I have been getting tired of her for a while now, & the OVERpromotion of this mediocre album was the tip of the iceberg. She is EVERYWHERE!!!! Every magazine cover, commercial & performing on EVERY show...and it HAS to be RIGHT when Kelly is getting a decent level of success on her own.
On Sunday's BET Awards, Kelly put on a stellar performance of her hit #1 single "Motivation", but Beyonce' still got top billing for a TAPED performance from overseas at a music festival. I feel like if you are going to be headlining a music festival in another country...that's a BIG deal & you should just do that. You don't have to perform on the BET Awards too. Let KELLY have some shine for a change.
Being a Destiny's Child fan who has followed both of them individually, I started thinking about their solo careers & noticed something ODD...Beyonce' ALWAYS comes out with a single or album right before or right after Kelly...within a year. Now we all know that you are promoting an album before it comes out, so that means that they have always been fighting for airplay.
Kelly had some success in 2002 w/ "Dilemma" & "Stole" which were on her debut Simply Deep (which was GREAT album that got overlooked), but right after that Beyonce' debuted w/ her 1st album Dangerously In Love & Kelly was pushed to the side. Same thing happened in 2006: Beyonce' came out w/ B'Day before Kelly's second project (Ms. Kelly) AND came out right after w/ I Am...Sasha Fierce.
Kelly has always had a good level of success overseas & on dance charts but never quite got there in the US. Her current hit single "Motivation" is on it's way to being that breakout record for her. And it must be pointed out that this is her 1st project after she FINALLY split with Matthew Knowles, Beyonce's dad, as her manager back in 2009.
I know that there will be people who disagree, but that's what the comments are for! Drop me a line & we can discuss it. Here is the video on Kelly's performance below:
I'm not the biggest fan of that particular Beyonce' song but I can't get it out of my head right now...thanks to some of my Golden Delight ladies from NC A&T.
The newly-formed dance group F.A.B.B. (consisting of Bianca, Tisha, Tiffany, Keyanda, KeKe, Morgan, Paige & Ryann) took the song, added some original choreography & a video-game concept to make this video that was shot in Greensboro, NC.
My favorite part of the video, aside from the dancing which I am used to from seeing the ladies of the Golden Delightdance teamfor 4+ years at A&T, was the FASHION! Every look was effortlessly pulled off, from the denim & white tees to sexy black outfits in the club scenes.
My girl Tiffany gave me EVERYTHING--from full-on dancing the whole time to fierce posing to a MEAN split in the dirt at the 5:25 mark. GO GIRL!!!!! I also enjoyed seeing Keyanda (who was throwing that ponytail around like it was NOTHING), Tisha, & Paige who were some of my favorite GD dancers to watch over the years.
The group as a whole did an amazing job and the concept/production and song mixing was on point too. I especially liked the mashup w/ the Jamaican beat and the seductive lapdance just before they KO the guys...POW!!!!!
I have always admired the ladies of GD & secretly wished I could be one back in school. I don't know exactly what they are trying to do as a dance group, but I definitely could see them being featured in music videos, tours, and even a run at MTV's hit show America's Best Dance Crew.
AWESOME job ladies! Just know that you have the FULL support of ~Elle Shanice~ :-)
Let me preface this post by saying that I am truly a Beyonce' fan and have been since 1998, when Destiny's Child first came out with the original four members (including Latavia and LeToya). I have all of their albums & Beyonce's first 2 solo ones in my possession. I think that she is one of the all-time great female performers (music...NOT acting).
That being said, I think that she needs to SIT DOWN!!!!!
I'm not saying that she should quit because she can clearly still put on a great performance and has PLENTY of fans that will keep her records at the top of the charts. You can argue that she doesn't want to take an extended break because she wants to stay at the top, with Rihanna and Lady Gaga hot on her tail.
However, she is EVERYWHERE right now!!!!! On every magazine cover...performing on EVERY TV show and as ths a fan of her music, I think it would be far better for her to take her time and put out quality material instead. And in my opinion, this is NOT her best work but I know that it will do for her DIE-HARD fans. The songs have plenty of tweet-worthy lyrics but it just doesn't do it for me this time. I do like 2 of the songs, "Best Thing I Never Had" and "Party (feat. Andre 3000)", but I think that she could have taken a little more time on this one.
I understand that she is trying to come up with a new sound and of course it wouldn't be a Beyonce' album without dance tracks, power ballads, and high-profile collaborations. I appreciate her digging my guy Andre 3000 up from whether he was, but if Beyonce' is the best then she should have not put out a less-than-Beyonce-caliber product.
The first single "Run The World (Girls)" not the girl-power anthem that it is supposed to be to me, mainly because the chorus is irritatingly repetitive. What ever happened to having ONE record out at a time? I guess because the first one was not the hit she expected (#55 on the Billboard Hot 100 right now; has only reached #29) like "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)" she basically "leaked the whole album before the June 28th release date.
I believe that Beyonce' is going to continue her career for years and will be still be performing like the greats such as Tina Turner, Cher, and Celine Dion. But right now, I think that she is all over the place and I'm honestly tired of her. Go on and have a baby or something...you can come back and your fans will still be there.
PS: Did anyone else notice that EVERY TIME Kelly Rowland has a hit single ("Motivation"), Beyonce' has to come out RIGHT behind her??? Hmmmmmmmmm #justanobservation
