A Diva State of Mind

Eye candy for the guys and workout motivation for the ladies. Rosario Dawson for GQ May 2013 issue.

Rosario and her legs!! WERK! Her new movie Trance is in theatres now.

Photography by Carlos Serrao

Source: GQ

If you haven’t heard of Luke James, please get familiar!  Luke James is a songwriter and R&B singer. He has written for Chris Brown, Justin Beiber and Brittany Spears. Last year he opened for Beyoncé during her concert at the Revel Resort in Atlantic City. He has released two mixtapes, Luke and Whisper in the Dark, and currently released a new single I.O.U. Luke James has an amazing voice and he’s definitely one to watch on the R&B scene!

He recently teamed up with Stuff Fly People Like for a Harlem Renaissance themed photo shoot for the digital April/May issue. Check out pictures from the magazine and highlights from his interview.

For those who aren’t familiar with you, in one sentence, who is Luke James?

I don’t know who Luke James is. He is an entertainer and an artist. He is an actor, musician, a songwriter and a lover. That could all change tomorrow. I could become a billionaire!

If you could change one things about the current state of R&B/Soul music, what would it be?

I would change radio and the people who are running things. I think they need to be more open to music and play different types of music and artists. Some artists will never be known or get their music heard beyond their hometown and I think if we can get to a place where we are open and allow others to express themselves and be heard,  someone would love it. I just wish radio played more variety in their songs and not the same 7 songs all the time. I wish the old heads would be more open to us and what we are offering. We want and are striving for more.

What would you like someone to say about you and your music 10 years from now?

I would like to people to say it inspired someone to be who they are. Be who they want to be and not what everyone else wants you to be. If you want to be in love, then be in love. Whatever is, do it if that’s what you feel. It would guide them in that direction. Be in love with something that’s forever.

Love the theme of this shoot! To read the entire interview, click HERE.

Photography by Jerome Shaw and styled by Louis Johnson.

Source: The YBF & SFPL

By now you’ve probably heard about Rick Ross’ and his rape lyrics. In rapper Rocko’s song “U.O.E.N.O,” Ross raps “Put molly all in her champagne, she ain’t even know it/ I took her home and I enjoyed that, she ain’t even know it.” Although the rapper defends his lyrics stating he didn’t use the word rape, these lyrics clearly allude to the fact that he rapes her. The reason a person drops a molly (or ruffie) in someone’s drink is so they can take advantage without the victim knowing it. And last time I checked, if she didn’t consent, it’s called rape. You can see his first half ass apology here and his second attempt to apologize here.

In response to the petitions and protest outside Reebok headquarters, the company announced yesterday that Rick Ross will no longer be a spokesperson:

“Reebok holds our partners to a high standard, and we expect them to live up to the values of our brand.  Unfortunately, Rick Ross has failed to do so.

While we do not believe that Rick Ross condones sexual assault, we are very disappointed he has yet to display an understanding of the seriousness of this issue or an appropriate level of remorse.”

Some praised Reebok for their decision while others, including some rappers, have come to Rick Ross’ defense (I won’t even repost the ignorance stated by Meek Mills and Slim Thug). After all, artist like Biggie rapped about worse things in the 90s. But does that make it ok??? Rap culture is one that has been degrading women for years. And we now live in a society that has become numb to rape.  Victims are harassed and bullied while the media tries to make us feel bad for those that committed the crime.

Someone made a great point on twitter yesterday. People have to pick what issues they stand for. If rape is one of them, then folks have every right to protest messages that promote rape. Let this be a lesson to brands and entertainers; your consumers are paying attention! If you are promoting a message that is not in line with their moral compass or in this case, just WRONG, they will protest you and stop supporting you. It’s that simple!

This morning Toni of House of Haute tweeted a link to a post she wrote on her site in response to hearing about Rick Ross’ new lyrics.  If you think it’s cool for Rick Ross or any artist to rap about putting a molly in a woman’s drink, I challenge you to rethink that after reading Toni’s story. This is one that probably happens more often thank we think, we just don’t hear about it. That is until now.  I guess we can thank Rick Ross for the lyrics; they have encouraged women like Toni to share her story and push other victims of sexual assault and rape to speak up.

Below is an excerpt from Toni’s post:

With immense subtlety, one of the many faces of Molly introduced herself and that’s when everything faded to black and Molly took me on a date. It was as if it were the beginning of a new scene in my own horror movie. With vague and blurred moments, I here a cell phone ringing but it sounds as though it was under water. Fighting to just open my eyes and focus, I saw flashes of light and felt cold bursts of air. No, I wasn’t dying. Through piecing intricate pieces together, it became clear I was left laying face down on the concrete on a private street. Just a few steps away from the censored sliding door of a motel in a small town outside of Dallas, I was roughly 20 miles away from where I lived. Each time the censors were triggered, a burst of cool air and rays of light covered my seemingly lifeless body.

An alarmed employee of the chain motel, called 911. Unsure of why I was laying in the street, I can only guess the clerk assumed that I was a drunken person trespassing on their private property. It took me years to come to that conclusion, otherwise why would the police department arrive without the complement of medical help.

PLEASE READ HER ENTIRE POST here.

By now you have probably heard of the comments Keyshia Cole made about Beyoncé’s new song “Bow Down.” Like many people, Ms. Cole was not a fan of the song. And of course being that she’s a celebrity, after she tweeted the message below people went IN on her on twitter. Here’s what Keyshia Cole had to say:

First “Women need to Stick together” now bitches better Bow. Smh. But it’s all G! Chicks stay shooting the shit. But when I speak my mind its a prob. #Well #StayMad

Can’t stand when people all self righteous when it’s convenient it makes them look good. Lmao! But can still talk shit when convenient 2 FOH….I done kept it real from the start! #RespectTHAT

I won’t even begin to list all of the things folks said to her in response to her tweet.  Talk about harsh! But she does have a point though.  Isn’t Beyoncé all about girl power and independent women? I’m just saying…(and I’m a Beyoncé fan).

The song is far from what we’re used to hearing from Beyoncé. It’s straight ratchet!

I know when you were little girls, you dreamed of being in my world
Don’t forget it, don’t forget it, Respect that, Bow down b-tches
I took some time to live my life, but don’t think I’m just his little wife
Don’t get it twisted, get it twisted, this my sh-t, bow down b-tches

Word B?? Let’s just say I was completely caught off guard when I heard the chorus!

Some say Beyoncé created a song like this to let her hair down and have some fun. Others speculate that it was made to get back at her haters; those who have talked negatively about her for years. After all, a lot of people were claiming that she didn’t give birth to her baby (she cleared up that rumor in her documentary).

Regardless of why Beyoncé made the song, does Keyshia Cole or any other celebrity have the right to voice their opinion via social media like us “normal” folks do? Why are celebrities called haters if they don’t agree with what another celebrity has done?  If the “average” person expressed their displeasure with the song it’s not seen as a big deal. The minute a celebrity expresses their displeasure they’re considered haters or just seeking attention.

What happened to Keyshia Cole has happened to many celebrities. Just think about any celebrity that has ever expressed their opinion about Chris Brown or Rihanna. Y’all know #TeamBreezy & #RihannaNavy go HAM, especially on twitter!

In Keyshia Cole’s case, it probably didn’t help that she made negative comments about Michelle Williams during the Super Bowl. That incident followed by her comments about “Bow Down” had every Beyoncé STAN ready to fight her. Are celebrities not allowed to voice their opinion because they have more at stake (ticket sales, album sales, etc)? Should they only comment about those who are equal playing fields (i.e. same level of success)? If they do voice their opinion, where should they draw the line?

Speak on it!!

I miss the Lil’ Kim of the 90s…

Last week a photo surfaced of Lil’ Kim looking like this.  And she blames the media and photoshop for this mess picture:

Years & years they have been photoshopping pics of me & sabotaging my image. I’m not putting up with that sh*t no more. All they have been proving is im THAT b*tch with or without an album out & they always want to attack & bring down the real ones. Today was the last straw. You saw me on TV, people were posting pics all day… None of them looked the way that fake picture looked. Here is a side by side that shows the sh*t they did & a few more raw, unedited pics. You guys f*cked it up for all the Paps. F*ck outta here. None of y’all Paps is getting a pic now.

Not one to hold her tongue, Wendy Williams addressed the photo on her talk show:

Do you want to talk about Lil’ Kim and that face of hers? *sips drink and almost spits it out laughing* Okay. Lil’ Kim has been making headlines because of her dramatic new look. It’s not necessarily a new look, it’s been over a course of maybe the last decade. She’s just been getting stuff it looks like done, done, filled, filled — it’s pulled so tight now Kim it looks like a pin would just pop ya. Kim is claiming that the blogs have been altering her pictures and have been sabotaging her image for years. Let me just say I agree with Kim on this particular one and then I will dial it back and tell you what I really think.

Kim, in my mind I knew your goal was to always look like LaToya Jackson. You’ve out-LaToyaed LaToya in your new look. Don’t blame photoshopping, blame your plastic surgeon girl.

The picture may be photoshopped (click HERE to see a picture of her earlier that day in the same outfit) or it could be a bad angle. But at the end of the day, regardless if the picture was photoshopped or not, her plastic surgery is horrible! As I searched for photos to include in this post, all I could say was “DAMN” when looking at the images on Google. It was like looking at the evolution of her face. The drastic change in her appearance is quite sad. Where were her friends to tell her no more?!?!

No amount of photoshop can turn the “Crush on You” Lil’ Kim to a Lil’ Kim that looks like LaToya Jackson’s cousin. To proclaim that the media has photoshopped her pictures for years really speaks volumes to her denial on how she really looks. My guess is she used plastic surgery to hide some serious insecurities. There are some deep issues that triggered her to get surgery after surgery when she should’ve stopped a long time ago. Unfortunately over the years, plastic surgery has taken focus away from who she is as a person and her music (rumor has it she’s supposed to be releasing new music this year). When I look at Lil’ Kim, I don’t think of “one of the biggest female rappers of the 1990s.” All I think is “why did she do that to herself?”

Ladies, let this be a lesson to embrace your natural beauty. If you feel you absolutely have to have plastic surgery, please see a therapist before doing so to determine the REAL reason you choose to alter your appearance.  I’d hate for a nose job to turn into 10+ years of surgery where you become unrecognizable.

I want the old Lil’ Kim back….

Source: theJasmindBrand & Necole Bitchie

Last night I attended the BET Hip Hop Awards Style Lounge hosted by DTLR in Washington, DC (Brentwood location). The DTLR store was transformed into a lounge and offered attendees free food and drinks (Ciroc and Hennessey), massages, manicures, shape-up for the fellas and music by DJ Jay Claxton.

Not only did attendees enjoy all the free goodies, but we were also introduced to celebrity stylist Olori Swank. She’s been as fashion stylist for three years and her clients include Keyshia Cole, Donald Gover “Childish Gambino”, Tyrese and many more. Midway through the event, she gave a small preview of fall trends for men we can expect to see this season.

I had the opportunity to interview the celebrity stylist!! We chatted briefly about why she decided to be a part of the style lounge, her favorite fall trend and more!

Why did you want to be involved with the BET Hip Hop Awards Style Lounge?

BET is an awesome channel; the hip hop awards are great. I have a client who is actually in the cypher this year and my other client, Keyshia Cole’s show aires after the BET Hip Hop Awards. I usually style backstage at the Hip Hop awards so it was a perfect fit for me to come and do the style lounge with DTLR.

What is your favorite event to style for your clients?

I’m the type of person that can’t pick a favorite anything. My favorite thing changes every single week. But all my clients are very different; they all do different things and I enjoy every aspect of that. Like Keyshia, she’s this R&B songstress and we’re always traveling. I have NFL athletes that I style for press conferences and stuff like that. I just love the variety of it all and the fact that I’m not sitting in one place all the time.

What are your favorite fall trends?

Ummm oxblood of course! I think I’ve put every single one of my clients in something oxblood. Childesh Gambino, I made him wear that to the VMAs red carpet; he was nominated. Keyshia’s next single “Trust & Believe,” we shot the video the day before yesterday. She has an oxblood moment. Yea my favorite trend for fall is definitely the oxblood.

What five pieces do you think women should have in their wardrobe?

Five pieces…if I had to narrow it down to the that the first one would definitely be a pair of great black pumps. I also think every woman needs a great pair of pants. Actually I’ll take that back and say every woman needs a good black suit because they can get two wears out of that; they can get a black blazer and a pair of pants. A trench, a statement piece necklace and I love rings. A good ring.

What has been your biggest challenge in the industry?

I think every day is a new challenge and that’s what I love about it. If it were easy, everyone would do it. I’m definitely a believer in forging a path and making my own way. I just love the fact that every day is a new challenge and I can overcome them as I go.

What advice would you give to stylist in a market that is up and coming on the fashion scene?

To be totally honest, they’re a lot of markets in the country that are not bit fashion markets but still have people who have fashion needs. I would encourage seeking out the average everyday person who maybe doesn’t want to shop for themselves. Even outside of women, there are a lot of football teams in the majority of these cities; DC has the Redskins. Those boys needs stylist. Instead of flying me out all the time to come clean out their closet, maybe the local stylist can start searching and seeking after that business.*

I had a great time interviewing Olori at the event. She was very down to earth and you can tell she is very passionate about being a fashion stylist.

The event served as a great atmosphere to mingle with friends, finally meet those people who you always see and interact with on twitter (s/o to Erica Vain & Fashion Citizen) and enjoy an atmosphere that brought together fashion and hip hop.

Be sure to check out the BET Hip Hop Awards tonight at 8pm EST!

Follow Olori Swank on Twitter @OloriSwank and check out her site http://www.oloriswank.com

*So who knows someone on the team that needs a stylist??

The “Sparkle” actress recently teamed up with Rolling Out and she looks gorgeous!

On What She’s Learned About Herself Throughout Her Career

Well, I know that I’m enough, and that I have something to offer the world. I guess now that I’ve grown up and gotten a little older, I know what I want, and I know what I want in a mate and I’m able to say it.  I’m not one to beat around the bush anymore. There was a time when I was so concerned about hurting people’s feelings, but it’s not that way anymore. While I still care about people’s feelings, I understand the importance of being able to express exactly what I want, and exactly how I’m feeling. 

 After seeing these pictures, and reading your spread, what do you hope that our readers walk away with?

 I just hope that they are able to get the essence of who I am as a woman. I’ve worked really hard to be where I’m at today, and I still have a long way to go. But from this experience, I hope they see a person who works hard, but still appreciates the little things in life. I really enjoyed this experience, and I hope that comes across in this piece. I’m excited. 

Words and Images:  DeWayne Rogers; Makeup: Oslyn Holder; Hair: Annagjid Kee Taylor; Wardrobe Stylist: Micah McDonald

I watched Serena Williams win gold on Saturday and in celebration of her winning, she Crip walked right there on Wimbledon Centre Court. I, like so many asked “did she just crip walk??” I thought it was hilarious because that’s a move I haven’t seen someone do in YEARS, but others took offense and have criticized her.

The internet was going crazy yesterday over an article Jason Whitlock wrote about Serena’s actions. He writes:

Serena deserved to be criticized and she should’ve immediately apologized. Wimbledon isn’t the place to break out a dance popularized by California Crip gang members. She knows it. That’s why she got embarrassed when asked by reporters to reveal the name of the dance.

Crip Walking inside an NBA arena that is routinely filled with the sounds of edited versions of popular gangsta rap songs is different from Crip Walking at Wimbledon. That fact has nothing to do with race. It has to do with tradition and atmosphere. Wimbledon is a sports church, falsely prim, proper and respectful

Again, Serena deserved to be called out. What she did was immature and classless. She made a mistake, something we all do.

I bet in a private moment Friday night or Saturday morning, Serena told her sister Venus, “I’m going to kick this $*%& ass and Crip Walk all over this crusty-ass place.”

*Blank Stare* Serena Crip walking is not that deep. Majority of the people that witnessed her do the dance had no idea what she was doing including the commentators.  When I think of the Crip walk, the dance being related to California gangs does not come to mind.  Are we going to criticize Gabby Douglass for doing the dougie after winning one of the two spots available for the all-around?  What about Ryan Lochte wearing a grill after receiving his gold medal? That’s ratchet but no one is talking about that (although I loved it! Guess I have a ratchet bone *shrug*)

People have had A LOT to say about athletes during the Olympics this year and it’s getting annoying. When was the last time you spent your entire life training your mind, body and spirit to compete in an athletic competition? I think those who have so much to say forget how much people have sacrificed physically and personally get to the Olympic stage (or any major athletic stage). Like the rest of us, they have worked hard to pursue their dreams and when they rise and succeed they have every right to celebrate.

Those first to criticize need to be human for a minute and think about how they would react if they were in these athletes shoes win or lose. Last night after McKayla Maroney lost her gold medal position she looked pissed. The gold medalist came up to her a hug and McKayla’s face said “I don’t want to hug you.” I tweeted this and someone responded “she needs to get over it.” Ha! If McKayla or any other athlete trained to be number one, was expected to be number one and then in their eyes failed, they have every right to be upset in THAT moment.  In Serena’s case, she has every right to be excited and if Crip walking is the first thing that came to mind after her win, Serena go ahead and Crip walk your way all around that Wimbledon court! You deserved it!

I don’t care. That’s the least of my worries . . . I’m so excited I was able to do the dance. I’m glad I did it!

It just happened. I was so excited that it just came out,” she said, laughing at the amount of attention the move received. “I guess I’m good at it! – Serena Williams

I saw this picture on Instagram and knew I had to share with the ladies!

New York Knicks center Tyson Chandler and 26 athletes bare all for ESPN The Magazine’s Body Issue, scheduled to be released July 11th.

When asked why he decided to pose for the Body Issue, Chandler states:

I think it gives the average person a good look at athletes’ bodies and why we are able to do the things we do. I think a lot of people are curious about it. I wanted to allow people to look at my body and see why I’m able to do the things I do on the court. Also, it’s a very artistic shoot, and seeing that in past issues made me want to do it.

If you’re interested in more than just the picture, click HERE to read Chandler’s full interview with the magazine.

Source: ESPN

In one hour I saw two fabulous editorial pictures of Solange Knowles so I knew I had to log into Google Reader ASAP to find out which magazine she was recently featured.

Solange Knowles teamed up with Glamour France for an interview in the July 2012 issue and she looks GORGEOUS!  She is known for her fabulous fashion sense and doesn’t disappoint. Please take notes; this is how you mix colors and prints!!!

Glamour: What’s your style secret?
Solange: [My style is] very eclectic as I like to take risks, but I always cling to glamourous touches and classic details. I’m not necessarily inspired by magazines or fashion. I surf a lot on blogs and find it cool to see real style from real people. My travels also influence me. I always take lots of pictures, and then inject all those inspirations into my wardrobe, my home decor, or my makeup. And we can’t forget the icons: Diana Ross, Erykah Badu, Bjork, and Lauryn Hill.

Glamour: How can one successfully create a good mixed and matched [wardrobe]?
Solange: If you have different prints, both pieces have to have the same fabric. Certain colors like violet and pink also work well with animal prints. And then, you have to create a certain harmony; I avoid mixing African patterns with Aztec prints, for example.

Glamour: When you come to Paris, do you shop as well?
Solange: I prefer to pass the afternoon at Place des Vosges with a picnic and a book. I also like to get lost in Paris; last summer I rented an apartment in the 10th arrondissement, and I explored all the cool cafés and bookstores in the area. I feel very safe in Paris. The metro is super easy to use and my son speaks French, so we always find our way around!

Glamour: What beauty item do you use to boost your look?
Solange: I always wear mascara, and above all, I put on a flashy, matte lipstick. My favorite color is “Firecracker Orange Fire” by Rimmel.

Source: The YBF & Fashion Bomb Daily