Amber Rose does a Grace Jones

Kanye West on his new blog, recently released a pic of model girlfriend Amber Rose outstretched and semi-nude holding a microphone. The pic, reportedly from an old Complex Magazine photoshoot, is an updated version of a Grace Jones photoshoot. Here are the two images side by side. Tell me, who absolutely kills it?


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Regina King: Hardest working woman in showbiz?

Movie star Regina King is among a small cadre of African-American actresses we've literally seen grow up before our eyes (Janet Jackson and Cookie being among the others) on television.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, it would be easy for King to be "Hollywood," in all senses, but the 39-year-old actress is as cool as a fan.
Any movie of note within the last 15 years, it's a good chance that King has been in it, from "Friday" to "Boyz In the Hood" to "Mighty Joe Young," to "Jerry Maguire", okay, breathe, 3 ..2..1, then "How Stella Got her Groove Back" to "Enemy of the State" to "This Christmas" to "Ray", and the exhaustive list goes on.

King has been married and divorced, mostly recently being linked to actor Brian White. But the latest news is that she is now dating former "Cosby kid" Malcolm Jamal Warner.
Somehow, Theo seems right for her, doesn't he?
And that doesn't even taken into account her extensive career on TV, starting from "227" up to last year's "Southland."
Say what you want about the quality of roles and screentime but one thing is apparent: Sistergirl is most definitely one of the hardest working girls in show business.


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Big and Fine: Full-figured is in

If I changed the lyrics to one of my favorite songs, it'd go: "Dish water blonde, tall and foine".
Of course, blonde is optional, but the point remains: Having a little meat on the bones never hurt nobody.
Of courst the backlash against the skinny little things that model women's clothes have been going on for a while now. "Real shapes" are in, even if what that is needs interpreting. HOwever, the revolution has still not made its way to the open and free inclusion of the full-figured women. You know, the ones that check the "thick' box instead of fat when given the option.
Well, let me tell you, full-figured is in. In a big way.
Blame it on the recession or not, but intelligent men have moved past the stereotypical carbox-thin chicks on each and every magazine and our seeking big girls with big hearts. It's not that looks don't matter, it's just that superficial doesn't matter. And that's a good thing.
So, here's to the beautiful struggle and the love that will result in the end.

Nicki Minaj: Hip-Hop Queen?

Young Money artist Nicki Minaj has nary an album out but is the hottest female in the rap game already?
How could this happen?
How could a lyrical novice with barely two mixtapes and a handful of features be a serious contender for hip-hop queen?
Call it good timing.
The female rap crown has been passed around like a spliff at a concert, with no artist with enough momentum and support to carry fans from one album to the next. Only in the pop and R&B markets have female artists been able to grow their fan base in a very slow and dliberate way.
Nicky's "Beam Me Up Scotty" has endeared her to fans, but it's her association with the hottest name in rap, a lil guy by the name of Dwayne that has mad her into a rap superstar.
Will she be able to turn the popularity she has into actual album sales? Time will tell, but one thing we do know, and that is that fickle fans' wallets are as light as a rock right about now.


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Diahann Carroll: Lioness of film, music, stage

Few people intimately know the historical treasure that is Diahann Carroll, singer, actress, activist, pioneer. Carroll, born in New York City, was the first African American to get their own show on national television. And she didn't play a maid, or subservient character either.
From 1968 to 1970, "Julia" was a groundbreaking comedy in its own right, although the social atmosphere of the time left it exposed to ridicule by the black community because of its lack of a father-figure (Carroll's heroin in the sitcom was widowed), and the show being too lighthearted during a time of social and civic change in America.
In 1974, she was the first African American actress to win a Tony for her part in "No Strings."
Her best role though -- again as a single mother (opposite James Earl Jones) -- was as "Claudine" a film which garnered her an Academy Award nomination for best actress. "Claudine" -- a powerful tale that resisted the blaxploitaton content of the era -- has the distinction of having had one of the baddest soundtracks in the history of black films, with soulful Curtis Mayfield writing the film's score and soundtrack with vocals from the venerable Gladys Knight.
In recent years Carroll has been lured back to the small screen for roles on "Grey's Anatomy" and other small parts.
She is what the entertainment cubs of today -- Rihanna, Kerry Washington, Janet Jackson, Beyonce -- should strive to be, a legend.

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Amazing Grace

When you think of the word androgynous, perhaps your mind harks back to Amber Rose, or even Omahyra Mota, but Grace Jones was the originator.
A musical pioneer in the New Wave/disco genre, Grace Jones was a force to be reckoned with in the 1970s, creating three albums -- Portfolio (1977), Fame (1978), and Muse (1979) --- that singularly defined gay culture in the era of bell bottom pants, huge collars and leather pants.
Grace's style? A splash of glow-in-the-dark colors with a boy haircut sharper than a razor's edge. She created the high-top fade before hip-hop had even cut its embellical cord.
Grace Mendoza was born in Jamaica, the daughter of an Apostolic preacher. She moved to New York and hooked up with avant-garde visual artist wizard Andy Warhol. The crew rolled deep, with coke-snorting celebrities, aristocrats, bohemians and all sorts of pretty hangers-on.
Grace fit in. But then she didn't.
There was no one, nor is there anyone who had style like Grace Jones. Her stylistic and musical kindreds are yet to exist.
So, where is she today? Actually, she's working on new music. Not only does she have two full albums that have yet to see the light of day, despite being recorded in the mid- and late 1990s, but she's still touring in Europe.
You may get to hear digitally remastered mixes of her most famous album's "Portfolio", "Muse", and "Fame" as the trio is set to be released this year.

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Introducing ... the Carolina Chocolate Drops

You'll have to excuse the 'coon' imagery and thick Mississippi Burning-like sensitivity around this this project, for the Carolina Chocolate Drops are not an R-n-B band; nor are they a funk band. Nada on the rock band either.
They are a black jug band, and the only modern day African-American one, too.
Has this been done before? Sure it has -- it's not a comeback by any means -- but, just like all of the great traditions, black folk music, especially in the backwoods, is dying fast.
See, where they're from, parts yonder of the Appalachian foothills, folk music is the equivalent of crunk to Atlanta. It's like Bounce Music to New Orleans.
So, instead of an electric guitar, or even a beat machine. The Drops have a fierce banjo player.
They play to nearly all-white audiences, despite getting major exposure albeit quickly in the Denzel Washington-directed movie "The Great Debaters."
The Carolina Chocolate Drops are Dom Flemon, Rhiannon Giddens and Justin Robinson.
And they will rock you.
Don't call it a cotton-pickin' comeback.

Bebel Gilberto: Bossa Nova Lova

With the recent successful comeback of Sade Abu, I'm reminded of another calm-voiced starlet that has simmered just below superstardom in the States but is part of a musical legacy in Brazil and parts of South American: Bebel Gilberto.
One part Sade, the other part Sheila E., (no Bebel doesn't play drums) Gilberto learned the music business from her father, João Gilberto, who basically created bossa nova. Bebel's mother is an accomplished musician as well, having sung all over the world. But don't get it twisted, Bebel is American, born in New York City and even has the distinction of performing at Carnegie Hall at age 9.
She's got a crisp lineup of beautiful albums, adding to her catalog of laid-back music. My fave, released a few years back, is Tanto Tempo. Oh, yeah, it's in Portuguese.

Ah, Carnival: Mardi for the Party

For much of Latin America it was the season of Carnival and what a party.
What does 'Carnival' mean? Well, there is some dispute by some say it comes from the Latin expression carne vale, which means "farewell to meat," which is what Catholics gave up during the Lent season.
Nowadays, especially in Brazil, it's all about the party.

The Family Deelishis

Admit it, you thought Deelishish, aka, London Charles was just going to be another reality TV skank with a Gucci charm bracelet for a moral compass.
VH1 viewers can't be wrong, can they?
Well, it seems Dee has tasted the real flavor of love, and his name is not William Drayton and he is not wear oversized clocks.
Her new husband, Orlando Gordon, is obviously good for her, and their new baby will be good for everyone. In addition to his child, a 10-year-old, and hers, they will have a little pride of Deelishises running around. And you know what? It's a good look.
But don't think Deelishis is content on being just a homemaker. She still wants to act, she still is working on an album. It's just that baby comes first.
Deelishis has done more with her reality TV fame than most women, that's for sure. In addition to a burgeoning modeling career, she's got a loyal following on radio, co-hosting on Detroit's 102.7, which has included some memorable barbs with other rappers. I say "other rappers," because, yes, Dee is trying to do the mic thing as well.
Who would have thought a Flavor of Love girl would become a renaissance woman?

Buffie the Body unveils 'Bootynomics'

It's a monumental question: Where do washed up strippers go? When the flab is all there is left to grab, what do they do?
Well, Buffie Curruth, aka Buffie "The Body" has effectively entered overtime of her 15 minutes of fame.
She's recently came out with a barebones web site still under construction called "Bootynomics 101". Now, the obvious question is ... what is bootynomics? I can't help you with that one, what I can do though is tell you that evidently gazillions of girls want to know how to get their "hind quarters" Buffiefied.
Buffie will no doubt explain bootynomics to be a mixture of cardio and crunch exercises that bring out the bulb in the back.
Check out some of the inquiries:

All of this is pretty good if you want to be a booty-shaker, (Buffie's past life, ya know). But since she skyrocketed to fame after appearing in Tony Yayo's video, "So Seductive," Buffie has been able to write her ticket, albeit not without some criticism.
But now she's trying to go legit. But the question remains, will Middle America pay for a booty like that?

Does Naomi Campbell still have it?

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Is Tiger Woods insane?

Is Tiger sick?
If you play out some twisted sexual fantasy with one person you may be forgiven for following through on a God-awful judgment. Nobody's perfect so it's not people can beat you up for being perfect. But 10, 11 women? That's not poor judgment that's schizophrenia.
Better yet, that's multiple personality disorder, which is called dissociative identity disorder. At least one high-profile athlete has also come forward with it.
But does Tiger, who admittedly pulled himself together nicely for a dead-on apology, have it? How else to explain behavior that Hugh Hefner would find embarrassing?
People with dissociative identity disorder "display multiple distinct identities or personalities" each with its own pattern of perception, according to Wikipedia.
if you haven't notice, alter egos are big right now among celebrities. Perhaps the pressure from being the world's No. 1 golfer peeled the exterior from Tiger's pysche, creating in effect a new person, someone who could lurk in the shadows, someone who was, by all actions, single.
I'm not saying he's crazy, but I'm just saying.

In other words, people are saying, "Leave Tiger Alone"! and "Please, Leave him alone!"

Rose Cordero: First black model on Vogue in almost a decade

The sisters are taking over: Eighteen-year-old Rose Cordero has landed the coveted cover of the March 2010 cover of French Vogue.
Big deal? Tu che?
Born in the Dominican Republic, like these sisters, Cordero has turned humble roots into superstar status.
What is it with the Dominicans and producing models? Cordero is young but her fierce looks are described in more than one tome as "confident," from many photographers that work with her. She was photographed for Vogue by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott.

what your profile pic says about you

What makes a successful profile pic on a social networking site? You'd be surprised, according to OkCupid, which specializes in such things.
It seems for men that look away from the camera and hold a stoic, unflinching look (better not smile!) are the winners here.
As for women, the pic that flirts with the camera and shows a hint of cleavage wins out. Perhaps that's why women on Twitter who are otherwise "nobodies" can have a million followers with nothing more than a bikini pic? I don't know (it certainly would seem true for the "Myspace Model".)
If the statistics are right, then women want men who are tough-looking, meanies.
And men on the Web want, well, seductive types.
Does this describe you?

Multi-colored hair: Cool?

It is with reasonable trepidation that I ask your opinion on the following: Is multi-colored hair okay?
I mean we all know that a number of factors come to into play when it comes to deciding what hairstyle you should rock: Culture, occupation, image, even head shape.
But is it ever okay to mix the colors of the rainbow into your skull? And if so, which way do you comb something like that?
I mean, would you hire someone who had at least three different pastels in their follicles? I mean, long live the weave but I need to understand the motivation and reasonings behind the current trends of haircare that are circulating out there.
Am I old fashioned? Or is the peacock the "in" thing right now?

Jay-Z said no to 'We Are the World'

Quick-tongued rapper Jay-Z says he turned down the "We Are the World" remake because of a musical disagreement with the producers.
Quincy Jones and Lionel Ritchie personally invited Jay to rock out with the biggest names in music for the biggest cause in his lifetime: Earthquake-stricken Haiti.
Jay declined due to artistic reasons, according to media reports.
We Are the World is like Thriller to me. I don't ever wanna see it touched.

"I'm a fan of music. I know the plight and everything that's going on in Haiti."
Jay says it's not that he wanted to come off as snooty (but he still does). "So I appreciate the efforts and everything, but "We are the World" is untouchable like "Thriller" is untouchable. Some things are just untouchable. It was a valiant effort, but for me, it's gonna be untouchable."
What? I'm sorry I don't agree. The people of Haiti need your help, and you cite reasons based on how good a song is? Com'on son. That's unreasonable.

Can girl groups survive today?

Ever since the estrogen juggernaut known as the Supremes have record execs and managers tried to create that most elusive of musical brands: The successful women's group.
Sure, we've seen megawatt-acts -- TLC, Destiny's Child, Spice Girls -- but we've also seen some trainwrecks -- Envogue, Blaque, anyone? -- and even more prevalently, some trains that have never left the station -- Cheetah Girls, Brownstone, Total, Jade, SWV, etc.
Don't get me wrong: There have been many men's groups -- Dru Hill, B2K anyone? -- that have fallen hard in olden days and recent times, fueled by their unquenchable thirst for drugs, sex, and nowadays, even more drugs.
But it's the girl groups that have showed the most promise.
TLC was the No. 1 selling female group when Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes was killed. Spice Girls were rewriting the musical history books in the UK when they disbanded; Destiny's Child was also the No. 1 selling female group when they disbanded.
Lighting in a bottle?
These women had cases of it.
but what's so hard about creating a group of superhuman female songstresses, you say?
Well, evidently, egos rarely stay in check. The Supremes were derailed by the percieved lioness persona of Mary Wilson (or was it Diana Ross?). Squabbles in groups since then have led record execs to "craft" groups now, rather than have them come to record offices already assembled and humming in unison.

The results, have been disastrous. Danity Kane, formed before our eyes on reality TV, was force-fit together by Diddy and his cronies in an unnatural act that even major love from the fans couldn't stop (The same happened to Diddy's Day 26).
Is it time to stop trying to grow supergroups and let them happen?

Gaga for Barbie?

Just when you thought it was safe to take your little girl back into Toys R Us, they manage to combine the combine the cocaine that is Barbie and Lady Gaga into one substance: Lady BarBa?
These toys modeled after the hottest singer of the moment lend credence to the olf motif: Life imitates art. What's next, Sponge Barb (wait, I. Like. that.)?
Barbie's been kicking butt lately, but the Lady Gaga bit is over the top.
No word yet on if the dolls can bleed on command, VMAs style, or if an assessory Kanye comes with it, complete with Hendog in hand and "greatest of all time" speech (that would be something, wouldn't it?).
The dolls are part of a trend of musicians that toymakers are crafting; some rappers are even being sold with their own jail cells I hear (everybody say ooooh, in auto-tune).

Love Deluxe: Hip-hoppers jones for Sade

It is rare that a songbird from another era and genre is held in such high regard in the hip-hop community as Sade Abu, who just released her long-awaited album "Soldier of Love," to critical acclaim. Whether you think she should allow a rapper to be on her song or not is one thing, but the respect they have for her music is something else.
Interviewed by New York Magazine, peep what some of the top rap artists today had to say about the "Smooth Operator."

Keri Hilson: My Dad would whistle Sade melodies randomly all the time. As a kid, I used to try to whistle along to "Cherish the Day" or "Sweetest Taboo." He was a real Sade fan and made me one, too! We couldn't be in his car even for five minutes without hearing her voice!

Rakim: I grew up on soul music, but when my pops introduced me to Sade just before Diamond Life hit, it was a revelation. That voice and her style just took out even the hardest hood at the knees. "Smooth Operator" may have been a smash for everyone worldwide, but that was my track, and you can catch me referencing what she was trying to get across from Paid in Full up to my new album.

Talib Kweli: My favorite Sade memory is watching her perform Love Deluxe in its entirety at Madison Square Garden. The band (Sweetback) was so tight, and even though she left her spot at the mike only a couple of times, when she did she was so sexy it was magical. I learned a lot about precision that night. There was not a note or move out of place.

Sheree Whitfield: Actress?

Atlanta "Housewives" star Sheree Whitfield has been biten by the acting bug, albiet on the Chitlin Circuit.
She'll star in the Gospel play "Heaven I Need A Hug," written by Dallas, Texas playwright Kendrick D. Young.
The play, which is based loosely on Young's life growing up in a household that included a mother who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, is about a family coping with skeletons in the closet and demons real and imagined.
No word of if Sheree will play a demon (which she has shown talent for) but we think it'll be entertaining. The cast also includes Judy Peterson, from Tyler Perry's, "Madea Goes to Jail," music artist Dave Hollister, and a whole lotta church singin'. I just hope Sheree doesn't start singing. Somehow her with the Holy Ghost just doesn't sound right. And how good can a play based on an R. Kelly song really be, ya know? Don't worry, this too shall pass.

Women with mustaches: Cool?

If you want to be technical about it, all women and men, boys and girls, and yes, babies, have hair above the lips. In the cases of the younger set, it's just so small that you can't see it.
Genes, hereditary factors and other influences make some people's whiskers a little more pronounced.
But is it cool to have hair, right there? I mean kissing would be a bit uncomfortable as would drinking milk (or would it?) I'm sure it's not a new thing but there are many women who are letting their 'staches grow. As long as it doesn't become as thick as a catepillar I don't mind, actually. Besides, it's been documented that people like furry things much more than not. PETA would be proud.

Would you make a better mother than wife?

If you had to choose between mother and wife, then the answer is obvious: New life, a fresh start at molding a human being is the most joyous, rewarding privilege in this world. So great is the duty, than thousands of women each week give birth to children, little people that love and embody their mothers so much.
But does being a good mother automatically mean that you'd be a good wife? Conversely, if a man is a good father does it mean he would be a good husband? Should it? I mean, the skill set is the same as far as dependency and commitment (100%) but oftentimes we fall short in our relationships because we don't give the same benefits to our mates as we do our children.
Some celebrities say they choose to have children and not husbands when they actually are simply giving in to their inclinations to stop trying.
As for the child whom we forgive so much, he/she is just a child you say, and yes, maturity plays a role. But a child is wired to forgive mistakes, yours as much as their own (ever see a baby beat themselves up for falling on the ground?)
We all have a duty to love the people in our lives with everything we've got. That means love and embodiment 100%.

New TV fail: 'I'm Hotter Than My Daughter'

From the apparent biles of lost footage from the "Jenny Jones" show comes a show so vile that Jerry Springer would close his blood-shot eyes.
Do you fight with your mother over guys? Apparently,  even outside the Appalachian Mountains, some people do.
Welcome to "I'm Hotter Than My Mother." The British show, which pits ADD-fueled young women against their flab-stomached mothers, has taken reality TV to new lows.
I mean, how low can we go if "Flavor of Love" starts looking more like Spielberg TV.
Peep the casting call:
Do you and your daughter share clothes? Do people often mistake you for sisters? Or are people amazed to discover your real age? If this sounds like you and you would like the opportunity to have a fun makeover, then please get in touch.
And you thought "Jenny" had gone the way of analog TV. (Word is "I'm Hotter Than my Granddaughter is in pre-production.)

Woman wins $15K in bikini wax From hell

Imagine you wanting a bikini wax in anticipation of several days in the tropics: Sun, fun and yes, all things pleasurable. You reserve an appointment to get your procedure done, which involves simply removing hair around the pelvic region.
Well, one woman got more than they bargained for when the procedure ripped her labia. Yep, her labia. Now, I don't know what that is, but it's GOT to hurt.
According to news reports, she sued for $500,000 claiming damage to her esteem as well as loss of sexual intensity and desire (po thang).
A jury awarded her $15,000 and told her to watch TiVo.

Nneka: Reppin' Africa

In the sea of new music that is on the horizon this winter/spring (Sade, Erykah Badu, Nicki Minaj are all skedded to drop) comes the Afro-beat/hip-hop/soulfulness of Nneka.
Since Lauren Hill is still AWOL we've had a few activist-musicians step into the void, Nigerian-German singer-songwriter Nneka is the freshest face. Her music -- to American ears -- offers a world perspective (with a lens focused on the Niger Delta) on the pillages of the rich class and corruption so familiar to the USA.
Not since a singer named Marley have we had such an innocent, wrenching voice proclaim the injustices of people of color. It is a welcome respite from the barbiefication that is currently enveloping the U.S. music scene.
On the music scene since 2003, Nneka finally got some shine with 2008's "No Longer at Ease," which made some noise in Europe. Now, she's back with "Concrete Jungle," worldwind mix of boom bap, keyboards and conga drums.
While more folksy than Badu but more political than say, a Tracy Chapman, Nneka's album is full of heart, or should I say Heartbeat.
If you want "bling bling" or "get money," then go elsewhere. If you want the truth, then you want Nneka.

Bey, Alicia Keys go Carnival style

Your favorite superwomen, Beyonce and Alicia Keys, got into the Carnival spirit recently with a video shoot in Rio de Janeiro recently. Keys, fresh off a condo buy in New York, has to be glad she's not back in the States after a blizzard came through this past weekend. The Brazil shoot is for the duo's song "Put it in a Love Song," which will be released shortly under Bey's catalog. According to the Associated Press, the Brazil slum where the women were is the same ghetto that Michael Jackson performed his "They Don't Care About Us" video. (cue the crotch-grab and primal yell here).

The Cult of ... Ray J?

It happened sometime a few years ago actually, but it's momentum has been speeding at a frightening pace: Ray j, who's singing career is akin to Tiger Wood's basketball game, is big. Let me repeat that: Ray J, who's acting career is akin to Diddy's rapping skills, is big.
Some can argue that it happened when he got all the publicity of a B-movie superstar when his sex tape with Kim Kardashian was leaked. Others will say his 'consistent, high-level artistry" in music and film have catapulted him to the successful sex symbol (gulp, I know, I know) that he is today.
Smash that, homie.
Ray J is big because he has a timely trifecta working in his favor: A hot VH1 reality show, infamy associated with B-list celebrity sex kittens (Kim K, Lil Kim, and yes, Whitney). Of course, his TV past on "Moesha" didn't hurt him any. Consider this though: Ray J is so hot right now that he is no longer "Brandy's little brother," instead Brandy is "Ray J's older sister."
Need further proof?
"Smashed the homie" is in the American lexicon now.
Thanks, Ray J. We owe you big time.

Faith Evans signs up for reality show

It's no biggie for Faith Evans, the mother of the Notorious one's kids. She just inked a deal for a new reality show on BET, called "It's All About Faith."
Evans, who is prepping a new album after a hiatus from music, said in a statement that the show will focus on her other exploits besides her pipes.
“To be in a place where I have grown from an entertainer to an entrepreneur is truly a blessing,” Faith said. “I am excited to share this incredible experience with my fans and the world."

Faith is just the latest in a number of Biggie-related projects to get their own reality show: Diddy has had a recurring deal with MTV (Making the Band, etc.), Lil Kim did her thing, and now Faith. Lil Cease, where you at?

Kandi, Tiny, Diamond, Toya, Rasheeda, Nivea, & Neffe drop it on stage

Looks like the girls of A-town wanted to take it back to 1988 with a live and upclose version of Sir Mixalot's "Back Got Back". Go, 'Sheeda, Go, 'Sheeda, Go Kandi, Go Kandi, Go Neffe, Go .... just go.

Diddy, J-Lo sex tape?

If things couldn't get any more crazy for Diddy, there is a hint of possibility that there may be a Diddy-Jennifer Lopez sex tape out there somewhere, according to media reports.
J-Lo's ex says he can produce the tape, for a fee. Ojani Noa says that bringing Diddy into the Noa-Lopez catfight can strengthen NOa's argument that Lopez is basically a maneater.
We don't know if it's true, but if it is, then this tape could be as coveted as the unreleased songs Biggie Smalls is rumored to have created. This could be bigger than the mythic Dr. Dre album "Detox," which has been pushed back further than Sherman Hemsley's hair line.
No word on if Marc Anthony will then come out with his own remixed sex tape with J-Lo.

What if the Obamas were ghetto?

Let's be honest: When you first first heard about Barack Obama, you had no idea the substance of the man. You didn't know he had come out of Harvard or Harlem. You didn't know if he was a lawyer or a layman. You didn't know that his wife was a professional executive in Chicago, rather than a stay at home mom with two tween daughters.
Now, when you found out that stuff out, regardless of the man's speaking ability and likeability, did it make a difference?
Because, if it did, what if the Obamas were hood? What if they were ghetto? Would you still support them? Would you still think they are the epitome of easy style?
What if Obama had a baby mama and did a short bid in college? Would it matter?
Now ask yourself, why?

Weave: Why it will never die

People have been all over weave as of late, from Tyra Banks declaring a 'Real Hair Day' to Chris Rock's Good Hair" myopic biopic on lye, stop it. Weave is wonderful, though.
How else can a person with 1-centimeter follicles enter a building and emerge a few hours later with HTB (hair-touch-butt) syndrome?

Sanaa Lathan avoids critics of 'Tin Roof'

American actress Sanaa Lathan, currently enjoying a run in the play "Cat in a Tin Roof" in Europe, is throwing shade to all the theater critics.
Lathan is determined to play her role (Maggie) without the emotional baggage that comes from hearing the naysayers chirp.
"I learned my lesson a long time ago not to read reviews until the run is over because I don't want to get anything in my head about the performance until it's done," according to Contactmusic.
"Sometimes in this business you don't get to use all of your chops. This role is the pinnacle of roles for a woman my age. It's scary, challenging... she goes through a lot of emotions. I couldn't say no to it."
Neither can the critics. At least one has assailed her accent as being "all over the place."
Don't worry, Sanaa, "Tin Roof " is a winner. Let your haters be ya motivators.

Celebrity Style: Photographer Tony Chu

West Coast photography Tony Chu has been putting it down for a long time under the sunny skies of NoCal, but the East Coast has yet to experience the flavor. Allow me to introduce you.

When will PETA pick the wrong one?

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has made no bones about going after people -- big and small -- in their quest to bring awareness to the suffering of animals.
Oftentimes they do it in a public, very obtruse manner, some would say even mean-spirited. Their subjects are usually stuffy old people or unkempt young people who "didn't know" the plight of those pigs, cows, elephants, beavers, etc., that make their way into the American and world marketplace.
But some people, sometimes, don't take well to criticism. Take for instance, singer Kelis, who was recently slammed by PETA for wearing furs.
When Kelis got hit, Kelis hit back.
“There is no humane way to kill anything. It’s unfortunate but it’s part of life. With that being said, I would eat pterodactyl if you found some and you told me it was meaty and delicious. I eat meat, and in fact my mouth salivates as I type the word meat!”
Football player Michael Vick, also on the end of a PETA bodyslam, privately questioned the group's motives when they allededly sent protesters to Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank's home.
PETA has been known to pelt celebrities and government officials with eggs and even throw pies.
Rapper Lil Kim, who raps about oral sex but also brandishing Lugars, has also caught shade from PETA over her furs.
Sooner or later, PETA is going to pick the wrong one, though. Sooner, rather, than later.

Swizz Beats, Alicia Keys buy Lenny Kravitz' loft

It looks like ultra-hot producer Swizz Beats and songstress Alicia Keys are putting down roots together. The somewhat scandal-infused couple bought the former loft of rocker Lenny Kravitz. Kravitz bought and was trying to sell it for $19 milli as far back as 2002, according to media sources. Keys, who is fresh off the release of her new album, "The Element of Freedom," and Beats reportedly paid $400,000 less than the $14.9 million asking price. Swizz's ex, Mashonda, is gonna be so hot.
The place knows scandal as well, both Nicole Kidman and Denzel Washington have lived their (Does the ghost of Tom Cruise's career still haunt the place?).

Phat-a-tat-tat: Inked up is in

The prototypical woman is changing before our eyes. There used to be a certain look that American society dictated women to look like. In most cases, especially in the last 50 years, that look has been European (let's be honest). But now we're seeing a more independent streak in feminine grooming. Women are taking skin art, piercings and ink, to a whole new level.
The cute roses and half-moons used to be in a few years back, but now people are getting whole Bible verses and the like tatted on their muscles. Is this such a thing as too much of a good thing?
These are not your bridesmaid-type chicks, either. There is increasingly a biker-chick vibe going on, a visual toughness.
It's hard to explain. Or maybe it's just hard.