Thursday, September 29, 2011

The Young, Black, and Fabulous

The Young, Black, and Fabulous

"Mother of Hip Hop" Sylvia Robinson Dies At 75, Hip Hop Community Reacts

Posted: 29 Sep 2011 11:03 AM PDT

Sylvia Robinson, a legend in the hip-hop community, died this morning of congestive heart failure at Meadowlands Hospital in Secaucus, New Jersey.  She was 75 and deemed the "Mother of Hip Hop."

 

The reactions of the hip hop community inside...

Sylvia Robinson made her mark on the hip hop industry in producing the first rap song in history to hit the mainstream airwaves, "Rapper's Delight" by Sugar Hill Gang.

Women making big moves in the game was not as prominent an occurrence at the beginning as it is now.  And being called the "Mother of Hip Hop" was fitting for the legend.

She was a singer (best known for her single "Pillow Talk"), producer, and co-founder of the Sugar Hill Records, along with her husband.  She helped formed the Sugar Hill Gang and produced their most notable single.  She's also one of the first to use "sampling", as "Rapper's Delight" used the breakdown of "Good Times" by Chic.

Sylvia also produced Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five's "The Message."

Branding and hip-hop guru Steve Stoute spoke highly of Sylvia Robinson in his new book Tanning of America.  And he told TheYBF.com this afternoon about her death: 

"I hope the world remembers Sylvia Robinson as a pioneer and innovator that, because of her contribution to society, a culture was born and a generation was raised."

The Hip Hop community is pouring out their condolences on Twitter as well. 

Questlove: Sylvia Robinson RIP: the woman who funded "Rappers Delight" & "The Message" thank you

Soul Train: Remembering our beloved Sylvia Robinson - the brains behind the Sugar Hill Gang

Holly Robinson Peete: #RIP Sylvia Robinson of Sugar Hill Records Rap #entrepreneur #pioneer
 

Video of Sylvia performing "Pillow Talk" on "Soul Train" in 1973:

R.I.P.

Ashanti Gets RED HOT & Announces New Single On "Today Show"

Posted: 29 Sep 2011 10:48 AM PDT

Ashanti stopped by the "Today" Show to chat about her upcoming single "No Good" and her new album. Check out the interview inside...

 

Ashanti stopped by the “Today” show this morning to chat with Hoda Kotb and guest co-host Nick Lachey about her single "Never Too Far Away," which she wrote for the horror flick Dream House. 

She also talked about her work with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and her upcoming album which will be kicked off by her upcoming new single, "No Good."  Ashanti said today:

“It’s called ‘No Good.’ It’s amazin.  My official single will be out very soon. It’s so phenomenal, oh my gosh!”

Watch the interview here:


She looks fantabulous in this red dress and perfect makeup as usual.

Kandi Burruss Readies Her OWN BRAVO SHOW "The Kandi Factory"

Posted: 29 Sep 2011 10:11 AM PDT

Kim Zolciak isn't the only ATL Housewife getting a spinoff show.  As we previously mentioned, Kandi Burruss is indeed set to kick off her very own show as well.  And it has just been given the official greenlight from BRAVO.

 

Deets inside...

Last month, single mom Kandi had Bravo cameras in tow at her sex toy line launch in NYC...but they weren't the "Real Housewives of Atlanta" cameras.  So we figured she was getting her own spinoff.

And today, BRAVO confirmed that they have officially given the greenlight for "The Kandi Factory" starring, of course, Kandi Burruss herself.

The new special will follow “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” star and multi-platinum songwriter as she helps other artists reach their musical dreams. Ever since Kandi turned Kim Zolciak‘s single “Tardy for the Party” into a digital download phenomenon, she has been bombarded by thousands of wannabe artists desperate for her popstar secrets.  So Kandi believes she can turn anyone with raw talent and drive into “something hot” and wants to give aspiring artists a shot at their dream.

According to Bravo, in the special, Kandi will give two protégés the opportunity to come to Atlanta and learn the fundamentals of pop music success. She has identified three factors that have to fit perfectly together to create a pop sensation: the song, the look and the performance.  Then Kandi and her team of experts at The Kandi Factory will work with the two contestants in order to turn them into music superstars.

“With her breakout personality and straightforward attitude, Bravo fans have grown to love Kandi on ‘The Real Housewives of Atlanta,’” said Eli Lehrer, Vice President of Development for Bravo. “‘The Kandi Factory’ will capture a unique look at her successful music career as Kandi transforms two music hopefuls into the next big popstar.”

Will you be watching?  P.S.  Kandi's also switching gears with music and focusing on writing country hits for popular artist, JoDee Messina.

FIRST LOOK: Queen Latifah & KeKe Palmer In "Joyful Noise"

Posted: 29 Sep 2011 09:10 AM PDT

Queen Latifah and KeKe Palmer's brand new movie Joyful Noise is set to hit theaters this upcoming January.  Check out the first look at the new trailer inside...

The upcoming film, which seems like a cross between Sister Act & Glee, stars Queen Latifah, KeKe Palmer, Courtney Vance, Jesse L. Martin and Dolly Parton.

The musically driven story (which aso has a love story between Keke & Jesse) also brings together the sounds of gospel, pop, country, rock and R & B with memorable songs, performed by the cast, from a wide range of artists, including Michael Jackson, Usher, Chris Brown, Paul McCartney, Sly & the Family Stone and Stevie Wonder.

Joyful Noise hits theaters everywhere on January 13, 2012.

Beyonce Dishes On Her Sensitive Pregnancy Nose...And She Hates Jay-Z's Cologne

Posted: 29 Sep 2011 08:53 AM PDT

Beyonce recently revealed some private pregnancy moments in an interview with "Entertainment Tonight Canada."  She talked about her fragrance Pulse, her pregnancy, and how her heightened sense of smell has her hating Jay-Z's cologne. Get the deets inside.....

While making the international press round for her new fragrance Pulse, Beyonce did a candid interview with "Entertainment Tonight Canada."

During the wide ranging interview, she revealed how "hands on" she was with creating the fragrance and how her heightened sense of smell (since her pregnancy) helped her in picking out the right combination of scents for the final product. 

In a very candid moment, she also added that since the pregnancy, her nose is like a radar gun and she no longer likes the cologne that Jay-Z wears....and it used to be her favorite!

Oh! My nose is like [mimics radar] ‘doot, doot, doot’! I smell everything! It enhances it. If it smells bad, I smell it! My husband’s fragrance, his one that I always love, I hate right now. So, thank God I love this one

And next up for Bey, fans can expect a video for the single "Countdown" from the 4 album to hit the air waves soon.  It's reportedly her next official single.

Watch Bey's Jay-Z tidbit here:

 

Watch the rest of the interview here:

Kelly Rowland & MC Lyte GET CLOSE At The Recording Academy

Posted: 29 Sep 2011 07:25 AM PDT

Kelly Rowland and MC Lyte hit the Recording Academy in Cali so that fans could get up close and personal with Ms. Rowland.  Pics and deets from the sit-down inside....

 

The Recording Academy Los Angeles Chapter hosted Up Close & Personal With Kelly Rowland at The Academy's headquarters in Santa Monica, Calif.

Kelly dished during the MC Lyte (who is the Chapter President) hosted event about the creative process behind her "Lay It On Me" feature with Big Sean and her "When Love takes Over" single.

Fab look.  Here's video from their chit-chat:

 

THE KING IS BACK! T.I. Gets RELEASED From Halfway House (VIDEO) (UPDATE)

Posted: 29 Sep 2011 07:02 AM PDT

Earlier this morning, The King of the South, T.I.,  was set free to return home to his throne and Queen Tiny.  Get the deets inside....

 

Shortly after midnight, rapper T.I. was released from the Atlanta halfway house he was residing at after his 10-month prison stint.

According to TMZ, Tip left without much fanfare (no VH1 producers or tour buses) and was taken away in a chauffeur-driven SUV. 

Let's just hope there were no styrofoam cups in the vehicle and no illegal u-turns were made on the way home.  T.I.P. is set to have a Welcome Home Brunch soon....

 

Watch the video of the release here:

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SPOTTED: Eddie Murphy's Coffee Break With EX-WIFE LOOKALIKE

Posted: 29 Sep 2011 05:46 AM PDT

Hmmm.....2012 Academy Awards host Eddie Murphy was spotted out on a coffee break with a woman who suspiciously looks just like his ex-wife Nicole.  See pics of Eddie and his "friend" grabbing some java inside......

Eddie Murphy, star of the upcoming Tower Heist and host of the next Academy Awards broadcast, was spotted out grabbing coffee in L.A. recently.

The actor didn't seem to happy as photographers snapped his photo while out with a mystery woman.  Clearly Eddie has a "type" because the chick looks JUST LIKE his ex-wife Nicole....even the haircut is similar.

Is imitation really the sincerest form of flattery?

 


Photos via PacificCoastNews.com

Baseballer Matt Kemp Shows His Bod For FLAUNT Mag, Talks His Obsession With Fashion

Posted: 28 Sep 2011 02:06 PM PDT

Pro baseballer Matt Kemp flaunted his abs for FLAUNT magazine recently.  Rihanna's ex-boyfriend talked about what he loves in a woman as well.  Pics inside, plus what he reveals about his fashion and shoe obsession....

Oh really Matt?  The multimillion dollar MLBer flaunted his assets for the new issue of FLAUNT magazine:

And dished about his obsession of fashion and the type of women he's into:
 

If there is one weakness to Matt Kemp, it’s shopping. We’re not just talking your everyday, garden variety shopping either. Kemp is a power shopper. The way Kemp puts it, Veronica Lodge herself would have a hard time keeping up with him. Barneys? I suggest, knowingly. He nods. “Yeah, that’s one of my favorites.” What section do you beeline for? “Shoes!” he says. It is the singular moment during this interview when Matt Kemp’s eyes sparkle. “Shoes and clothes, man,” he continues. “I like to look nice when I go places. I think we all do for the most part. You want to walk around feeling good about yourself. In the past year-and-a-half, two years, I got into being around fashionable people. I started to enjoy the things that other people I was around enjoyed like clothes and shoes. It’s fun. I think it’s fun to go into a store and try to figure out what to put with some shoes or your outfit or whatever, and rock it.

“I’m like a chameleon, man,” Kemp continues. “I can switch it up. I can one day be wearing some Jordans or nice retro sportswear with some jeans, a shirt, and a hat, and make that look nice. And then I can wear a collared shirt with some RRL jeans.” He goes on to reference Lanvin and YSL.

Sometimes, I offer, do you go too far?

“Sometimes,” Kemp replies. “There’s times. You’ve got to set a little budget for every month or two for yourself. If you go over that budget, it means that you have do less next month. It’s all about saving money. But looking good at the same time.”

“What do I look for?” he laughs. “I like confident people. I like positive people. Somebody that can make me a better person. Somebody that makes me want to be a better person. Smart. Pretty, of course. Somebody that is close with their family and loves their family just as much as I love my family. Somebody that knows how to dress. It just boils down to being confident and being comfortable in your own skin and the person that you are.”

 

Somebody that you can go shopping with?

“Definitely,” he says. “Somebody that can help me [shop]. I love looking and seeing what kind of shoes women wear. I think that tells me if a person knows what they’re doing. To me, shoes are…” Kemp trails off. “If I like your shoes, and you’re pretty, that’s a good quality. As well as being confident.”

 

Do you want to shop with Matt Kemp?

Source

The Randomness:

1.  Speaking of baseballers, Ex-Dodger Milton Bradley was arrested for swinging a baseball bat at his wife.  STORY

WHO RAN IT?: Jordin Sparks Vs. Kim Kardashian

Posted: 28 Sep 2011 01:21 PM PDT

It's the battle of the McQueens!  Sparkle actress Jordin Sparks and reality tv star Kim Kardashian were both spotted rocking the same white dress, but who ran it the best?  Make your decision inside....

 

Both Jordin Sparks and Kim Kardashian were spotted out wearing their Alexander McQueen jersey sheaths while in California.

Jordin Sparks was seen at Clive Davis' Pre-Grammy party on Feb. 12, pairing her dress with dangling earrings, one bracelet and nude peep-toes, while on May 20th, reality star Kim K. rocked hers with small earrings, a bright tangerine clutch and sky-high nude maryjane pumps on the streets of Beverly Hills.  But only one can be the winner. So.................

 

WHO RAN IT?

YBF KIDS: Snoop Dogg's Daughter Cori B Performs "Do My Thang" Live

Posted: 28 Sep 2011 12:10 PM PDT

Snoop Dogg's extraordinary daughter Cori B was spotted performing her single "Do My Thang" live in Hollywood recently and we have the video. Watch Snoop and Shante's talented daughter inside....

 

We told you previously about Cori B, the talented 12-year-old daughter of Snoop Dogg and Shante Broadus who battles Lupus. Cori has an amazing story about courage and survival and how her illness helped save her parents marriage and bring her family closer together.

And she just did her first live performance of "Do My Thang" at the "What's Trending" studios in Hollywood, CA.

Before her performance, Cori B spoke about her single, music career and the advice her father gives her when it comes to her career.  Most importantly, she says the single is a fun song people can dance to and "do their thing."

 

Check it:

 

The Randomness

1  Somaya Reece talks about Season 2 of "Love and Hip-Hop." Story.

Amber Rose Talks Ish About Wiz & Kanye On Hot 97

Posted: 28 Sep 2011 11:16 AM PDT

Amber Rose is on a roll these days blasting everything and everybody.  After popping off on her blog recently, she hit Hot 97 to chat with Cipha Sounds and Rosenberg. If you care about her latest words, check it inside...

So Amber decided to go up to Hot 97 recently to confront Rosenberg after he was talking ish about her on the show the day before. She's still telling folks why everyone should respect her and why it's not her fault she's popular. Here's the summary:

  • Amber still says "I didn't even try to become famous, it's not my fault."  She says Kanye West was with a different chick for 6 years and she didn't become famous but Amber did.  So it's not her fault. (Alexis Phifer has already explained why this is).  And she was with Kanye in a relationship for 2 years so it wasn't a jump-off thing.
  • They asked her who is Amber then if we should respect her for being her and not write her off as a golddiger or stripper.  She says where she came from in Philly, all the guys were hustlers and so was she.  And she was respected at Sue's Rendevouz strip club.  All celebs who came in there tried to holla and I didn't give them the time of day.
  • When she met Kanye, they fell in love.  They didn't meet at the strip club--he flew her out to do his "Robocop" video that never came out.
  • She says she never talked bad about Kanye (despite the fact the clip below shows otherwise) and didn't speak to media for 2 years--so she didn't ask to still be popular. She separated herself from hip-hop after she broke up with Kanye. (Several red carpets and party hosting doesn't count I guess).
  • Amber says she's writing a book about growing up very poor in Philly and her life.  But it's not a tell-all about her exes.  Despite the fact she said she would discuss her past, love, sex, etc.  Amber says she has the opportunity to dog him out for some money, but she couldn't sleep at night doing it. She says she's a writer and people don't know she writes music.
  • Amber says she's really quiet and keeps things personal to her. So just wants to write books.
  • She says she can't do anything right in this industry--she's damned either way.  She went to the grocery store and bought a truck of food for the poor kids in Ghana while there with her own money.  And she's still getting hate.  She wanted to tweet about the people who needed her help, not the rich.  She said you can be mad, she didn't care.
  • When asked "what do you do," she says "I was a model and model are just beautiful.  I get paid to show up to events."
  • She couldn't answer the question about what she's famous for.  She says "What do you want me to do about it?  I can grow my hair back and move back to Philly and I'll still be famous.  It's not my fault I'm famous.  There's nothing I can do about it." (Disagree that there is "nothing" you can do about it--if you like being famous, which you clearly do, just say so.  It's not that serious.)
  • She says her assistant stole all her pics from her laptop when she asked if she could borrow Amber's comp to do some work.  That's how the nude pics got leaked.  "She's crazy and tried to be like me and shaved her head like me and started wearing pink lipstick."
  • When asked if she would ever change her look since she doesn't want to be famous, she said at some point when she gets married.
  • About the marriage to Wiz Khalifa.  She weirdly says she wants to marry him one day and have kids. (Despite the fact she's already called him her wife).
  • "I'm really quiet you guys....I'm just chillin'."
  • "Me and Wiz are really really in love.  I have never been in love like this.  I would die for him."  She says they WILL get married.
  • Interview went on and on about important topics like how WIz rubs her head, if Cipha would hit it, and why Amber says she's such a nice girl.

Here's a video clip from the intervew where Amber says Wiz could beat Kanye's ass.  And she'll kick Kanye when he's knocked down too to help her man.

STYLE MOTIVATOR: Kelly Rowland's TOP 11 Looks Of 2011 (So Far)

Posted: 28 Sep 2011 10:49 AM PDT

We've all been eyeing her sick bod and hot fashion choices all year.  And rarely ever does she get it wrong.  So we've rounded up 11 of Kelly Rowland's most fab looks of 2011. 

 

Check it inside...

She's been motivating our own styles all year.  So here's a glimpse at our fave looks of Kelly's that our YBF folks have drooled over.  Check the gallery below...

LAY IT ON US: Kelly Rowland's TOP 11 Fashion Moments Of 2011 (So Far)
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