The Young, Black, and Fabulous

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• YBF FRESH FACE: Meet 13-Year-Old "Scandal" Star Yara Shahidi! (And She's Got A Super Famous Cousin!)
• GIVING BACK: Ne-Yo WELCOMES Kandi Burruss, Toya Wright, Keshia Knight Pulliam & More To Compound & The Boys And Girls Club HOLIDAY Giveaway
• Nas Rocks The Stage At Art Basel Miami Beach + Jennifer Williams & Busta Rhymes Make Appearances
• MOMMY AND ME DOWN UNDER! Alicia Keys & Egypt Explore "Adventure World" In Australia
• CELEBS GIVE BACK: Drake Pops Up At Philly High School, Announces Plans To Build Students A Recording Studio
• R.I.P.: Icon Nelson Mandela Dies At Age 95
• FINITO! Porsha & Kordell Stewart OFFICIALLY Divorced (Kordell Is Still Talking Ish Though)
• Rocsi Diaz Shows Off Her Brussels Sprout Bikini In New PETA CAMPAIGN
• Gabrielle Union STUNS In Prada For Alvin Ailey Opening Night Gala
• Jennifer Hudson Covers ESSENCE January 2014 Cover, Reveals How She Found Her Confidence
• (EXCLUSIVE) 'SWV: Sisters With Voices' Reality Show FIRST LOOK

YBF FRESH FACE: Meet 13-Year-Old "Scandal" Star Yara Shahidi! (And She's Got A Super Famous Cousin!) Posted: 06 Dec 2013 07:49 AM PST This season of "Scandal", we get to meet a pre-teen 'Olivia Pope' as the ultimate Fixer has some major flashbacks about her mysterious mother.  Meet the talented YBF chick who plays 'Young Olivia' inside... Been wondering who's that YBF chick playing 'Young Olivia' on this season of "Scandal"?  Meet super adorable teen actress Yara Shahidi! Yara is 13-years-old and is already co-starring on one of television's biggest, history-making shows.  And we think she makes for the perfect young Kerry Washington/Olivia. This budding actress is taking the fabulous opportunity very seriously, and constantly tweets about her on-set education she is receiving from the vets in the business.  Yara posted about how gracious she was that Kerry made a special trip to the set just to say Hi. And about her on screen mom and dad (Khandi Alexander & Joe Morton), she looks to them like her personal on-set acting coaches.  She says "Ms. Khandi" is "a talented, stunning, amazing role model" for her.  And she says she's "learning while working" with Joe. Gotta love a kid who realizes & utilizes the resources they have at their fingertips. She's also been sharpening her acting chops as a First Daughter on the Centric network sitcom "The First Family".  And she previously starred with Eddie Murphy in Imagine That, popped up in Angelina Jolie's film Salt, and co-starred in Tyler Perry's Alex Cross film.   And by the way, she's got a super famous cousin to boot: Nas!  The rapper tweeted about his little cousin's appearance on the show last night, and they recently snapped a pic together with Nas' daughter, Destiny. Fab!   Photos: Yara's Twitter

GIVING BACK: Ne-Yo WELCOMES Kandi Burruss, Toya Wright, Keshia Knight Pulliam & More To Compound & The Boys And Girls Club HOLIDAY Giveaway Posted: 06 Dec 2013 07:02 AM PST R&B crooner Ne-Yo and his COMPOUND Entertainment teamed up with the Boys & Girls Club of America to party with a purpose last night. See him alongside Kandi Burruss, Keshia Knight Pulliam and more inside.... Last night, Ne-Yo (posing above with Monyetta Shaw and their kids Madilyn Grace Smith and Mason Evan Smith) was a Do Gooder along with the Boys & Girls Club of America.  He and his celeb friends had an evening of giving that touched the lives of nearly 500 underprivileged children. DUring the event, Ne-Yo, whose Compound Foundation has been a longtime partner with Boys & Girls Club, was presented with an award from Toys For Tots by the US Marines. Ne-Yo's mom, Loraine Smith, oversees the Compound Foundation.  (This is a positive post so we will stick to the script, OK.....) He recently spoke about his mom, revealing how she inspired his sense of giving.  "She is the person who taught me if you are given blessings you can be a blessing to someone else, and if you can help – you help. It’s not about cameras flashing or someone patting you on the back, it’s not about what you get in return, it’s simply about helping because it’s the right thing to do." Awww. Atlanta celebs came out to support, including Bobby V and RHOA star Kandi Burruss. Keshia Knight Pulliam was also on hand to sign autographs and spread holiday cheer. During a recent interview, Ne-Yo was asked about his rewarding work with the organization, "Just the looks on the kids’ faces and knowing that I have given a kid who didn’t have a reason to smile, a reason to smile." Author and former reality tv star Toya Wright was also a part of the event.   She had her daughter Reginae Carter there too. Toya joined Monyetta to help pass out gifts. Kandi, Monyetta, Keshia and Toya all posed for a holiday pic. Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed supported the event.      And Black Santa was there in full force.  Gotta love it! Photos via Prince Williams/ATLpics.Net/Toya's IG

Nas Rocks The Stage At Art Basel Miami Beach + Jennifer Williams & Busta Rhymes Make Appearances Posted: 06 Dec 2013 05:56 AM PST Nas shut down Miami Beach last night as the Hennessy Wild Rabbit spokesman rocked the stage to celebrate the company's “Never stop. Never settle.” photo series.   Pics and video of Mr. Jones, Jennifer Williams and Busta inside... Heeeeey Nas.  The "Bye Baby" rapper & Hennessy took over the Pulse Art Fair last night, one of Art Basel’s pre-eminent events, inviting art enthusiasts, celebrities and tastemakers to celebrate the art community.   Busta Rhymes popped up to surprise the crowd and rock out with Nasir.   Jennifer Williams showed up with her nude Tom Ford boots.   Attending guests were greeted by Hennessy ambassadors before admiring the series pieces, commissioned by Hennessy and FADER, featuring work from 5 iconic photographers who brought to life the “Never stop. Never settle.” mantra. Peep video below:   Nas is currently sarring in the film Black Nativity and has investe din a new sneaker store opening in Vegas soon. Extras: 1.  Nelson Mandela's state burial will be December 15th.  STORY 2. R. Kelly's Chicago mansion was sold to an Isley Brother.  Rudolph Isley and his wife bought the property for a little over $500 K.  STORY 3.  Drake pulls out of the Grammy Nominations concert (airing live tonight) last minute due to scheduling conflicts.  STORY Photog: KrillWasHere/ExclusiveAccess.Net

MOMMY AND ME DOWN UNDER! Alicia Keys & Egypt Explore "Adventure World" In Australia Posted: 05 Dec 2013 04:07 PM PST Alicia Keys and Egypt were spotted in Australia this week having some mommy-and-me time.  Find out what they were up to inside..... Alicia Keys and son Egypt Daoud Dean were spotted at the "Adventure World" amusement park in Perth, Western Australia yesterday.  Mom Alicia rocked her short shorts and a baseball cap as she soaked up some sun during the Aussie summer season. Alicia is in the land down under with John Legend for the Aussie leg of the Girl On Fire tour which treks through Perth, Yarra Valley, Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney, Brisbane and Pokolbin. She'll also perform her last date down under on Dec. 20th in Auckland, New Zealand.  In other music news, Alicia has opened her vault of unreleased music via a new interactive site called AK Vault.  The site is full of music pulled from the "big steel fortress at my studio that holds my secret treasure-trove where everything unreleased resides.” Precious pics! BONUS: Now AK fans can listen to Alicia's unreleased track "Golden Child".  She says, "I wrote this song to pull myself up out of a slump I was in. Feelings of not going anywhere, Fears of not being able to make it."     Photos via Faith Moran / Splash News

CELEBS GIVE BACK: Drake Pops Up At Philly High School, Announces Plans To Build Students A Recording Studio Posted: 05 Dec 2013 03:39 PM PST Drake was so inspired by a recent ABC NEWS story that he traveled to Philly to make a very special announcement to the students at Strawberry Mansion High School.  Find out what the students will be getting from OVO's superstar inside....   Students at Strawberry Mansion High School, a severely under-served learning institution in Philadelphia, just got a huge present from Drake.  Drake told ABC News that he was inspired by a recent story on World News about the struggling school and how viewers chipped in to buy them new school uniforms.  The "From Time" rapper said, "I caught this piece that Diane did....by the end of it, I was so heavily affected that I started questioning major aspects of my life."   In response to the piece, Drake made a surprise appearance at the school and announced plans to build an on-site recording studio for the students and they'll all get free tickets and transportation to his Dec 18th “Would You Like A Tour” concert at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. And with art & music programs being cut from so many schools for financial reasons, this is a welcomed gift. Gotta love Drizzy!   Watch the ABC News story that inspired Drake's good deed below:

R.I.P.: Icon Nelson Mandela Dies At Age 95 Posted: 05 Dec 2013 02:24 PM PST Global icon Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, who is called the founder of democracy in South Africa, has died.  Remember the man who made activism for freedom & equality his life's work inside.... At age 95, Nobel Peace Prize recipient Nelson Mandela died today after reportedly being on life support for several months.  He reportedly died in his own home. Interestingly, Mandela is a former boxer, but he became legendary for fighting against oppression with non-violence. His name is synonymous with the struggle and eventual triumph to abolish South Africa's legacy of Apartheid.  He fought to end forced racial segregation of the country, fought to change the government and promote peace.  He constantly promoted freedom and equality throughout South Africa. He became a more physical activist by founding a military to fight against the government who constantly killed scores of citizens. As an anti-Apartheid activist, Mandela was then imprisoned for 27 years after being convicted of sabotage and conspiring to overthrow the government.   When he was freed at age 75, he was overwhelmingly democratically elected as South Africa's first black President. And it proved to the world that fighting for peace and equality is a necessity, no matter the consequences. Jacob Zumba, the current President of South Africa, gave a press conference moments ago confirming that Nelson Mandela has passed. He said: "Nothing can diminish our sense of the profound loss.  his entire struggle for freedom gained him the respect of the world. His humility, his compassion and his humanity... Our thoughts and prayers are with the Mandela family.  To them we owe a debt of gratitude.  They have sacrificed much and enjoyed much so that our people could be free." Losing a global icon who has been called one of the kindest men on the planet is sad news. Many reporters in South Africa have said that citizens simply wanted their beloved "Madiba" to finally be at peace.  And now, he is. The Obama family made a historic visit to Mandela's home to meet him two years ago, and President Obama spent time in his jail cell on Robben Island. The world will be able to see a new glimpse into his life with the upcoming biopic, Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom.  The movie is premiering tonight in  London.   His amazing legacy will forever remain a moral encompass and a symbol of freedom for us all.  And a reminder to never give up. R.I.P.   “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” -Nelson Mandela

FINITO! Porsha & Kordell Stewart OFFICIALLY Divorced (Kordell Is Still Talking Ish Though) Posted: 05 Dec 2013 01:13 PM PST And that's wrap on the messiness that was Porsha & Kordell Stewart's divorce.  The twosome have finalized the paperwork, but Kordell's lawyer still has some ish to say... Porsha Stewart has been far from quiet on "Real Housewives of Atlanta" when it comes to how she feels about her ex-husband, Kordell.  But fret no more Pastor Porsha....your divorce is now OFFICIALLY done. Kordell says he couldn't be more thrilled to get such a horrible person out of his life, this according to TMZ.  The NFL baller is said to be "very disappointed" the marriage fell apart, because he expected to be married for life."  Oh? And Kordell's lawyer, Shiel Edlin, isn't ending ish quietly.  About Porsha's latest antics, the lawyer stated: "For reasons we cannot understand, [Porsha] displayed a reckless abandonment of anything close to the truth over the last eight months." "We are also hopeful that Porsha will stop villifying Kordell at every opportunity." Oh, you mean Porsha's accustations about Kordell "acting like a Queen" and "wanting to dress Porsha like a Barbie" and wondering what he REALLY wants if it isn't the pretty Ms. Porsha?  We're sure we'll hear more from Porsha about the messy split during coming episodes of "RHOA".   Porsha's response? "Today is the 1st Day of the rest of my LIFE" #blessed #lovinglife #favored #free We shall see...   Photo: Bravo TV

Rocsi Diaz Shows Off Her Brussels Sprout Bikini In New PETA CAMPAIGN Posted: 05 Dec 2013 12:23 PM PST Rocsi Diaz is the latest celeb to join PETA's eye popping vegetarian campaign.  Check out the "Entertainment Tonight" host dressed in nothing but Brussels sprouts inside... Seems like everybody's all about that plant-based diet these days!  Former "106 & Park" host Rocsi is urging folks to go vegetarian.  And as encouragement, she's starring in a sexy new pro-vegetarian ad for PETA that shows her dressed in a Brussels sprout bikini—complete with a mistletoe embellishment—above the words "Let Vegetarianism Grow on You This Holiday Season." The ad, which was shot by top celebrity photographer Jack Guy, touts that plant-based meals help human health, the planet, and animals. She revealed she likes to perform trickery on her friends and make them meals with faux meat.....without telling them until they're happily chomping away. She said she "physically felt cleaner and lighter" after she went vegetarian in college. And also said: "Later on, literally I saw somebody eating a chicken wing, and it grossed me out. … My body was, like, 'No more. I don't want it anymore.'" No Roscoe's for her!  Check out Rosci speaking about the new vegetarian campaign below:

Gabrielle Union STUNS In Prada For Alvin Ailey Opening Night Gala Posted: 05 Dec 2013 11:31 AM PST   Gabrielle Union has totally stepped her red carpet game up.  And, once again, she looked stunning for a fabulous event in NYC.  Check out her Prada look inside, plus other celebs who came out to support the Alvin Ailey American Dance Troupe....   Well, Hello emerald green Prada dress!  "Being Mary Jane" star Gabby Union put on her best red carpet look for last night's Alvin Ailey Gala and gave a little toned-leg action for the pics.  A different shoe choice would have topped off this look even more, but she looks fab nonetheless. At the Alvin Ailey Opening Night Gala at the New York City Center, Gabby posed it up with BET's head honcho Debra Lee.  She flew solo as her man Dwyane Wade is busy balling out.  The Miami Heat played in Detroit on Tuesday and they play in Chicago tonight. And the actress flossed with flawless hair and makeup for the occasion. She also caught up with supermodel Joan Small. YBF chick Misty Copeland, the first African American female soloist for the American Ballet Theatre, made her way to support the Alvin Ailey dancers.   Dance & theater lover Taye Diggs hit the carpet solo.   Famed choreographer & Artistic Director Emerita for Alvin Ailey, Judith Jamison, was there of course. And Tristan "Mack" Wilds also came out to get a little culture.  Fab times!   Photos: Wireimage/Gabby's IG

Jennifer Hudson Covers ESSENCE January 2014 Cover, Reveals How She Found Her Confidence Posted: 05 Dec 2013 10:18 AM PST Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson covers the January issue of ESSENCE Magazine (for the third or fourth time) in a shaggy winter look.  She reflects on the challenging silver screen characters she portrayed in 2013, and she reveals how she built up her confidence.  More inside....   While we're pretty sure that 2014 will mark Jennifer Hudson's return to the music charts (we're actually digging her single "I Can't Describe"), in the January issue of ESSENCE, the Golden Globe-winner superstars reflects on the major moves she made on the silver screen.  With Winnie, The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete and Black Nativity, Jen recounted how each film brought forth their own set of challenges that built her confidence.  Namely, having to jet to South Africa when her baby boy was still just a baby: "I was like, 'Oh, my God—You want me to leave my baby and my man?" Here are the highlights: On why she loves her man: “I just love being with him. We have so much fun. We’ve shared so many special moments, like when we flew down to Key West last summer for a friend’s wedding. I’m on the road so much for work that I didn’t even want to go…but David persuaded me to go and it was just the two of us. We’re usually surrounded by so many people that it’s tough to have privacy. But on this trip we could party with our friends, then just disappear for hours…it was so freaking fun.” On Winnie: I was so nervous about doing a good job that I started working on the accent a couple of months before I even got there. So much was done to suppress Winnie's voice, to keep her quiet. Winnie's story needed to be told." On The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete: "It was a huge stretch for me to play Gloria. The drugs, the tattoos, the prostitution—her life is so different from my own." Black Nativity director Kasi Lemmons on Jen's casting: "I wrote the role for her. She has such a unique combination of fragility and strength. She really exceeded my expectations." Jen on finding herself: "I spent my twenties figuring out what I wanted to do, and trying everything. But by 30, my foundation was set. I became confident and clear about the path I wanted to take...Now I've really settled into myself. And I'm stronger than I've ever been."   Watch Jennifer's BTS chat here:   Jen's ESSENCE cover hits stands on December 6th.

(EXCLUSIVE) 'SWV: Sisters With Voices' Reality Show FIRST LOOK Posted: 05 Dec 2013 09:53 AM PST Taj, Coko & LeLee recently reunited as one of our fave 90's R&B groups, SWV.  And now, the ladies' WeTV reality show is giving us a front row seat into how their comeback finally came together...girl group drama and all!   TheYBF.com has the exclusive first look at the premiere of "SWV: Sisters With Voices" inside.... Premiering Thursday, January 23 at 10PM E/P, "SWV: Sisters With Voices" follows the Grammy® nominated group during their make-it-or-break-it comeback tour.  And we're totally here for it. SWV seemed unstoppable back in the 90's with over 15 million albums sold (not many can say that). And those the songs we knew EVERY single word to like “I’m So Into You,” “Right Here,” “Downtown,” and “Weak,”  But while they seemed to have it all, the drama behind the scenes tore the group apart.  And apparently, ish ended badly. So after going their separate ways in 1998, Cheryl “Coko” Clemons, Leanne “Lelee” Lyons and Tamara “Taj” George are now back.  After marriages, children, divorces (our fingers are crossed about whether Taj & Eddie George will show their shady alleged cheating drama ), the strong New York ladies are back to reclaim the fame.  In the premiere episode, we see the first stop of the comeback tour at Wembley Stadium in London.  But new secrets about Coko’s health threatens the rehabilitated bond of the group. And the group is learning how to be together both on stage and off again. Which means, the inevitable girl group drama surfaces. According to the press release: Throughout the season, SWV fans will get to see the ladies in action during high profile performances in Atlanta, New York, L.A. and D.C. Coko, Lelee and Taj not only address old wounds but face new challenges including health scares, family issues and management drama. Can the ladies finally come to terms with the issues that ended their friendship and career once before? Will they be able to put differences aside to recapture fame? Check out our exclusive first look of the "SWV" show below: Used on special sections that require a chromeless player. Who else is here for it?!  Check out more about the show HERE.   Photos: Courtesy of WeTV

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