Melyssa Ford Rips Essence Magazine

Add former video vixen Melyssa Ford to the growing list of Black women growing disenfranchised with Essence Magazine. Once the newsstand’s staple of feminity for women of color, Essence has taken a beating in the court of public opinion in recent months following its decision to hire a White editor to head up the magazine’s fledging Fashion Department.

But for Melyssa, Essence downfall isn’t just a matter of Black/White. The buxom Canadian breaks things down — from her perspective — VIBE: “Right now ‘Essence’ has on the cover, three of the most gorgeous black men ever created on the face of this f—ing Earth. They have Blair Underwood who has always done it for me, Boris Kodjoe whose definition in the dictionary is fine, and then they got Lance Gross-chocolaty loveliness. And you know what they f—ing have the nerve to have as the f—king title of the cover story? “How to Keep Black Men Happy and Faithful.” And faithful! How dare you?! It makes me f—ing sick. [It's like saying] ‘Women take note: How to keep your black men healthy and keep from straying from you ’cause it’s your fault.’ And black women wrote this to their f—ing counterparts.”
Mel’s also pissed the volatile catwalker Naomi Campbell earned a place on Essence’s cover when her ample assets have been getting her snub by editors for years.
“Who was on the cover last month? They were toasting to women above the age of 40, and how beautiful they look, but Naomi’s on the cover? Okay, yes. Granted, Miss Naomi walks a catwalk, and she’s still killing 16-year-old and 20-year-old girls. Yes, but she has serious anger management issues and an overwhelming sense of entitlement, and she is engaged in fucking illegal activity that’s directly related to the blood diamond industry in Africa. And you’re putting her on a pedestal? Is that what you’re doing? But you won’t cover somebody like me because I based the earlier part of my career on my sexuality? My moral compass hasn’t been shifted off too much. My values are pretty good considering the causes that I believe in and places I’ve volunteered my time and given my money to, but you don’t feel the need to ever cover any single part of my career. You don’t even acknowledge that I even fucking exist. But this is what you cover and this is the things you say? I think it’s hypocrisy.”

 

Wyclef Hospitalized

Wyclef Jean, 37, checked into an undisclosed hospital — in an undisclosed city — over the weekend, where he’s “suffering from stress and fatigue based on the grueling eight weeks he’s had,” according to his rep Marian Salzman.
The Grammy-winning former Fugeee has been keeping a low profile since losing his bid for the Haitian presidency. Jean, who was born in Haiti but moved to New York as a child, announced last Tuesday that he was officially abandoning his bid to become president of the impoverished island nation. He actually was barred from running in August by the country’s electoral council because he did not meet the residency requirement that candidates live in Haiti for five consecutive years.
His rep says Clef “plans to take it easy” and will be released from the hospital this week.
 

Drake & Bodyguard Facing Battery Investigation For Attacking Fans



Canadian child star-turned-hip-hopster Drake has lost a pair of fans in Jacksonville, Florida after the rapper and his bodyguard allegedly attacked the autograph seekers at nightclub in the sunny city last Thursday night.

Jeremis Soriano says he and his pal just wanted to say “Hello” to the Grammy-nominated Young Money soldier, who was in The Sunshine State for a concert, when they were swiftly greeted with the cold shoulder and a few punches from Drizzy and the star’s beefy bodyguard.
Do you smell that? Ah — so do we. Lawsuit!
Jacksonville’s Action News has the scoop on what went down next: “Soriano’s lip was busted open after he said Drake’s bodyguard punched him. ‘Before I got to say his name, he hit me in the mouth and I fell back’ he said. Jeremis started to call Drake names when the rapper pushed his friend away. ‘He never put his hands on Drake. He never made a fist toward the security guard for them to hit him that hard,’ said Soriano’s friend. And it continued after both of them were escorted out of the club. ‘Drake went to get on the bus and he flicked me off and said ‘F— You, you are nothing,’ said Soriano’s friend.”
Soriano received six stitches in his mouth and is planning to press battery charges against Drake and the unnamed security guard. He’s also seek compensation for his medical bills. But more than that, Jeremis wants celebrities to understand that their fans are not expendable.
“They are just regular people with a little more money than us…They are the same people that are buying your C.D.’s. You shouldn’t treat us like that.”

 

Fantasia “Back To Me” Tour Dates


Fantasia’s going on tour with a “Real Housewife.”

The troubled former American Idol is hitting the road on her Back to Me Tour, a cross-country trek supporting her new album of the same name. Fanny will be joined by opening acts Eric Benét, three-time Grammy nominee, and Grammy-winning singer/songwriter/producer Kandi Burruss — who just happens to be the star of Bravo’s Real Housewives of Atlanta.
The 30-city road show starts Nov. 4 in Richmond, Va. and will end with Fantasia ringing in 2011 in St. Louis Jan. 1.
“I’m so excited about this tour and having the chance to connect with my fans, the people that love me and have been supporting me through everything,” Fantasia remarked in a press release issued Tuesday. “This tour is going to be a real special, intimate experience for them and for me.”
Fantasia Back To Me Tour Dates:
Nov. 4 – Richmond, VA – Landmark Theater
Nov. 5 – Norfolk, VA – Chrysler Hall
Nov. 6 – Philadelphia, PA – Tower Theatre
Nov. 7 – Baltimore, MD – Meyerhoff Symphony Hall
Nov. 10 – Savannah, GA – Johnny Mercer Theatre
Nov. 11 – Atlanta, GA – Fox Theater
Nov. 12 – Tampa, FL – Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center
Nov. 13 – Jacksonville, FL – Moran Theatre
Nov. 14 – Miami, FL – James L. Knight Center
Nov. 17 – Charlotte, NC – Ovens Auditorium
Nov. 18 – Greensboro, NC – War Memorial Auditorium
Nov. 19 – Columbia, SC – Township Auditorium
Nov. 20 – Birmingham, AL – BJCC Concert Hall
Nov. 24 – Los Angeles, CA – Nokia Theatre L.A. Live
Nov. 26 – San Diego, CA – Copley Symphony Hall
Nov. 27 – Oakland, CA – Paramount Theatre
Dec. 2 – Dallas, TX – Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie
Dec. 3 – Southaven, MS – DeSoto Civic Center
Dec. 4 – New Orleans, LA – Kiefer Uno Lakefront Arena
Dec. 5 – Houston, TX – Reliant Arena
Dec. 8 – Indianapolis, IN – Murat Theatre at Old National Centre
Dec. 9 – Louisville, KY – Louisville Palace Theatre
Dec. 10 – Detroit, MI – Fox Theatre
Dec. 11 – Cincinnati, OH – Procter and Gamble at Aronoff Centre
Dec. 12 – Augusta, GA – Bell Auditorium
Dec. 27 – New York City, NY – Beacon Theatre
Dec. 28 – Washington, D.C. – DAR Constitution Hall
Dec. 29 – Cleveland, OH – State Theatre
Dec. 30 – Chicago, IL – Auditorium Theatre
Jan. 1 – St. Louis, MO – Fox Theatre
For ticket info and a full list of tour dates and cities, visit FantasiaOfficial.com.

 

Beyonce & Tina Knowles Add Temporary Tattoos To House Of Dereon Collection

Beyonce Knowles-Carter is slapping on her designer cap and joining mom Tina Knowles to add a collection of temporary tattoos to the sportswear branch of their House of Dereon fashion line. The ink is based on the tats Beyonce wore in the ads for the brand’s autumn campaign.

On Nov. 1, Dereon and airbrush makeup firm Temptu will release a limited edition collection of both basic and deluxe waterproof, temporary tattoos that last up to five days. All waterproof, the tattoos will be offered in Deréon’s signature fleur icon as well as chains, spider designs, rocker bolts, and jewel baubles.
“We decided to invite Temptu to help us create custom body art for her to model with our fashions,” Tina Knowles, Dereon’s founder, designer and creative director, told Women’s Wear Daily Friday. “The resulting images were so strong that we realized consumers might want to re-create the tattoos themselves.”
According to Tina, the $16-basic kit has eight tattoos and all the pieces needed to affix the designs on your skin. The online-only deluxe kit will retail for $34 and includes a signed photo of Beyonce as well as a chance to win a trip to New York.

 

Mos Def Signs With Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music

Kanye West has expanded his G.O.O.D. Music roster once again, following the addition of the Clipse's Pusha T earlier this month.
In the new issue of XXL, 'Ye discusses his musical relationship with Mos Def, who has become the latest artist on his label's roster.
According to HypeBeast, the mag article reads:
Just as Kanye returned to his roots to scoop up Common, he recently recruited his buddy Brooklyn rapper/singer/actor Mos Def into the G.O.O.D. Music fold. Long regarded as a formidable talent by underground devotees and mainstream fans alike, Mos appeared on "Two Words" (from Kanye's 2005 The College Dropout) and "Drunk and Hot Girls" (from 2007's Graduation).
Since his 1999 solo debut, Black on Both Sides, Mos has increasingly been pushed -- whether by generational choices or self-exile -- to the fringes of indie, alternative hip hop. Maybe it will take Kanye to reign him in.
Mos Def recently appeared on a track in West's G.O.O.D. Friday series on a track called "Lord, Lord, Lord," alongside Swizz Beatz, Raekwon and singer Charlie Wilson.
Def's last album was The Ecstatic, released via indie label Downtown Records in 2009.

 

Paul Wall Hits Fan With Microphone During Show In Texas

The usually happy, cheesing Paul Wall got a little crazy over the weekend during a show in Texas, when he beat a fan in the crowd with his mic.
The Houston rapper was performing onstage at the Low Low Car Show in San Antonio, Texas with Slim Thug, when a fan in the front row flipped him off. It angered Paul, who began thumping him with his mic.
In a video obtained by TMZ, Paul is seen bent over, exchanging words with a fan in front row. Then, outta nowhere, he begins smacking the fan with his mic.
Others onstage quickly pulled Paul Wall away before it got serious, and then, over the mic called for security.
TMZ says the fan was tossed from the show, and as of press time, there's been no police report filed.
Paul's camp has not commented on the incident, nor did he tweet anything related.
Stay tuned...




 

Rick Ross x Nike: Boom Commercial


Apparently, rapper Rick Ross was enlisted by Nike for some sort of commercial, which recently surfaced on Youtube.
In the clip, the Miami rapper visits his local diamond dealer jeweler in the new "Nike: Boom" commercial, which features him strolling into a jewelry store to pick up a new customized piece. With a smile, the man behind the counter slides Ross a box, which he opens and exclaims "Boom!" before cutting to athletes repeating the buzzword.
Then, before the 18-second clip ends, you see a gold, silver, and black diamond-encrusted pendant of Ross wearing a pendant of his face ... followed once again by Ross and his chain shouting "BOOM!"

Featured Model on GLobalhiphopevents.com HersheKiss

(Lilbo561)Tell Me about yourself?

(Sophia)I am a walking,talking work of art. I like to stand out and be different at all times. Never really followed trends, but sometimes the quiet one

(Lilbo561)Where were you born? What city and County you reppin?

(Sophia) I was born and raised in Rockford,third largest city in Illinois right outside of Chicago.

(lilbo561)Where would you like to be in your career five years from now?

(Sophia) I'm more of a business woman. I'll be ready to start my own modeling agency soon and in five years I would wanna work on a magazine for young women.

(Lilbo561)What are your achievements to this date?

(Sophia) I have done a few magazine works in California and runway shows in Chicago.

(Lilbo561)what do you like to do for fun?

(Sophia) I am a very artistic person. I enjoy working on touch-ups and coming up with new hair styles. I also enjoy traveling.

(Lilbo561)What are you most proud of?

(Sophia) I am proud to say I haven't had to sleep with anyone to get what I want! Certified GO GETTER!

(Lilbo561)What are strengths? and What Are your Weakness?

(Sophia) To this date my strengths are my hustling and go getter ways. My weaknesses would include the fact that I would have to work on not being shy sometimes. 

(Lilbo561)What do you enjoy about this industry?

(Sophia) I enjoy meeting new and interesting people,cultures, and ideas. 

(Lilbo561)Give me an example of when you have felt anger? how did you cope  and  you still perform your work.

(Sophia) Once a guy asked me for sex. I understand sex sells so I had to make a deal. LOL. I always continue to perform! 

(Lilbo561)Are you a self starter? Give me and example?

(Sophia) I am definitely a sef starter. I am in the process of starting some new businesses now. 

(Lilbo561)How do feel about working long hard hours/ or Weekends

(Sophia) I am always working.  When I'm not working I am still working!

(Lilbo561)What can you bring to the industry?

(Sophia) The industry NEEDS a new, sexy, exotic chocolate model with a pretty face, smile and big a**. The industry need to see all kinds of different kinds of models, not the same look. Models need to be more intelligent and versatile. 

(Lilbo561)Who  influenced you to model?

(Sophia) Tyra Banks makes the modeling industry seems fun. I love her attitude!

(Lilbo561)What are your lifelong dreams?

(Sophia) I always wanted to start my own magazine for young african american girls teaching them to basically love their self in so many ways. I grew up reading magazines and never saw any kinds like that.

(Lilbo561)how can the Globalhiphop reader get in contact with you?

(Sophia)I love networking so you can find me on the social networks: twitter@HersheKissModel.  Facebook: Sophia Cach'et or if the reader doesn't do social networking: scblake07@yahoo.com #kisses




 

Nicki Minaj Says Lil Wayne Is 'Focused' In Prison

November will be an important month for Nicki Minaj. During that month, the Young Money darling will drop her debut album Pink Friday and celebrate Lil Wayne's release from jail. In an interview with Funkmaster Flex, the Harajuku Barbie spoke about her latest visit with Weezy, the backlash to Will.I.Am's VMA outfit and a recent attempt to scam her fans.
"I went to see [Lil Wayne], like, five days ago," she told the DJ. "I was on Rikers. First of all, his birthday is coming up in a few days. He was just very focused, but he was laughing the same way. He was just making me laugh."
Minaj admitted that she forgot to thank her mentor when she revealed her album title during a live chat with fans. "He said that people were writing him in jail saying, 'We love Thank Me Later and we can't wait for Pink Friday.' So he said he was looking at the letters and was like, 'What the hell is Pink Friday?' " the rapper explained. "I didn't even tell him that [was] my album name and stuff, and he found out in jail by fans writing him letters. So he was like, 'OK, Nick, that's the name of your album,' and we were just having a great conversation."
Nicki then talked about the blowback her VMA performance partner, Will.I.Am, received for his all-black outfit, which included dark makeup.
"You're talking to me. And I live for doing stuff that is super crazy and outside the box, so I loved it," she said. "People are always going to have an opinion. It's like 'Yo, let him do his thing.' I think that Will.I.Am lived on a different planet. You can't expect him to make common folk happy. Common folk ain't never happy with anything. ... They going to pick everything apart."
The Peas frontman wasn't the only guy she spoke about. When asked if she thought teen heartthrob Justin Bieber had a crush on her, she joked, "I think so. I think he had a little jungle fever. You know what I mean? I had to let the young boy know." The two shared a cheek kiss during the 2010 VMAs.
Before Minaj left, she took some time to address a recent controversy surrounding an upcoming concert at Montclair State University in New Jersey. She is being billed as the event's headliner, even though she isn't performing. "I didn't have anything to do with it," she said.
"People are going around pretending that they are able to book me. They're acting like they can sign paperwork and get me to do clubs, but in fact, I've never met these people a day in my life. I don't know who these people are."
Nicki explained that she woke up one day and found fans tweeting about it. "I thought that it was a joke and then I clicked on it and it was dead serious, so I had to shut that down."
For now, the rapper has recruited a legal team to look into the matter and said that she'll post her actual tour dates on her Twitter or official website. "I'm so tired of people getting scammed," she said.

 

Lyfe Jennings Receives Three & A Half Year Prison Sentence: Report

R&B singer Lyfe Jennings is reportedly behind bars, after receiving a three and a half year prison sentence in an Atlanta courtroom on Wednesday (September 22), reports the Seattle Weekly.
The sentence stems from an arrest in 2008 following an altercation the singer had with the mother of his child, kicking down the door of a house in Smyrna, Georgia in an attempt to find Joy Pound and later fired a gun outside.
After police arrived on the scene, they saw a red 2005 Corvette fleeing the scene, and Jennings (real name: Chester J. Jennings) was caught after a high-speed chase that ended when he smashed the vehicle.
Jennings was hit with misdemeanor charges of criminal trespass, discharging a firearm near a public highway and refusal to take a DUI test, in addition to two felony counts of attempting to elude an officer and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
On Tuesday (September 21), Jennings posted a vague message on his Twitter account (@Lyfeonline419) in which he announced that he'd be away from Twitter for a minute ... now we know why.
"This will be my last post. To everyone who gave me a chance I am forever in your debt. I have had a fabulous career because of you. All I can say in parting is that I have been honest with yaw. I didn't sugarcoat a word didn't hold back a single sylible of my life from yaw," Jennings wrote. "I've lived a hundred lives in these 6 yrs so I not only won't, I don't have the right to complain. I would like to think that I've changed lives by changing my own, tho I can't be sure. But one thing I am sure of is God gives and takes away in measure. He is fair, just and forever. Amen from aman... Smile, it's contageous:)"
Going to prison isn't something Lyfe is not familiar with. Before gaining success in 2004 with his platinum-selling debut album, Lyfe 268-192, he was sentenced to 10 years for felony arson. Six years after turning his life around, the singer is incarcerated once again.
He released his latest LP, I Still Believe, in August, which he dubbed his "final" album. The album debuted at no. 6 on the Billboard 200 earlier this month.

 

Court Plays Tapes Of Buju Banton Talking Drug Deals, Tasting Cocaine



Buju Banton was seen shaking his head in court Wednesday after prosecution provided potentially damning evidence of the reggae star discussing drug deals and footage of him tasting cocaine.
As previously reported, Banton  was arrested last December after police say he conspired to buy more than five kilograms of cocaine from an undercover police officer.
According to the Jamaica Observer, Banton, real name Mark Anthony Myrie, was comforted by his lawyer after hearing recordings of his conversations with government informant Alexander Johnson, discussing drug deals and even diamond smuggling from Africa to Europe.
The Observer reports that as tapes were being played, one woman could be seen clutching her head and covering her ears.
By contrast, others listened sat attentively to the conversation between Banton and Johnson, a convicted drug trafficker who has been working with the US Government since 1996 to sink other dealers.
Possibly the most damning evidence of all was a video from December 8. 2009 of Banton tasting cocaine from a knife given to him by his friend Ian Thomas after opening a box containing five kilograms of cocaine during a police sting.
Banton's cohorts Ian Thomas and another man, James Mack, have both agreed to testify against him.
If found guilty he faces life in prison or millions in fines.

 

Jay-Z Meets With Billionaire Warren Buffett, Steven Forbes


Over the past week, the hip-hop world has been talking about Jay-Z's unprecedented meeting of the minds with the second richest man in the world -- Warrn Buffett -- as well as Steve Forbes.
Both titans in their own worlds met recently in Omaha for Forbes magazine's Forbes 400 Summitt, flying in to have lunch at the Hollywood Diner.
According to Forbes, they flew Jay out to meet Buffett to "capture their very different perspectives on success and wealth and to talk about the social obligations that come with each."
Despite being from different, the pair had more in common than anyone would have expected.
In a Q&A published at Forbes.com, Steve Forbes goes back and forth, asking both Jay and Buffett about success in their respective lines of work and how they've been able to maintain it.
Jay says both men have similarities to their keys to success.
"As I was listening to Warren, I could just hear all the similarities and all the things in what he's saying, right? Because if you don't look at the tickers, you're really just searching for the truth within all the numbers and all the chaos," Jay said. "And that's the key to being a recording artist. You're telling your story or finding your truth at the moment."
During the mens' chat, they laughed and discussed several different topics. Buffett even offered some advice to Jay.
"Develop the habits of success. Look around you at the people you admire, and list what makes you admire them compared to someone else," Buffett said to Jay.
"What am I going to say to this guy?" joked Jay when asked to offer some advice to the billionaire.
Read the entire story and Q&A over at Forbes.com.

 






Nicki Minaj Fans Scammed For Fake Montclair State University Concert


When Nicki Minaj fans heard about a concert at Montclair State University, where she was supposed to be performing at, fans began lining up in anticipation.
Fans even began posting twitpics of the line, and the female rapper caught wind of it, and became angry. Why? Because it was a scam by shady promoters trying to make a quick buck off her name.
Nicki took to Twitter to address the fake concert, and promised to handle the situation herself.
"What is this i'm hearing about a MSU [Montclair State University] concert? where and when is this concert supposed to be? i feel so bad 4 ppl who were scammed," the rapper wrote (@NickiMinaj). "I tell u guys all the time, if u don't see me tweet about it, its not real. i'm gonna figure out the bastards behind this MSU scam."
Apparently, the scammers were selling tickets for $40 a pop to non-students. Reports say that Montclair State paid close to $35,000 to the promoter, which Nicki revealed was Romarick Hough of Premiere Talent Agency.
Nicki followed with another few tweets, clearing the air about any upcoming shows fans may have heard about.
"I'm not doing any shows between now and the 22nd of October. When shows r confirmed i'll let u guys know. I'm sorry," Nicki wrote. "Wen i find out the person responsible for this MSU scam i'm putting their name on twitter. scamming college kids? go to hell!"
Nicki's camp says that any shows, and/or confirmed appearances by the rap star would be posted on her official website, MyPinkFriday.com.
Minaj also announced that on October 30, she will play an official show in Trinidad, where was was born and lived until her move to the U.S. at age five.
 

It’s Trouble In Paradise With Romeo


It’s seems there’s trouble in paradise with Romeo and his girl Katelyn Najjar.
Word is he’s heartbroken but felt the need to be single so that he could focus more
 on his career. Pop the hood to see what he had to say…

Are you serious my boy? We can’t tell if Romeo is really love sick or
just seeking attention.

 

Red Carpet Arrivals At 10th Annual BMI Urban Awards






BMI held their 10th annual Urban Awards on September 10th at Hollywood's Pantages Theatre, drawing the likes of Ray J, Rick Ross, Master P and his son Romeo, Jay Sean and more. During the event -- which was hosted Ray J -- BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.) saluted songwriters, producers and music publishers of the most-performed R&B, rap and hip-hop songs.
Here's some photos from the red carpet arrivals:
YG & Tyga Jay Sean Will.i.am Will.i.am Kiely Williams B.o.B Shin Shin (Singer) & Ron Artest P. Miller & Cymphonique Ron Artest Shin Shin (Singer) & Ron Artest Ron Artest (Lakers) & Ray J Jim Jonsin and guest Anthony Hamilton David Banner, Anthony Hamilton David Banner & Rick Ross Rick Ross Teairra Marí DJ Montay DJ Montay & Gorilla Zoe Kevin Rudolf Lloyd David Faustino Romeo Kevin Rudolf Bonnie McKee Pleasure P David Banner & YG Romeo, Cymphonique & P. Miller apl.de.ap (Black Eyed Peas) La La Vasquez J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League Shanell & D.Woods Yung Joc TV Johnny (jeweler) Rick Ross Willi.i.am & Rick Ross TV Johnny (jeweler) BMI President's Award was presented to Will.i.am, in recognition of The Black Eyed Peas co-founder's work as an artist, producer, and humanitarian. The honor is bestowed on an individual who has distinctly and profoundly influenced the entertainment industry.