BET Finally Ready to Premiere Tatyana Ali's 'Buppies'

Tatyana Ali will be getting BET's first exclusively online show this summer. The show, called "Buppies," is about the socialite daughter of a Hollywood celebrity father ("Baldwin Hills"?) who clings to her friends ("Harlem Heights"?) after his death. The show was announced last fall and has survived a torrid pace of revisings and is ready finally, BET says....

10 Questions Inquiring Minds Be Wanting to Know

It's always good to get questions that we have out of the way sometimes. These are few that are bugging me and that I had to purge from my mental Rolodex:(1.) How many of you knew Bad Boy singer Cassie's last name was "Ventura?" (Be honest).(2.) How many of you said "Cassie Who?" when it was revealed she had some nude pics on the Web?(3.) How many of you will...

The 'Black-Jewish' White House: Really?

An extraordinary alliance is being touted in some circles as it's been pointed out that the current makeup of the White House may usher in a long-lasting comraderie between blacks and Jews. The power-pusher has been identified as Mona Sutphen, a half-black, half-Jewish woman. And Obama's mother is Jewish, which makes him half-Jewish as well, some say. And? What...

Will Smith's Ex Starts Shea Butter Business

There are a host of clever business names out there, especially little cute day cares and home-based businesses that play on words and the like. Then there is Sheree Zampino-Fletcher's new shea butter business: Whoop Ash.I didn't make that up, Whoop Ash. Sheree and obviously some ill-meaning soundboards actually thought about this and went ahead with Whoop Ash.The...

Definition of Happiness: 'Resting Place'

I found this definition of happiness on the NY Times this morning. I love it. It is taken from Rousseau’s :“Reveries of a Solitary Walker”If there is a state where the soul can find a resting-place secure enough to establish itself and concentrate its entire being there, with no need to remember the past or reach into the future, where time is nothing to it,...

When is the right time to explain racism to a child?

This story is old hat, but the issue remains current. When your 7-year-old points out the label on your new couch, you know something is wrong."She's very curious and she started reading the labels," Moore explained. "She said, `Mommy, what is nig ... ger brown?' I went over and just couldn't believe my eyes."The labeling on the chocolate-covered sofa set actually...

Michelle Obama likes to get "touchy"

The ever-loving First Lady Michelle Obama is mentioned in the latest Time Magazine that she likes to physically bond with children.She gets "touchy with kids, because I think if I touch them and I hug them, that they'll see that it's real, and then they'll relax and breathe and actually kind of enjoy the time and make use of it," she sai...

29 and with 20 Kids: Somethin' Wrong?

You of course have never heard of Desmond Hatchett, but he makes OctoMom look like Mary Poppins. See, Mr. Hatchett, according to the state of Tennessee, has 20 possibly 21 children. Mr. Hatchett is 29.Other numbers? Eleven mothers, possibly more.The kids range in age from newborn to 11.The big number though, is that Hatchett makes minimum wage in Tennessee.I...

Do Prince and Rihanna Look Alike?

More than a few people have said that in person Prince and RiRi have more than a striking resemblance to each other. Not to me, but to you, do they look alike, or at least like kissing cousin...

Amanda Diva spits "Hot S---t"

This is some ole retro Amanda Diva, the Columbia University-educated rapper **slash** actres...

The Prevalence of the word 'Niggas' on Twitter. Epic Fail or Reality?

I know people say it's a difference between the words "niggas" and the other N-word, but I can't help but feel a certain kind of way to know that people are tweeting about any and everything. The word is being typed into Twitter literally at least 10 times a minute. Constantly. Is that cool, or just a fact of life to be sighed a...

Is this Video Racist?

The beginning segment of a tearful black woman ("they don't want me") is absolutely tear-jerking. As far as the rest of this mess, is it true? embed src="//dimewars.com/flashmedia/secureflvplayer.swf" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" flashvars="file=http://dimewars.com/GetSecureVideo.aspx?BCMEDIAID=fa340d3a-e0fb-4c99-82f4-d51161327685&autostart=false&shuffle=false&linkfromdisplay=true&linktarget=_blank&usefullscreen=true&rotatetime=5&logo=http://www.dimewars.com/MediaShare/dwlogo_embed.png&backcolor=0x000000&frontcolor=0xffffff&lightcolor=0xC10505&streamer=rtmp://ec2-67-202-18-233.compute-1.amazonaws.com/securetoken"...

Face Tats: Cool or Fool?

You've seen them no doubt: People with ear lobes filled with drums or round cookie-like emblems and piercings and the like. Body modification has been around for centuries in tribal society, but it's taking on a whole new life recently in the U.S. Tats are more popular than ever these days. First women started with them on the ankle (a rose), then they moved...

Prince's '21 Nights' PhotoEssay

Word has it that in 2007 Prince and photographer Randee St. Nicholas collaborated on a project that documented the Purple One's 21-night consecutive jam at London's 02 Arena. These are a few of the pics. My question is, does the brotha age at all?!Prince jammin' in London, as he's been known to do for the past 30 years now (whew). Seems like just yesterday I...

Regina Hall: Laughing at Hollyweird

Actress Regina Hall is doing just fine, thank you.Ever since her memorable debut as a stripper named Candy in "The Best Man," the D.C. native has steadily built a following on the small screen ("Ally McBeal") and big screen.While black actors struggle to find roles on television, Hall has successfully made the jump to the big screen, with a slew of projects...

Smiling: A Sign of Being Healthy, Happy

Nobody smiles more, and looks happier in the music world than singer Jill Scott. Even though she's had her share of heartache and pain, I don't know what it is about her smile in particular, but it is absolutely heartwarming. Studies show that smiling is not only healthy, but it makes other people happy.Interesting, people can be having the worst days but when...

Paula Patton: Channeling Her Inner 'Fame'?

Actress Paula Patton aka Mrs. Robin Thicke does her best impression of a "Fame" photoshoot for Esquire Magazin...

Rihanna: The Stage Play (You knew this was coming)

Can the soap opera-like saga we all know as Chrihanna (or Chrianna, depending on what part of the country you're in) translate to the stage? We'll see. But who will play the role of Jay-...

Lamborghini Shoes: Would You Rock These?

For the sports car enthusiasts, nothing says "fast car," like these babys. Would you rock 'e...

100 Days of Fun (With Barack Obama)

Make no mistake about it: The man has been working his tail off. But don't think - for a moment - the Obamas haven't been having a good time.As evidenced by the White House's release, on Flickr no less, of pics of the president's first 100 days in office, the Obamas are having the time of their lives.They've partied with Stevie Wonder, broke bread with Oprah,...

Celebrity Fangs: Chicks That Could Bite Cha

Some celebrities have prominent features that make them all the more recognizable. A great number of them have pretty teeth, but not too many of them have fangs, yes, fangs. These are just a few that, if they ever bit down on you, it'd be curtains.Lauren London is cute, but she also looks like she could easily take a pint of blood with those incisors in her...

Have You Seen The 'New Look'?

If you've been under a rock the past 5 years then you probably have yet to notice the curious stylee that has sweeped across the land.No, not the saggy pants-one-hand-holding-up-the-britches look, but the straight leg, tight pants look that the male species is rocking these days.Kanye West and his crew were recently seen groomed out in the look, which is one-part...

Women Who Pump: Cool or No?

I have a friend that is obsessed with her body. She wants to have the Michelle Obama arms and then some. Recently she's started lifting iron, I mean, pumping it. I told her I don't know about it, but she's intent and says she "feels good now" since she's been eating right and pumping. She also thinks it will make her look (and feel) more attractive. Should I...

They're Stockpiling Diamonds. And No One's Buying

The demand for diamonds has all but dried up worldwide, according to a New York Times story . But that hasn't stopped the Russian-owned company from stockpiling them monthly and putting them in a vault. A woman that handles them says: “I’m not a robot. I sometimes think to myself ‘wow, what a pretty diamond. I would like that one.’ They are all so beautiful.”But...

Ashanti Preps for the Wiz

You know your career is at a crossroads when the announcement that the dog, Toto, the dog, that will play alongside you, is bigger than the initial announcement last week that reported that you sign on to the project.Sigh, Ashanti Douglas.Last week's news that Ashanti signed on to play "The Wiz," must have been too much for Irv Gotti though. The label head of...

Jayne Kennedy: The First Celebrity Sex Tape

With the rash of celebrity sex tapes popping up these days, it is good to remember that Jayne Kennedy was the first celebrity sex tape. Husband Leon Isaac Kennedy (shown in the picture with boxer Muhammad Ali) released the tape after the two had divorced in 1982. While Leon managed to break into black film, it was his wife that catapulted the couple into the...

Kanye West Disses Twitter 'Farce'

On his blog, the Mighty One disses Twitter some good, due to a heinous imposter that has a gazillion followers. Ye says the heads of Twitter know good and well he doesn't have an account. In part, he says: WHY WOULD I USE TWITTER??? I ONLY BLOG 5 PERCENT OF WHAT I'M UP TO IN THE FIRST PLACE. I'M ACTUALLY SLOW DELIVERING CONTENT BECAUSE I'M TOO BUSY ACTUALLY...

Erykah Badu to design art for Kiehl's body lotion

The "Amerikkka"-singing soulstress Erykah Badu has signed on to create art on the label of Kiehl's body lotion as part of "4 socially conscious celebrity influencers" for the skin care company.Can you imagine rubbing on body lotion called "Mama's Gun"? It'd probably smell like sulpher and honey.Bust the ad copy: Rich and creamy—and smelling scrumptiously of...

Just Sayin': Inquiring Minds Be Wanting to Know

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Tyra Banks' Stalker Won't Get Jailtime

While the movie "Obsession" plays nationwide featuring a married couple with a third-wheel woman who gets too close, talk show host Tyra Banks was living the scene in a surreal reality.A judge convicted Brady Green of having an "unhealthy obsession" with the former supermodel and banned the Georgia man from New York City."Put Mr. Green in a location where he...

Will You Buy His Album?

In 1996, this man could do no wrong: cast within a trilogy (he, D'angelo and to a lesser extent Erykah Badu) of earthy-sounding new music (they dubbed it 'Neosoul,' despite the artists' frustrations with the term), the future of the music world seemed so bright. Then, as quickly as it started, the lights began to flicker. Maxwell's two subsequent releases got...

Nick Cannon: Twitter imposter sending Tweets to Mariah

While everybody's talking about how Eminem's blatant lyrics have riled up Mr. Mariah Carey's Hubby ("Not only has his music not evolved, but also homeboy is still obsessed with my wife."), I wonder if this fis a beef that's been in the works for a while now. Nick Cannon just last week revealed that somebody had been using his name on his Twitter account and...

Beyonce: It's Time For A Break

After a month of post-marital bliss, prepping a "Fierce" alter ego and calling out to "Single Ladies," everywhere, Bey needs a timeout. Megastar Beyonce says she's taking a much-needed break. "My priorities are slowly changing," Beyonce said in a recent interview. "After this [summer] tour I might take two years off. I've worked hard enough to be able to...

Fashion Industry Holds onto Michelle Obama. For Life

With the recession-depression hitting the world in the wallet, few industries have been unscathed. One hit particularly hard has been the fashion industry, both in the United States and abroad. But seemingly heaven-sent with chiseled arms on display and a svelte figure born for nice dresses, First Lady Michelle Obama has emerged (fashionably late) single-handedly...

Introducing ... The Man Chair

This, haha, almost, haha, defies explanation. I understand that in Scotland (where men where kilts) this is big. Will you be getting your man a Man Chai...