Celebrity Style: Tierra Marie

Tierra Marie is about to blow up the music scene. We said that in 2007, but in 2010, we mean it. She's got some competition, and a few naysayers (but so did J.C.), but we're confident she can make her mark (or be part of a nasty supergroup). Or rock fierce outfits. Either will do.

Best of 09: Rihanna dominated the news

No other celebrity made news like Rihanna in 2009. So what if 80% of it (well, 95%) was about a kid putting his hands on her? They say bad publicity is better than no publicity at all. And if that's true then RiRi totally took over in '09, gracing at least every magazine cover in the world with the most (in)famous image of 2009 (you know the one). Through it all, she even managed to put out a little music and even was declared a disciple of Satan. Not bad for somebody that was on hiatus for 75% of the year.




Bent but not broken, singer tries to shed her recent past




Is Rihanna getting played?




Looks like Rihanna's over it. Are we?


Blonde ambition: RiRi is golden

Best of 09: If all men are dogs, can Barack be trusted?

Tiger Woods. Steve McNair. Eliot Spitzer. Mark Sanford. The list goes on for the drunk-on-fame-and-power men who have cheated on their spouses affair raises the issue of marital infidelity again.
Although it seems Tiger was a straight dog, Sanford's is a bit more complicated.
Sanford didn't just have an affair he lingered with the other woman, dignifying her as someone "special" and a respite from his wife.
"This was a whole lot more than a simple affair, this was a love story," Sanford said. "A forbidden one, a tragic one, but a love story at the end of the day."
Which side of the fence you fall on is crystal-clear for a lot of people, but what if it was Barack?
What if Obama cheated on Michelle, with an "other woman" hussy, or worse, a dear family friend? Would Michelle, the touchy feely one, be any less of a woman for staying there? Would she be able to maintain her "dignity and respect," if she left?

Best of 09: Face Tattoos

Face tats were huge in 2009, with people covering much of the side of their faces with things from stars to animals.
It seemed like people either didn't care about getting a job or just didn't care about anything, but facial ink went mainstream in 2009. While the roots of this craze certainly can be found in the deep jungles of history, it's safe to say that people like Mike Tyson, and (gasp) Deranged, I mean, Danger, helped lead the way this time.


Face tats: Cool or Fool?

Best of 09: Phases of a Relationship

We got mad love for illustrating the 'Phases of Love' in early 2009. Check out the complete phases of a relationship here.

Christina Ricci in Donna Karan short film

Hollywood actress Christina Ricci will star in a short film by fashionista Donna Karan, according to People. The short film, called "Four Play," reportedly features several hang bags and styles from the DK collection, with Ricci starring in different roles. The film comes on the heels of fashion-forward Kanye West's short film, in which he slays his inner demon, directed by Spike Jonze.

Here is Donna Karan's "Four Play"

popwife's Hot Produx for 2009

When it comes to a time of gift-giving we don't see why Christmas is any different from New Years, or Sweetest Day (Detroit, stand up!), or an off day for that matter. A gift is a gift for all seasons. With that in mind here are a few favorite produx that Popwife has featured throughout the year. Enjoy.

The coolest phone. Ever

And by cool we mean that quite literally, as this 'Weather Phone" mimics the temperature so you can really feel what it's saying. If it's foggy outside, you can expect the phone's glass to fog up; if it's rainy expect water droplets between your letters. Izzat cool or what?

Source

The Nipple Bra

Now everything you say will be "on point," if you get our drift. Speaking of drift, people will mistakenly do that as well as think that one has affected you. Oh, I meant draft. Drats!

Knuckle Comb: Give yourself a hand

Ever felt like you needed some protection and all you had was an empty can of Mace on a keychain?
Now, you can literally knock a mofo out and comb your hair at the same time.
The Knuckle Comb, designed by the Kosmos Project, combines elegance with an iron grip for the anticipating woman.
Somebody talking reckless in the movie theater? BOP!
Problem solved.
Hair stylist cut too much off "this time"? BOP!
Problem solved.
So, when are you ordering your Knuckle Comb?

Coocoo for Coco Chanel

When I first caught a whiff of a woman wearing Chanel No. 5, it took me by surprise: She flew by me -- we were passing through a duty-free shop in Toronto -- in such a hurry she didn't even notice she scarf whack me in the face.
Upon further realization, it wasn't the scarf, but the Chanel.
Debuting in 1921, Chanel No. 5 has been dubbed "the world's most legendary frangrance."
It gets its name from French madame Gabrielle "CoCo" Chanel.
Before Chanel, most perfumes were derived from natural oils such as balsam and flower extracts.

LED lashes: Bat an eye (or blinker)

The Korean art-design collective known as SooniPark has come up with a novel way to stand out at the club: LED lashes.
If you want to order some of these, please hit me up via email. Feel free to do it yourself, but you'll need to know some Korean.

The water-resistant iphone: It's (gurgle) great

If you're like me you have your Iphone connected to your hip 25/8. Instead of encouraging a balanced detachment from such electronic devices, the cool folks at
Sanwa have come up with a friggin' waterproof communication apparatus.
Now, while I don't know how much it costs (I don't speak the language), another site says it retails for $32.
Want me to get you one?

Sade's 'Soldier of Love' makes history

It didn't take Nigerian-born singer Sade to shake up the music charts. Her hit single "Soldier of Love," which was released December 8, hit No. 11 on the Urban Hot AC chart, which is the highest debut of the decade and third highest of all time on the chart. "Soldier" also hit No. 1 on the Smooth Jazz Top 20 Countdown. Never has a song with vocals hit No. 1 on the jazz chart. Conclusion: Sade is a bad, bad girl.

Tameka Foster works it out

Former wifey of Usher Raymond knows the importance of keeping those gluts tight. Tameka Foster works it out at her place recently just in case she's got to make a few quick dashes to the bank, to cash those alimony stacks, or not.

Young Money releases long-awaited album

Lil Wayne's first stab at moguldom has arrived in stores as of today. Young Money, the only supergroup in rap, has released its long-awaited album. While the members of Young Money read like a Parliament Funkadelic album, the essentials are that Wayne himself, Nicki Minaj and that mixtape king, Drake, are assembled here for a few verses interspersed with up-and-comers.
Can the public put up with another ensemble piece from a group of rappers who are still trying to find their audience? Record sales will tell.
But the outfit has something for everyone, or everygirl, that's for sure. If you like Barbies, or thugs or clever wordplay or singing, it seems to cover all bases, everything except an old English lady singing in the background.
But will it sell 1 million in the first week? Susan Boyle just did.

With divorce, Matthew knowles' dream starts to fade

In 1980, a sharp-talking Q-Dog from Gadsden, Alabama, married a Texas hottie with Louisiana roots, there was even then a glimmer of promise in the couple. Matthew Knowles was a Fisk graduate and a man-about-town in a small city. Tina Beyincé was a stallion of a woman, with a quiet strength about herself. The couple had their first child within a year, Beyonce, and the second one, Solange, a few years after.
Matthew was seen as a hard working businessman, reportedly earning six figures with IBM. But he had other plans: Nurturing the entertaining talents of his first born and her girlfriends into a powerful singing group.
The young couple almost split early on due to Mathew's singular drive to turn his babies into superstars, but Tina bought into it: She let her husband handle the management end while she began to design clothes for the girls.
In 10 years the girls were superstars, riding the tails of the couple's oldest daughter, Beyonce, while Solange tinkered with a solo project.
After the hard work and tears, Solange got pregnant and had Juelz. Four years later, Bey got married. What would the Matthew and Tina do now?
They had spent the previous 25 years honing, coaching and training their girls for entertainment.
On Nov. 11, 2009, divorce proceedings got under way. In October, a paternity suit was filed against Matthew by Alexsandra Wright, an actress that has starred in a handful of films.
Tina Knowles has reportedly stopped wearing her wedding ring. The Knowles family released a statement last week, saying in apart, ''If anyone is expecting an ugly, messy fight, they will be sadly disappointed.''
Beyonce has flocked to her mother's side to console her, nurture her.

Alicia Keys does GIANT mag

Crucial Keys does Giant magazine this month as the New York singer does the promo jaunt for her new album, featuring 'Empire State of Mind II' and other jams. But really now, when is she gonna speak on Swizz Beats? And the Twitter-airing wifey of his who swears A.Keys is a homewrecker?
Check out Giant mag.

In the Club: So Mannie Distractions

There's always one: One chick in the club that is willing to go all out.

Johanna Jordan 'I Have Nothing' (Whitney Houston)

Celebs tweet their love of Brittany Murphy

Some people are loved, by a lot of people, but don't know it.
Actress Brittany Murphy, who died today at age 32, was clearly one of them.
The news spread quickly around the blogosphere, with updates by the minute, then her peers, the celebrities, took over.
"This is too sad. May God give her loved ones strength," tweeted actress Laura London. Other celebrities simply announced her death. Los Angeles police have opened an investigation into the actress's death, which comes at the end to a sorrowful year when it came to celebrity deaths.
The outpouring of support from celebrities, expressed in traditional news media, and also Twitter, proved that Murphy touched some people.
Many celebs just left a short note, testifying to the bond of friendship they shared with the "8 Mile" actress.

Nene and 'ReRe pose for pics in Detroit

It may be soul-shivering cold in Detroit, but that means nada when there's a fashionable event. Que the Queen O' Soul Aretha Franklin with the dinner gown on. People have been going at the Queen for her weight issues, but think about it: When you're constantly invited to the top soirees across the country and the world, you're prolly not gonna be a size 2. Ask Atlanta Housewife NeNe Leakes, (who's well on her way).

Pinay 'And I' (Ciara)

Before Nicki Minaj, there was Vita

Few new hip-hop heads today have heard of LaVita Raynor, but the rapper better known as Vita, from Murder Inc., used to kill mics and was considered the heiress apparent to the lady rap throne.
The Bermuda beauty had a sibling, Kima, in the Bad Boy group Total.
Like so many of the other artists associated with Irv Gotti this decade (remember Charlie Baltimore?), Vita has fallen off the map.
Vita's long-awaited album, which was due to be released in 2001, has still languished nearly a decade in what's left of Murder Inc.'s decrepit database of beats and rhymes.
When you look at Michael Jordan's greatness, it must be viewed against the people that kept him sharp, his competition. Same is true with the female rap game; when you look at the greatest of a Lil Kim or Foxy Brown, it must be viewed through the competition of female emcees that raised the bar for the them.
Vita raised the bar.

Check out Vita kill the first verse of Ja Rule's "Holla Holla" remix.

Diamonds: No longer a girl's best friend?

Used to be a time when a women could be wooed with traditional gifts i.e. flowers, sweets, or more expensively, diamonds.
These days, as holiday season tapers down a bit, women are going for the same gadgets that have been aimed at the 18-34 male demographic. Women are buying Wiis, PS3s and all the treasures of geekdom.
The stereotype of the husband or boyfriend coiled up in the living room with game cartridges askew (and a few beer bottles laid about) is now being updated with one of a woman being just as obsessive, just as "wired" about gaming and the like.
Welcome to 2010.

Celebrity Style: Moscow on the hood, son

Riri must have been freezing cold in London on Friday. She unveiled one of those Moscow on the Hudson joints. A raccoon family is without a father somewhere. Thanks, RiRi.

A. Keys sings 'Empire State of Mind II' w/ Stephen Colbert

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Alicia Keys - Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor U.S. Speedskating

If you're into WTFreak, then you'll absolutely lose it at the 1:43 mark. And let me just say, Colbert has rythym.

Would hip-hop sully Sade's image?

This month music fans were treated with new music from the sultry sound of the husky-yet-suave vocals of British-Nigerian singer Sade.
The "Smooth Operator" star is back after a decade hiatus that has seen the music industry almost tank. But unlike any other time before her, Sade is entering a music business pock-marked with hip-hop stars that sound like singers and singers that sound like rappers.
The question of features from hot rappers is a real one.
Word is that Drake even pushed his new music back so that he could make a plea to have Sade sing on it. Of course, Lil Wayne can't be far behind him, nor can Gucci Mane. But what would happen if Sade let the rappers gangbang the track?
Would it be magic or a mistake?
In essence, would hip-hop sully or dirty the image and soulfurl sound of the regal Sade?

Vivica Fox mixes her 'Cougar Milk Shake'

Celebrities have always hawked miracle juice. Bruce Jenner had V-8. Tiger had Gatorade (see where that got him?), and now Vivica Fox has "Cougar Crunch Milk Shake". Somehow, we think a milk moustache would be inappropriate.

Barbie-Q: Nicki Minaj puts on pounds as album awaits

When Nicki Minaj first hit the scene a couple of years ago, the hip-hop community was beside themselves at how this "model chick" who looked like she belonged on the cover of a magazine or a video vixen could have rap skills lethal as swords.
While the male-dominated music industry sneered at her she continued to hone her craft, and in August of this year was finally inducted into Young Money, the hottest rap outfit since the 1990s power trio of Bad Boy, Death Row and Suave House.
With the ascension of label mate Drake , Nicki Minaj has seen the pressure rise as her album approaches. What has also risen is her waistline.
Nicki is getting thicki.
Of course, we could say the New York-born rapper is not the size she was when she started, but who is? (Seen E-40 lately?) But it may explain why Nicki has calmed down the sex appeal talk recently in interviews and even, in her latest ryhmes. Don't get me wrong, she's still "Barbie" or whatever she calls herself. But it's just that we now know that she likes her Barbie-Q.

Best of 2009: Worst Model Poses. Ever

Click here for more of worst model poses. Ever

Beyonce Closes Out 'Dream' Decade

If a little girl from Houston, Texas, closed her eyes and dreamt that she could, in 10 short years, pdisband the top-selling girl grou in music history, invent at least one dance craze per album, and have millions of fans -- male and female -- imitate her very essence, then that little girl still wouldn't sum up what Beyonce Giselle Knowles has done in the 00s.
As Bey's place as Top Female Artist of the Decade is considered, what needs no consideration is the fact that from 2000 - 2010 will most definitely be viewed as a time of savage war, depressed economy, and yet, when it comes to entertainment only one woman has shouldered the brunt of the burben: Bey.
Stardom actually came three years before the millennium, in 1998, when Destiny's Child released "No No No", which became the group's first hit. The group replaced members twice, but the centerpiece remained Bey, who who's stirring vocals were undeniable in black R&B at the time.
It was all a dream, but became a "Sweet Dream" in 2008 when Bey married rapper Jay-Z and the two released platinum albums that same year.
|As 2009 comes to a close, Bey is the consummate female artist, combining acting, dancing, singing, even rapping into the Beyonce Experience.
What will she do from 2011 to 2020?

'One Sweet Day' Nick Pitera (Mariah Carey and Boyz 2 Men)

Rihanna Poses for GQ Cover

Your favorite "Good Girl Gone Bad" Rihanna is determined to have the No. 1 album over Chris Brown, even if she's getting help. That is all. #justsayin


Raw image

Shakira joins Comcast - is Beyonce next?

Video on demand. That's the catch phrase today as Colombian music star Shikira signed an exclusive deal with Comcast to present her videos, behind-the-scenes footage and, likely, new music. The deal is meant to give cable television some much-needed leverage in the music publishing business as musicians move their content from CDs and DVDs to digital formats and video.
In a real-world example, it means if you want to see a Shakira video, Comcast has the keys, not MTV, not even the traditional music industry powers. Did we mention Comcast just moved to buy NBC?
Shakira's move comes on the heels of news that Beyonce's camp is negotiating with a Vegas hotel for a string of performances in 2010. But if Shakira is successful on cable, then Beyonce is the next logical step to tap into the lucrative video on demand market, which can be merchandised easier and quicker, instead of live concert performances.
Who will be the next music star to move to cable?

Up Next in 2010: 3-D TV

Nothing sells during the holidays quite like TVs -- big screen, small screen, any screen -- but 2010 will be the Year of the TV is one manufacturer has anything to do with it. LG Electronics, which stakes its claim in telecom innovation, claims it will sell 400,000 big screen televisions in 2010, and all of them will have 3D capabilities. That means football games, commercials, even the evening news and the weatherman will JUMP OUT at you. Also in 2010 it is rumored that marijuana legalization will finally break though. So that would be 3D TV and legal weed across your neighborhood bar scene and everywhere. TV watching just took on a whole 'nother dimension. I don't know about you, but we may need reservations for best couch-potato positions.

Masia One: Not your average lady mic killa

With the state of female emceeing at an all-time low these days, Masia One, hailing from T.O., hopes to bring a little light to the situation. The Filipino rapper wants the U.S. to take her seriously, and she's doing it without showing her flesh or rapping about how ill the nana.
Masia, who has a flow similar to sLadybug Mecca from Digable Planet, is youth-oriented though. She and rapper Eternia are on an Ontario tour to reach 10,000 girls. The "Because I Am A Girl" tour will be televised -- think "Sesame Street" meets "MTV Raps" - the women will be able to reach a wider audience.
Maybe Chi-town, New York, ATL could ask for a visit from the duo? Lord knows, the youngens -- from the little girls that stuff tissue in their shirts to make them look more mature, to the boys who use pencil mascara to draw hair on their lips -- need all the help they can get.
Masia One is the illest. And you can put that on your "sideburns".

Check out Masia One's flow

Amerie's album flops: 'Don't know what happened'

Radio totally ignored her. Industry shows like the Grammys and VMAs didn't even share an ounce of air-time on her. So it's not quite a surprise that Amerie's new album "Love in War" sold a disappointing 12,500 copies in its first week. Then again, who's disappointed? Amerie says “It’s a very weird time. I didn’t worry about it ’cause I felt like it’s not about the first week,” in an interview with Rap-Up.com .
To her detriment, she's stayed out of the news, with no arrests, no boyfriend beat-ups or crotch shots. And it seems to have taken her career off the rails.
The singer seems to think the record label totally bungled the release of her album, although she's not really saying that. Quite. Per se.
“I knew when the album came out, it wasn’t coming out with a big hit ’cause we just went to radio with the ‘Pretty Brown’ (featuring Trey Songz and Lloyd Banks) record two weeks before the album came out, so we already knew it was going to be one of those over time things vs. a first week thing, which is cool.”
But what about the album's first single not even being ready for iTunes? “That was weird. I don’t know what happened with that."
Sorry, Amerie, we know what had happened was ...

The Back to Africa movement: For You?

Spurred on by a dogged economic downturn in the United States, many African-Americans are considering going back to the Motherland: Africa.
But what if white people, fed up with the humiliating heist perpetrated by the U.S. banking system, went with them?
Surely it could be no worse than what the American family is enduring now, right?
There reasons could range from indifference toward the American financial system to a longing to go to a place where there money can buy more.
For African-Americans, the back-to-Africa movement originally became a political force by the musings of activist Marcus Garvey in the early twentieth century. Garvey saw the disillusionment of people of color and organized a platform in which black Americans could aspire to own land and settle in Africa.
Of course, today there is great emphasis on reparations to African-Americans as well. But in Africa, where will we go? Liberia, where many black Americans in fact already moved, and Ghana offer dual citizenship with black Americans to make it easier to settle.
But can we leave?

Mariko and Tommi 'HoustonLantaVegas' (Drake)

Offensive image of Michelle Obama is back

An offensive image of First Lady Michelle Obama is back atop Google images as Dec 10. The image, which morphs Mrs. Obama's picture with that of a monkey, was removed by Google on Nov. 23 after criticism reached the company's Mountain View, Calif., headquarters.
Google issued an apology for the incident, saying, "We apologize if you've had an upsetting experience using Google." The company then went on to say that it would not only take down the image but ban the web site that posted it. "Sometimes our search results can be offensive. We agree."
But is Google over its head this time? Google surely can't keep up with its image inventory, based on the sheer size of the Web's operation. Billions of users can post billions of pictures. If a group of people with an ulterior motive--which is clearly the case here--wants to post insulting pics, Google will not be able to stop them all, and certainly not in a timely fashion.
As for the wife of the leader of the free world, they may have bigger issues.

Real vs. Fake: Can you tell anymore?

Nothing, it seems, is real anymore. Any pic you see on the Internet could be irrefutably changed in some way to enhance it or the opposite. If you're on Twitter or Facebook and you are perusing some "model" picks, you may be in over your head.
Case in point came earlier this year when pictures of the Panamanian women's cricket team were published showing women built like stallions at the Playboy Mansion. Panamanians were horrified but flattered that someone who go through so much trouble to make up a charade (It's not like Panama doesn't have beautiful women), but this was high treason.
Nowadays, can you even be sure who you're talking to on these social networking sites? ("Bill" could be "Evelyn" or worse, "Kim" could be "Johnny").
Incidentally, there is a movement to stop fake avatar pics on social media , but the practice is still rampant.
So next time you're conversing with that fly guy on Facebook or Myspace or Heaven-help-you, be careful of the the photo-editing software.