The Young, Black, and Fabulous

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• BRAVO's "Married To Medicine" Premieres To RECORD Ratings, Sparks Online Petition...And Rebuttal From Cast Members
• PICS: Melanie Fiona, Estelle & More Screen "42" In Brooklyn
• MUSIC FAB: Ashanti's "Never Should Have" SINGLE + A$AP Rocky's "Wild For The Night" Video Ft. Skrillex + Cassie's "Numb" TRAILER
• BREAKING: Kordell Stewart FILES FOR DIVORCE From Porsha!
• SAY WHAT NOW? Nene Leakes SNAPS AT Wendy Williams OVER RELATIONSHIP Comments + Kevin Hart DESTROYS Mike Epps During TWITTER BATTLE
• Lola Monroe Shows Her Post Baby Bod + Christina Milian Rocks Unleash'd Magazine
• HELLO BROOKLYN! The 2013 MTV VMA's HEADED To Barclays Center
• GORGEOUS ALERT: Vanessa Williams SHARES BEAUTY SECRETS With Daughters Jillian And Melanie For ALLURE Magazine's APRIL 2013 Issue
• SPEAKING OUT: Mathew Knowles Says It Was "Incredibly Painful" To Say GOOD-BYE To Beyonce....As Her Manager
• First Look At The Ladies On Season 5 Reunion Of "RHOA"

BRAVO's "Married To Medicine" Premieres To RECORD Ratings, Sparks Online Petition...And Rebuttal From Cast Members Posted: 26 Mar 2013 09:02 AM PDT Despite protests from critics, Bravo's latest reality series "Married To Medicine" was a hit straight out the gate.  Find out about the series' record ratings inside and read the online petition that outraged the show's stars inside....    Say what you will, but Bravo seems to always grab those ratings when it comes to brown-skinned women and reality shows.  It may be at the expense of exposing only certain types of brown-skinned women, but most folks aren't trying to hear that. While Starter Wives Confidential and The Sisterhood were all shown the door, and season 3 of "Love & Hip Hop" saw dismal ratings, Bravo's latest offering, "Married To Medicine" was a hit with audiences on Sunday evening.   According to The Hollywood Reporter, the series held onto the audience who watched "RHOA" on Sunday and drew 1.9 million viewers. That rating hit all of the key demographics and became the network's most-watched premiere for a non-spinoff and earned the highest number for a Bravo series launch since "Bethenny Getting Married" in 2010. But the series' record ratings WON'T be cheerful news to a group of medical students at Howard University who started an online petition hoping to discredit the show.  And online petitions are nothing to be taken lightly since we saw "the little petition that could" destroy "All My Babies' Mamas" before it even aired.   The posting from the outraged students said,  Black female physicians only compose 1% of the American workforce of physicians. Due to our small numbers, the depiction of Black female doctors in media, on any scale, highly affects the public's view on the character of all future and current African American female doctors. Bravo's "Married to Medicine" not only exploits the 6 lives of its Black female cast members, but, through its advertisements and commercials, heavily associates Black females in medicine with materialism, "cat fights", and unprofessionalism. In a time when doctors are being held to very high standards by the public and each other, it is unfathomable for such a depiction of medicine and black women to be broadcast on tv where it will be inevitably available for years to come, on the internet and through other media outlets. Additionally, as residency positions are becoming increasingly more competitive (particularly for Black women) and contingent upon social behavior of graduating medical students, this depiction will only hinder black female physicians from attaining competitive residencies. Hence, for the sake of integrity and character of black female physicians, we must ask that Bravo immediately remove and cancel "Married to Medicine" from its channel, website, and any other media. Hmmm.....now that "Married To Mediciine" had proven to be a moneymaker for Bravo (at least THIS week), we don't see Andy Cohen and his counterparts cancelling that mug. Apparently, America wants to see the "Diva Doctor" and the superficial doctors' wives. The students' efforts did spark a response from a few of the show's castmembers who have been doing their promo rounds.  During another recent interview, several ladies of the cast took issue with the students starting a petition for a show they'd never seen and cautioned that their focus should be on books....not reality tv. It will be interesting to watch this play out.        Photos via Hyosub Shin/ajc.com

PICS: Melanie Fiona, Estelle & More Screen "42" In Brooklyn Posted: 26 Mar 2013 08:29 AM PDT TheYBF.com was on the scene at last night's New York screening of 42, the powerful true story about legendary professional baseball player Jackie Robinson.  And we've got the celebs who turned up in Brooklyn to check out the flick and hit the VIP party inside... Celebs came out to celebrate the brand new flick about iconic baseball player Jackie Robinson, who was the first black MLB player to break into the league as a then-Brooklyn Dodger. The film tells the story of Jackie as a person, a husband and his inspiring trials and tribulations that made history.  And it was all because he simply wanted to play the sport he loved. Kevin Liles hosted the screener and party last night at BAM Theater in Brooklyn, and he brought his wife Erika Liles along.  Love these burgundy leather pants. Melanie Fiona kept it cute in a fedora and a statement lion necklace. Cute and casual.  Love it.   Estelle rocked all black and leather and her fave MCM tan clutch: Good look for her. Rapper Kevin McCall made his way to the event, sans girlfriend Eva Marcille. Power 105 & upcoming "The Gossip Game" star Angela Yee snapped pics alongside NFLer Dwight Freeny.   NY Giants baller Justin Tuck was also there.   "Top Model" chick Keenyah came out of nowhere for the event: Hmmm...wonder what she's up to now.   And over at the afterparty also at BAM: Malik Yoba and DTP's Chaka Zulu snapped a pic with Kevin.   As did "Fashion Queens" host Bevy Smith and tv correspondent Lola Ogunnaike.   Photographer: Jewel Scott Jones/Jewel Scott Jones Photos/TheYBF.com Check out the trailer below. The movie hits theaters April 11th:

MUSIC FAB: Ashanti's "Never Should Have" SINGLE + A$AP Rocky's "Wild For The Night" Video Ft. Skrillex + Cassie's "Numb" TRAILER Posted: 26 Mar 2013 06:56 AM PDT In new releases, "Army Wives" star Ashanti sings about ending a relationship on "Never Should Have."  Listen to the track inside and rock out to A$AP Rocky's latest video "Wild For The Night" ft. Skrillex and Birdy Nam Nam and see Cassie's trailer for "Numb."   In a case of life imitating art, Ashanti is back on the airwaves with a powerful record about heartbreak.  And a sexy single cover.  It doubles as a track for the soundtrack of the hit Lifetime show "Army Wives" and possibly her own life.  On "Never Should Have," the newly minted cable-network star offers a mid-tempo ballad with sweeping orchestrations fit for a "Lifetime Movie Of The Week" on pain, heartache and betrayal. And as fans await the arrival of her Braveheart disc, it's hard to ignore how the song's message of ending a relationship might reflect how she feels about watching Nelly move on with Tae Heckard.  Like the song says "You never should have loved me/ You never should have touched me/ You never should have told me you loved me and you would never leave me.”   Listen to "Never Should Have" here: And in new music videos: Rapper A$AP Rocky, who's currently on Rihanna's DIAMONDS tour, flew down to the Dominican Republic with Skrillex and Birdy Nam Nam for "Wild For The Night". Shot amongst the locals, A$AP talked about the video saying, “We was in the slums and the kids, they enjoyed it. It was fun.” While the track is a "fun" club record, and we're sure that A$AP brought much needed attention to the poverty-stricken area, it may be a bit odd to watch him smoke what appears to be marijuana while he sits among a group of poor kids shouting "A$AP Mob...we fucking rule the world."  But with folks like Soulja Boy promoting Codeine on Instagram, we guess the kids are used to seeing stuff like this. Watch the clip above....   And in upcoming videos..... Cassie has released a trailer for her upcoming Numb video from the Rock-a-Bye Baby mixtape (dropping April 11).  Check it.  This chick loves a trailer doesn't she?

BREAKING: Kordell Stewart FILES FOR DIVORCE From Porsha! Posted: 26 Mar 2013 06:01 AM PDT Well isn't THIS the twist of the reality century?  Credible reports state that Kordell Stewart has indeed filed those papers on his "Real Housewives of Atlanta" star of a wife, Porsha Stewart.  Deets inside.... The reality curse strikes again!  Access Atlanta reports that Kordell Stewart has filed a petition for divorce from his wife of almost 2 years, Porsha Stewart.  And he did so at Fulton County Court on March 22nd--AFTER the cast's taping of the season 5 reunion.  Kordell skipped out on the reunion show.  As for why: "Petitioner, after marrying respondent, a cast member on the "Real Housewives of Atlanta," on May 21, 2011, is seeking divorce as the marriage is irretrievably broken." Did Kordell watch this season and see exactly who he married and had a good thinking over about their decision to marry?  Or did Porsha start pushing back against Kordell's seemingly controllable behavior?  Or possibly none of the above.  Porsha has yet to comment on this filing, but her tone on her Twitter account has changed over the last few days about leaving show.  She tweeted last night that "no decisions have been made" in regards to her returning for another season.  We reported previously, we have on the BEST authority that Porsha was indeed leaving the show due to her husband Kordell.  And we were also told on very credible authority that Bravo has already started the casting process for her replacement. It took Porsha a week to directly comment, as previously she only retweeted fans who were begging her not to leave the show. Has the divorce filing made Porsha change her mind about not returning?  Time will tell.... Check out the emotional therapy session from this past Sunday's episode about the miscarriage she suffered:     Wedding Photo: Dream Design Weddings

SAY WHAT NOW? Nene Leakes SNAPS AT Wendy Williams OVER RELATIONSHIP Comments + Kevin Hart DESTROYS Mike Epps During TWITTER BATTLE Posted: 25 Mar 2013 03:09 PM PDT Nene Leakes snapped at Wendy Williams today after the host made a few catty comments about her relationship with her ex-husband Gregg Leakes.  See what she tweeted inside and watch Kevin Hart and Mike Epps go at each other's throats on Twitter.    Wendy Williams has been known to make a catty comment or two during her "Hot Topics" segment on "The Wendy Show."  And earlier today, she upset "RHOA" queen bee Nene Leakes when she made a few comments about Nene's relationship with Gregg.  Wendy was talking about the lack of chemistry the two have and how the relationship seems o be strictly a GREAT friendship...with business benefits.  And Wendy also said NeNe shouldn't do a big TV wedding, because we all know it would be a lie.  Obvi, the comments upset Nene so much that she tweeted,    SMH.....Nene has made a few appearances to the "Wendy" show and they always seemed to get along great.  It will be interesting to watch how the two act towards each other in the future.    And in other Twitter wars... Yesterday, Mike Epps fired a few shots at Hollywood's hottest comedian, Kevin Hart, and ignited a Twitter shoot out that left one of them bloody.  It all started when Mike (during a moment of reflection and homage to Katt Williams) tweeted,  And then Mike's Twitter followers started co-signing which got him pumped up a little more.  And for anyone who called him a hater....he had this...   Mind you....Kevinwas pretty silent during most of this exchange (because he was probably working on "RHOH").  But later, he got wind of the shots fired and said.... One he got started.....it was like he emptied an assault rifle.   Kevin eventually ended his assault with....   And after all of that, Mike Epps came back with this...   Oh....

Lola Monroe Shows Her Post Baby Bod + Christina Milian Rocks Unleash'd Magazine Posted: 25 Mar 2013 01:23 PM PDT Rapper Lola Monroe just welcomed her brand new baby boy Brixton Royal two weeks ago.  And she's already out and about showing off her post baby bod.  Check the pic inside, plus Christina Milian glamming it up for Unleash'd magazine... Wiz Khalifa's Taylor Gang's first lady Lola Monroe was spotted out in L.A. wearing a colorful jacket from Daniel Parsons' "Certified Fly" collection.  The new mom--who popped up on Cassie's "All Girls Everything" remix--looked cute makeup free and in sneakers.   And 31-year-old mommy Christina Milian looks hot for the new issue of UNLEASH'D magazine.  As she promotes tonight's premiere of "The Voice," the show's social media correspondent is getting glammed up mod style.  Here's a few behind the scenes shots: Usher & Shakira make their debut tonight on "The Voice," and Ms. Milian will be handling the social media and interviews.

HELLO BROOKLYN! The 2013 MTV VMA's HEADED To Barclays Center Posted: 25 Mar 2013 11:54 AM PDT Brooklyn stand up!  The 2013 MTV VMAs will be held in BK at the Barclays Center.  And it's back in the city where the VMAs started.  Find out more inside... It's just been announced that the live 2013 MTV VMAs will take place on Sunday, August 25, at the home of the Brooklyn Nets.  The network made the announcement earlier after its iconic Moonman hopped a flight out of LA and announced his arrival on Instagram saying "And WE'RE HERE! The 2013 @MTV VMAs will be LIVE at @BarclaysCenter on 8/25! #RoadToTheVMAs #HelloBrooklyn" Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz talked about the announcement and the honor saying to MTV News: "From hip-hop to hipsters, Jay- Z to MGMT, Brooklyn musicians have a long history of dominating the 'spotlight' on MTV. Brooklyn is a cultural Mecca — the hippest, coolest place for young people across the country, and has played a crucial role in the careers of some of 2013's biggest bands, like Fun. and the Lumineers. "Now, it is only fitting that the first time Brooklyn will ever host a major awards show, we are welcoming the most exciting and talked about spectacle in the music industry ... I'm so thrilled that I'll probably get 'no sleep till Brooklyn' hosts the VMAs!" Welcome back to New York VMAs.  Brooklyn's going hard in 2013....

GORGEOUS ALERT: Vanessa Williams SHARES BEAUTY SECRETS With Daughters Jillian And Melanie For ALLURE Magazine's APRIL 2013 Issue Posted: 25 Mar 2013 10:58 AM PDT Vanessa Williams was joined by her gorgeous daughters Jillian and Melanie for a beauty shoot for ALLURE magazine's April issue.  See their behind-the scenes video and tips on aging gracefully inside...   Photographer Nicolas Moore captured timeless beauty Vanessa Williams and her daughters, Jillian and Melanie Hervey for Allure magazine’s April 2013 issue. In the magazine, former beauty queen Vanessa, who turned 50-years-old this month, shared the beauty secrets she's passed on to her beautiful daughters on everything from botox to maintaining a youthful glow. In the interview, her daughter Jillian said, “My role model for aging gracefully would be my mom. I try to do what she does and she looks fabulous." And Melanie added, “My mom has such a natural approach to beauty. Sure, she’s game for a glam session when it’s appropriate. but within our family, we’ve always been taught that less is more.” Agreed. Watch the behind-the-scenes video here:   In other news, Vanessa, who's headed to Broadway in The Trip To Bountiful (opening March 30th with Cicely Tyson, Cuba Gooding Jr., Condola Rashad) shared a photo of her family from another 50th birthday celebration including her brother and her mother. She tweeted, 50th Family Fun! @chriswilliams_ @Devin_Christian @Jillonce @prettypinkfox @gagawilliams Melanie Hervey at @bellota42.   And in case you missed it..... Vanessa's daughter Jillian is following in her mom's footsteps and also pursuing a career as a singer and dancer.  She performs under the name Lion Babe and released a video called "Teat Me Like Fire" recently.  Watch it above...

SPEAKING OUT: Mathew Knowles Says It Was "Incredibly Painful" To Say GOOD-BYE To Beyonce....As Her Manager Posted: 25 Mar 2013 09:58 AM PDT For the first time ever, Mathew Knowles has spoken out about leaving his role as manager of his superstar daughter Beyonce, saying it was "incredibly painful."  Read more inside...    Mathew Knowles has broken his silence about the what really went down when his business relationship with daughter Beyonce went south.  In an exclusive interview with The SUN, he opens up about shifting his role from business manager to grandfather about how painful that process was.  Here are the highlights:  On the decision to part ways... “It was hard for me to let her go — it was hard for both of us to let each other go. And let’s be clear on that. She didn’t let me go, we both let each other go. That’s a big difference.” On where their relationship stands... “This was not a normal ending of a business agreement. This was a dad and a daughter and it was incredibly painful and it had some difficulties.  Normally I hate to talk about anything personal, but it would be a lie if I did not say it has been difficult. On moving forward.... “...I try to always have a positive mind about things and you got to do it the right way.” On Blue Ivy... "The beauty of being a grandad is you can always give them back. You get to do all the fun stuff and not the harder things." In her HBO documentary, "Life Is But A Dream" you'll recall the "Love On Top" singer speaking out about the parting of ways saying, "Life is unpredictable but I feel like I had to move on, and not work with my dad. And I don’t care if I don’t sell one record. It’s bigger than the record, it’s bigger than my career. It’s just too stressful, and it really affects your relationship. I needed boundaries, and I think my dad needed boundaries." Now that both Mathew and Beyonce have put some boundaries in place, we can only wonder if his affair--which produced a baby--is also holding up their relationship.  Neither have yet to discuss that aspect.

First Look At The Ladies On Season 5 Reunion Of "RHOA" Posted: 25 Mar 2013 09:02 AM PDT It's about that time.  The "Real Housewives of Atlanta" are about to kick off their 3-part finale for season 5.  Check out the first inside look as to what the ladies were up to...   Even though one part would likely suffice, you already know Bravo is dragging this mug out to three parts.  Kandi just posted her own pic of herself and Phaedra during last week's taping. Fab look for Kandi. And the network uploaded a video of host Andy Cohen choosing which "Housewife" brought out the best shoes to the reunion.  Giuseppes took over, and Cynthia won it all. Check it below: By the way, we're hearing from multiple sources of our own that the rumors of Porsha Stewart not returning for another season...are true.  And yes, the decision was directly or indirectly made by her husband Kordell. The network has already started a search for Porsha's replacement. Speaking of Porsha, here's a sneak peek at the upcoming finale episode:   BONUS: In case you haven't seen it, Kenya Moore put her L.A. house on the market last year for $699K. Take a look inside HERE.

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