Kobe Bryant is on the Cover of Time Magazine!
Kobe Bryant will be memorialized on the cover of Time magazine. It shows the basketball legend from the back, holding a ball and taking a final bow. The photo was taken by CPi Syndication’s Michael Muller.
The NBA legend was killed in a helicopter crash Sunday in Calabasas, California along with his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and seven others on their way to a travel league basketball game when the aircraft went down.
The magazine hits newsstands Friday.
#RHOA: Kenya Moore Just Shared a Precious Photo With Her Daughter Brooklyn!
As she celebrates turning 49, Kenya Moore is counting her blessings. The Real Housewives of Atlanta cast member shared her gratitude for her daughter, Brooklyn Doris Daly, and reflected on a tumultuous year in an emotional message posted on the day of her birthday.
On January 24, Kenya took to Instagram to share a photo of herself looking stunning in a white, strapless bodysuit while holding an adorable, smiling Brooklyn, who celebrated her first birthday in November. Alongside the beautiful photo, the RHOA mom looked back at some the ups and downs of the past year, during which she split from ex-husband, Marc Daly.
“Happy Birthday to Me! Whew this has been quite a year! Despite the turmoil there has been a constant positive force of love and light in my life,” she wrote. “God brought this Angel into my world who is the miracle known as Brooklyn and everyday is my birthday.”
The former pageant queen went on to give thanks for her baby girl, writing, “You are my life Brooklyn, my happiness, my joy, and the unconditional love I waited my whole life for. You have my grandmother’s spirit. She left me so I could have you.”
She concluded her moving message by sharing the one thing she really wants for her birthday, stating, “My only birthday wish is may God continue to cover you and bless you forever and always.”
Kenya and Marc announced their divorce in September, following two years of marriage. Since their split, the two have remained amicable co-parents to little Brooklyn, even enjoying some quality family time together in New York last month.
RHOA airs on Sundays at 9/8c
#Empire: New Music from Serayah-‘Mr. Lover’!
While Empire rides off into the sunset after its sixth and final season this spring, Serayah, who plays Tiana Brown on the embattled music industry drama, is ready for the next chapter. The singer-actress keeps it moving and returns with her latest single, "Mr. Lover" produced by Rey Reel and Lonely Taj. The song finds Serayah trying to slow things down in a new relationship that is moving too fast for her liking. With a bad breakup in her rearview and a busy schedule, she makes it perfectly clear that jumping into something new isn't at the top of her to-do list. "You be trying to do too much / Need to slow down / Why you in such a rush?/ Told me make time for us, n***a what us? / Why you trying to fall in love?" she questions him early on. Serayah's tender voice rides the midtempo track smoothly as she questions Mr. Lover's intentions and takes note of potential red flags.
LISTEN HERE
The last time we heard from this talented beauty was when she was keeping things steamy with her boo, fellow singer-actor Jacob Latimore on his single "Caught Up" in October. If Serayah's Instagram is any indication, not only are the two still an item but they might be teaming up for her upcoming EP, Ray EP. One of her recent posts shows her in the recording booth with the caption, "It won’t never be the same ..” @atljacob we got one 🔥 #RAYEP." When the EP drops and whether Latimore will appear on it or not is still up-in-the-air for now, but it's clear that Serayah is eager to share her talents with her fans. In the meantime, get into her latest and hear her put "Mr. Lover" back in his place.
#MusicNews: Billy Porter Is Teasing a New Music Project!
Billy Porter is no stranger to the music industry. Before the world got to know him as Pray Tell in the Emmy-winning show Pose, the Pittsburg native was singing his heart out in the ’90s. In 1997, he released his debut album, Untitled, via A&M Records. The soulful set included his breakout single “Show Me.”
Recently at the 2nd annual Urban One Honors, held at the MGM National Harbor, he shared some details on his new album that is in the works.
“I’m working on a project for a release in 2021,” he tells Rated R&B. “I’m picking up where Sylvester left off. It’s time.” Porter also shared his take on what it means to be a Black queer man in the industry. “I’m just so grateful to have lived long enough to see the day where a queer man of color like myself can be vibrating in these spaces,” he says. “I worked hard for it. Me and my generation kicked doors down.”
#HipHopNews: 21 Savage And J. Cole Win Best Rap Song For “A Lot” At 2020 Grammy Awards!
On Sunday (Jan. 26), 21 and J. Cole won the gramophone for Best Rap Song at the 2020 Grammy Awards, which are taking place at Staples Center in Los Angeles. They were announced as the winners of the award before the show officially started.
The 2020 Grammy Award nominees for best rap song for this year also included YBN Cordae ("Bad Idea" featuring Chance The Rapper), Rick Ross ("Gold Roses" featuring Drake), DaBaby ( "Suge") and Nipsey Hussle ("Racks in the Middle" featuring Roddy Ricch and Hit-Boy).
"A Lot" is the intro for 21's I Am > I Was album, which is an LP he dropped back in December 2018. For a track with such a subdued beat, it proved to be an explosive one. J. Cole's verse, one in which he says he's praying for the incarcerated 6ix9ine, generated a ton of discussion. The song dropped just two months before 21 was detained by ICE for his immigration status.
The 2020 Grammy nominees were announced in November 2019. Every person who was nominated in this category would have been a first-time winner of this particular musical honor. 21 joins the ranks of rappers like Drake and Kendrick Lamar who have won the award in past years.
Nicki Minaj’s brother Jelani Maraj gets 25 years to life for raping his stepdaughter!
Nicki Minaj‘s brother on Monday was sentenced to 25 years to life behind bars for repeatedly raping his 11-year-old stepdaughter — as a judge laced into him for “ruining” the girl.
Jelani Maraj appeared stoic in a Long Island courtroom before he learned his fate, following his conviction for predatory sexual assault and acting in a manner injurious to a child.
Nassau County Supreme Court Judge Robert McDonald lambasted Maraj for sexually abusing the girl, saying that his “view is that you ruined this child”
“You raped this child. You raped her over and over again,” McDonald said.
The sentence comes two years after a jury handed down the guilty verdict for the sexual abuse, which began in 2015.
The victim’s brother witnessed Maraj assaulting his sister and later notified school officials.
Minaj didn’t appear in court to support her older sibling Monday, but Maraj’s lawyer, David Schwartz, read a 2016 letter that the “Tusa” singer wrote in a bid to get her brother a lighter sentence.
In the letter, the rapper referred to Maraj as the “most patient, gentle, genuine, giving selfless man I know.”
Maraj also pleaded for mercy at his sentencing, though he maintained that he was innocent of the charges.
“I’d like to apologize for the pain that I caused. I had an excessive drinking problem,” he said, adding that he’s “just asking for mercy from the court.”
Before he was sentenced, the victim, who is now his former stepdaughter, bravely told the court that the abuse led her to become suicidal.
“I didn’t think I could make it through the day without an anxiety attack.“ she said. “I felt I had no voice.”
She previously testified at Maraj’s 2017 trial that he repeatedly raped her in family’s Baldwin home while he was married to her mother.
Maraj denied the allegations, claiming the story was concocted to extort his famous sister.
After the sentencing, Schwartz said his client plans to appeal. An earlier attempt to overturn the case was thrown out.
Gianna Bryant Remembered By Dream School University of Connecticut with Jersey at Huskies Basketball Game!
Gianna Bryant was honored and remembered by the University of Connecticut ahead of USA Women’s National Team Winter Tour 2020 game on Monday (January 27) in Hartford, Conn.
The 13-year-old was killed along with her father, Kobe, in a helicopter crash over the weekend as they were traveling to a basketball camp.
The jersey had Gianna‘s number 2 with a bouquet of white daisies and roses wrapped up with a blue ribbon, and was laid over a reserved seat in her honor.
“Mambacita is forever a Husky 💙,” the school wrote with a pic on their official Twitter account.
University of Connecticut was Gianna‘s dream school to attend and she one day hoped to play for the team.
HOT or NOT? Grammy Awards 2020: Lil Nas X in Atelier Versace!
In today’s version of Hot or Not Lil Nas X wore a Hot Pink suit by Atelier Versace to the Grammys. Take a Look.
Now is it HOT or NOT?
Tyler, The Creator Says Grammy Win Feels Like ‘Backhanded Compliment’!
Sunday, he took home the award for Best Rap Album for IGOR at the 62nd annual Grammys. During his acceptance speech, he thanked Pharrell and his mother, who joined him on stage. While speaking with reporters backstage, Tyler said he had mixed emotions about the win.
“I’m half and half on it,” he said. “On one side, I’m very grateful that what I made could just be acknowledged in a world like this, but also, it sucks that whenever we–and I mean guys that look like me–do anything that’s genre-bending or that’s anything, they always put it in a rap or urban category, which is–I don’t like that ‘urban’ word. That’s just a politically correct way to say the n-word to me.”
He added, “When I hear that, I’m just like, ‘Why can’t we just be in pop?’ Half of me feels like the rap nomination was a backhanded compliment. Like, ‘Oh, my little cousin wants to play the game, let’s give him the unplugged controller so he could shut up and feel good about it.’ That’s what it felt like a bit.”
However, he is still grateful to be recognized. “But another half of me is very grateful that the art that I made could be acknowledged on a level like this when I don’t do the radio stuff, I’m not played in Target, I’m in a whole different world than what a lot of people here listen to.”
Tyler also hit the Grammy stage for the first time for a fiery medley of IGOR hits, “EARFQUAKE” and “NEW MAGIC WAND,” featuring Boyz II Men and Charlie Wilson.
His fellow nominee Meek Mill congratulated him on the award along with his “boyfriend” Jaden Smith.
AGT Host Terry Crews Tweets About Only Being Loyal to His Wife amid Gabrielle Union Drama
People!
Is Terry Crews trying to send Gabrielle Union a message?
Crews, 51, posted a series of cryptic tweets on Monday after experiencing a backlash to his comments about Union’s controversial departure as a judge on America’s Got Talent.
“I’m a hog. You’re a chicken,” the AGT host wrote. “Just ‘cuz you gave me eggs — don’t mean I owe you bacon.”
A few hours later, he also tweeted about remaining loyal to his wife, Rebecca King-Crews, saying she is the only woman he has to “please.”
“There is only one woman one earth I have to please,” he wrote. “Her name is Rebecca. Not my mother, my sister, my daughters or co-workers. I will let their husbands/ boyfriends/ partners take care of them. Rebecca gives me WINGS.”
His tweets come days after Union seemingly fired back at Crews after he spoke about her exit. During an interview on 3rd Hour of Today, he said he never experienced any of Union’s reported allegations of racial insensitivity and a toxic culture at the show.
“First of all, I can’t speak for sexism because I’m not a woman, but I can speak on behalf of any racism comments,” he said. “That was never my experience … in fact, it was the most diverse place I have ever been in my 20 years of entertainment.”
“I have to say this, too. When you look at what the allegations were about, it was given by an unnamed source. My thing is — it’s funny because I believe you should listen to women, you should always believe women, so I asked my wife what I should do,” he added. “She was like, first of all, if it’s coming from an unnamed source, because Gabrielle Union has not made any statement to this day about any of these allegations publicly … if she hasn’t made a statement, why would you?”
When asked if he had spoken to Union since she left AGT, Crews said, “I have not. I haven’t reached out, but I have not heard anything.”
While Union never mentioned Crews by name, she responded to several tweets Friday that seemed to address the situation.
After a fan told Union to “keep standing in your truth,” she replied: “Thank u! Cuz girlllllll 😐 Truth telling, wanting change & having MULTIPLE witnesses who bravely came forward to let EVERYONE know I didn’t lie or exaggerate, really exposes those who enthusiastically will throw you under the bus, forgetting quickly who stepped up 4 THEIR truth.”
She was seemingly alluding to her support of Crews in 2017, after he alleged that a “high level Hollywood executive” had “groped [his] privates” at a party.
While many of the actor’s colleagues remained silent about his allegation, Union tweeted: “Terry Crews is a stand-up guy. Literally one of the nicest people in our industry. He is honest, kind & true professional. I believe him & stand by him. #MeToo.”
Tinashe ‘Drank For Six Months’ After Discovering Ex Ben Simmons Moved On To Kendall Jenner!
Singer Tinashe was extremely candid with US Weekly over the weekend when talking about her past relationship with Ben Simmons. Back in 2018, Tinashe, 26, and Simmons, 23, had a short-lived, 2-month romance. Soon after the break-up, Simmons was spotted out with Kendall Jenner.
Tinashe revealed to TMZ that Ben was texting her the night he was photographed out in the club with Jenner.
The singer said she found about Simmons and Kendall “in real-time,” the same month she and the 76ers player called it quits. She also told reporters at the Roc Nation Brunch that, “it may have been the worst day of my like, but it’s OK.” She admitted that the drama that came with the news left her “really depressed.”
At the time of the whirlwind break-up, Tinashe opened up on Twitter after allegations rose of her stalking Simmons and Jenner, “The fact is, I was in love, and I got hurt.” But now, looking back, the singer is chalking it up to her sensitivity.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
“I drank for six months after that. I was, like, wasted for months. It was terrible, it was bad, but I’m good now,” Tinashe recently added of the incident. “I’m sensitive as hell and have emotions just like everyone else, and I suck and most of this Hollywood s—t.”
Keyshia Cole's Mother Checks Herself Into Rehab!
Two years ago R&B singer Keyshia Cole admitted her mother, Frankie Lons, was abusing drugs again after getting sober
Frankie has decided to turn her life around...
Keyshia announced the news over the weekend, noting that this was the first time it was Frankie's decision to get clean.
Good ForHer!
OWN Cancels ‘Ambitions’ After One Season!
Ambitions will not return for a second season on OWN. Robin Givens, who stars as Stephanie Carlisle Lancaster on the series, revealed the news on Instagram.
“Found out last week #Ambitions wouldn’t be returning for a second season ….,” Givens wrote in a post preceded by a sad emoji.
OWN confirmed the cancellation.
“We’re thankful to Will Packer, Jamey Giddens and the entire cast and crew of Ambitions for their creativity and hard work on the show. Every week they delivered great drama, intrigue and a lot of fun storytelling,” said Tina Perry, OWN president. “We look forward to continue working with Will Packer and his talented team of collaborators in the future.”
‘Power’ Actor Michael Rainey Jr. Reveals That He’s Receiving Death Threats!
When 50 Cent shared two teaser clips of “Power” on Jan. 20, it seemingly caused a whole bunch of drama for the actor Michael Rainey Jr., who plays Tariq on the show.
The clips that 50 released show Tariq being one of the people who shoots his father James “Ghost” St. Patrick, played by Omari Hardwick. The other shows Naturi Naughton, who plays Tariq’s mother, pulling the trigger.
But later the G-Unit rapper, who’s an executive producer on the show, explained that creator Courtney Kemp wanted to create multiple endings in case the true ending got leaked.
Then on Wednesday, Jan. 22, Rainey Jr. took to Instagram and said he received a bunch of direct messages that were anything but friendly.
“Me going through my dms tryna figure out why I have 326 death threat messages 🤨🤨,” he wrote next to a photo of himself looking baffled.
La La Anthony, who played Lakeisha Grant on the show, responded with five facepalm emojis in the comments, while Naughton also posted two facepalm emojis and included two laughing ones on top of that.
A lot of Rainey Jr.’s fans also weighed in, and many said they know exactly why the 19-year-old is getting a bunch of death threats.
“You know why,” one person wrote on Instagram but didn’t provide an answer.
“Just means that you are a great actor,” wrote someone else. “These fools think that you are really Tariq. And yes Tariq should die. Sorry.”
“This is how you know you played a great part in the show bc we HATE YOU ! 😂,” wrote someone else.
“Mr Rainey, you’re doing a fantastic acting job!! Not many of us care for your character,” a third person chimed in.
Plus, another one of the teen’s Instagram followers wrote, “That’s some good acting sir 😂.”
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
‘BANANA CAMO’
This ISH is bananas. B-A-N-A-N-A-S
EGGPLANT NATION: Meet Mario Bear
Meet Mario! You can see more when GO HERE TO SEE THE PICS! And remember they’re NSFW!
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HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!!!
EFREM
