Tampilkan postingan dengan label gospel artist. Tampilkan semua postingan
Tampilkan postingan dengan label gospel artist. Tampilkan semua postingan

Kamis, 28 Juni 2012

James Fortune Child Abuse Case Pt #2 THE MUGSHOT INCLUDED!


FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER!

The James Fortune Child Abuse Case UPDATE Part #2 MUGSHOT INCLUDED
This is the MUGSHOT of James Fortune back in 2001

You have read my post yesterday about the pending lawsuit against James Fortune and his wife, Cheryl, stemming from child abuse allegations back in 2001. Allegedly, James severely burned his stepson, Cheryl’s biological son, by pushing him into a bathtub of scalding hot water. The child was four at the time. He suffered excruciating burns to a majority of his body, from his waist to his feet and on his hands. Since the time of the incident the boy has undergone numerous skin grafts in an effort to remove the scars. Now, the biological father, Roderick Davenport, is suing the Fortune’s to pay for plastic surgery to fix the disfiguring scars on his son’s body. He’s asking for $5 million to take care of the procedures. 

Davenport says that he is pursuing the lawsuit now because the child is 15 and old enough for the surgeries.
According to Fox News, Davenport says the injuries at the time of the incident looked like his son was burned with fire. In the video below you can see the damage done by the scalding hot water. We warn you that they are graphic, even though some parts are blurred out. Davenport also says he couldn’t believe that someone would do that to a 4 year old. He claims he was informed by doctors that his son was likely held in the scalding hot water in order to receive such severe burns.
In James’ initial call to 911 after the child was burned, he claimed that his son burned himself in the bathtub by messing around and turning the water on hot. The 4 year old spent 63 days at Shriner’s Burn Hospital in Galveston after he was flown there by life flight. Child Protective Services took custody away from Cheryl. After an investigation Davenport was granted custody and Cheryl was given visitation.
“He has had dreams that awake him at night. He remembers the helicopter,” says Davenport. Reports say that in 2003, James Fortune pled guilty to Felony Injury to a Child and was given six years deferred adjudication, however, he denies this report.

James has released a statement regarding the lawsuit earlier this week, and recently released another. 
Here is his second statement:
“Several months ago I received a demand for payment from my stepson’s father for an injury to my stepson that occurred in 2001. In the midst of negotiating a settlement regarding that injury, I was served with a lawsuit and now my wife and I are defending ourselves in civil court. At no time in my life was I convicted of felony injury to a child. Following my step-son’s injury, there was a criminal investigation and all matters were resolved.
Since that time, my family and I, including my stepson, have maintained a continuous loving family environment. Although his father has maintained custody, Cheryl and I have enjoyed continuous uninterrupted open visitations with my step-son since 2001.
We are shocked by this lawsuit but understand people are free to use the court system to pursue matters, whether or not the claims are baseless. We are confident through this process, the ultimate decision maker will render an outcome that is just and fair. We believe in our American justice system and know that once all facts are made transparent justice will prevail in our favor.
This lawsuit is a direct result of our desire to continue the uninterrupted love, commitment and financial support as well as to protect the ongoing well being while enhancing the current living conditions of our son. We have given our stepson who is currently in our care during his summer break continuous support and understand these allegations are a direct result of not only our increased profile and financial viability but an individual’s desire to exploit such.
We intend to vehemently defend our right to protect our family while maintaining the character integrity and trusted core values the Fortune family has been blessed to exemplify.”

Video From MY Fox Houston:


Davenport is suing for five million dollars. He says he filed the suit because now at 15-years-old his son is old enough to get plastic surgery to correct some of the scarring and Davenport says Fortune was not agreeing to pay for those expenses.

Rabu, 27 Juni 2012

BREAKING: Gospel Singer James Fortune, Accused of CHILD ABUSE?!


FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER!

Gospel Singer James Fortune, Wife Respond To Lawsuit For Child Abuse!
Well My God…Bishop Jones shook the earth beneath me..NOW THIS????
Reports began to surface Monday that the gospel singer James Fortune (pictured) was being sued for a reported $5 million for abusing his then-4-year-old stepson back in 2001 and disfiguring him. Fortune pled guilty to the felony charge of injury to a child and received a six-year deferred adjudication. Now the biological Father of the victim, who is now 15 years old, wants Fortune to pay for the plastic surgery that could correct the disfigurements, reports My Fox.
According to the lawsuit, the tragic turn of events began when Fortune picked up his wife Cheryl‘s son from preschool. When the teacher told Fortune that the child misbehaved, he allegedly became infuriated. The man of God reportedly yelled and berated the child for his mischievous behavior, gave him time out, then prepared a scalding bath for him.

The lawsuit, which also names Cheryl, contends that Fortune then demanded that the little boy remove his clothing so that he could “whip the child with a switch.” The man then forcefully submerged the boy in extremely hot water and held him down.
The boy sustained second- and- third-degree burns over 47 percent of his body.
The child’s injuries were so extensive that he had to be flown to two hospitals for treatment. The permanently disfigured child remained at a hospital in Galveston, Texas, for 63 days, where he received various skin grafts for his hands, buttocks, genitals, and legs.
Watch the James Fortune’s child abuse case here:

Now, in response to his reignited scandal, the man who believes his mission is to draw lost souls to Christ has issued a response: 
I recently became aware of a civil suit pending against my wife, Cheryl Fortune, and I, for an incident that occurred in 2001 involving my stepson. There was a criminal investigation and all matters were resolved in 2003. Since that time, my family and I, including my stepson, have continued with family traditions and always have a loving family environment.

We are shocked by this lawsuit but understand people are free to use the court system to pursue claims, whether they contain merit or baseless matters. We are confident through this process, if it proceeds to a judge or jury, the ultimate decision maker will render a decision that is favorable to the circumstances and timing surrounding this situation. We believe in our American justice system and know it will work for us as it has for millions of other Americans.

I love all my children, including my stepson, and I ask for your prayers as we deal with this matter privately. Thank you for your continued support for me, my family, and ministry.*


Fortune is the former Minister of Music for Houston’s mega-church Higher Dimension. Besides being a recording artist, Fortune is a songwriter and producer. He and his group Fiya have received multiple Stellar Awards and are recognized for their songs “I Believe” and “I Trust You.”

And this little nugget came to me from someone in the Houston area. QUOTE ” I know all the parties in this case, the father is a respected educator in the Houston Community and owns a private school. He’s a hard worker and is loved by the students at his school. James Fortune is a selfish SOB who has preyed on people for years because church people are sooo stupid and vulnerable. So let me drop another bomb on you all…James has another mentally disabled child that they keep hidden away because its not a love child…its a rape child. That bastard participated in a gang rape at a church and it was determined by DNA he was the one who fathered the child. I can’t stand him or his fake wife!!! The news media needs to investigate that as well…UNQUOTE!

The question now remains, why isn’t this monster under a jail and why is Cheryl STILL with him??? It seems she's just as WARPED as he is! Somebody say, “WHAT THE HELL?”

Rabu, 20 Juni 2012

PHILLY GOSPEL LEGEND: Gabriel Hardeman Gospel Singer Dies at 68


FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER!

A PHILADELPHIA GOSPEL LEGEND: Gabriel Hardeman Gospel Singer/Composer Dies at 68

Singer-songwriter, Gabriel S. Hardeman, best-known for co-writing R&B star Stephanie Mills’ 1987 #1 hit “I Feel Good All Over” and Teddy Pendergrass’ “Truly Blessed”, died Saturday, June 16 in the Philadelphia area from complications of Interstitial Fibrosis. He was 68 years old. He was diagnosed with the illness in May 2000, but with medication functioned well until 2005 when he started intermittently using a portable oxygen tank. His condition improved after a 2009 single lung transplant at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital but he recently began contacting friends to say that his prognosis was grim and to say goodbye.

Born December13, 1943 in College Park, GA where his father was an African Methodist Episcopal pastor, he kicked off his music career by singing and playing piano at his dad’s church. His parents moved the family up north for better financial opportunities when he was still a youth. They settled in Harrisburg, PA before finally moving to Philadelphia where Hardeman graduated from William Penn High School.
After graduation, he briefly joined the R&B band, the El Dantes, before going off to West Virginia State College as a physical education major. Upon graduation, he worked as a physical education teacher and it’s during that period that The Gabriel Hardeman Delegation was born. “There was a talent show, and I wanted to get some kids together and do some gospel music,” he told Rashod Ollison at Philadelphia Inquirer in 2001. “`Oh Happy Day’ was hot then. I had about 40 kids and the next thing you know, word got around and we had like, 80 kids in the choir.”
They started performing throughout the year but he’d lose his best singers as they graduated from high school, so he decided to create an independent group and named it The Delegation in 1973. “We were doing then what folks like Kirk Franklin are doing now,” he told the Inquirer. “We would go into these conservative churches, and they would tell us we were doing the devil’s music.” The group signed to Savoy Records where they recorded hit albums such as the self-titled LP that featured the radio hit “Feels Like Fire” and earned a Grammy Award nomination.
Hardeman became disenchanted with the politics of the gospel world and retired from recording for a while. However, he and his wife, Annette Hardeman (from the disco era trio, First Choice, best known for “Dr. Love”) began to write songs together. They wrote Stephanie Mills’ #1 R&B hit “I Feel Good All Over,” Mikki Howard’s #2 R&B smash “Love Under New Management” and a “This is the Last Time” and “Truly Blessed” for Teddy Pendergrass. They also did backing vocal sessions for R&B acts such as Patti Labelle, Phil Perry and Phyllis Hyman.
Eventually, the industry demand for them to write more salacious R&B music conflicted with their faith and they devoted themselves to writing and producing gospel music. Aside from writing for gospel acts such as Edwin Hawkins and the Wilmington-Chester Mass Choir, Hardeman recorded his own albums for the Messiah and Birthright labels before making a comeback with the Stellar Award nominated, “To the Chief Musician”, CD in 2001. Hardeman returned to Atlanta in 2003 to take care of his elderly parents and he became a pastor in the Belleview Circuit AME Churches in the city. He returned to Philadelphia in 2008 to take advantage of the better medical facilities in the city.
He is survived by his wife, Annette Hardeman, and their son, Michael. R.I.P!
.ndianapolis Public Schools students participate in anti-bullying programs from kindergarten

Senin, 11 Juni 2012

The Daily Roundup for June 12



FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER!


Chris Brown Denies Threatening Cher, Blames Fake Twitter Account
Twitter won’t let Chris Brown be great. Recently, a fake twitter account was created that sent Breezy’s PR team into over-drive. The fake twitter account, tweeted a not-so-nice message to 66-year-old singer Cher (real name Cherilyn Sarkisian). The message said“That damn GRANNY b*tch CHER needs to keep her mouth SHUTTTT about her opinion against obama !!! smh she needs a beating ***”Ouch, right? Cher fans went into full over-drive, bombarding Chris’ twitter mentions defending her. 

And Chris quickly hoped on twitter, to clarify that the message was not from him. He wrote:


“@Cher if this is your real twitter I would like to say that some of ur fans like @cherarmy1 are spreading false accusations! I have the utmost respect for u as an artist! @cher . 
Just to clear this up!”

Cher quickly responded:
“Thanks Chris,Appreciate The Sentiment!As artist I’m Always Impressed by u!No war!no throw ‘n Shade!Just peace Goin C Pres.2morrow,Am excited (sic).”
Nothing left to see here folks….


Chad Ochocinco Released by New England Patriots
NFL Player Chad Ochocinco is no longer a member of the New England Patriots, according to the NFL Network and ESPN.
Ochocinco took to Twitter Thursday afternoon to thank Patriots fans.
“Thoroughly enjoyed the oppurtunity to play for the “Patriot” organization… fans were f—— wicked awesome, I wish all of you the best…,” Ochocinco tweeted. The Patriots pushed trade conversations with other teams up to near the end of the day’s transaction deadline at 4 p.m. But despite conversations with other teams, there was not enough interest to make a deal.
Ochocinco’s biggest issue in New England was not his ability; it had more to do with his ability to pick up the Patriots playbook, which the veteran wide receiver struggled to do.
Earlier on Thursday, there had been speculation that this was Ochocinco’s last day with the Patriots because the wide receiver left the training facility before the team’s OTA.
However, Ochocinco said later in the day he had not been released and simply was attending an eye doctor’s appointment.
Ochocinco, who was paid almost $6 million last season, earlier this year agreed to restructure his contract for 2012. He lowered his base salary to $925,000 from the $3 million he had been scheduled to earn, thus ensuring himself a roster spot — for the short term.
Meanwhile, Ocho’s reality star fiance, Evelyn Lozada tweeted:
Aww baby you got cut @ochocinco I got your back! I’m the bread winner now, which means I make the rules! #Boom
Cute.


Michelle Williams Lands New Record Deal
Former Destiny’s Child star Michelle Williams is to release her first album in five years after signing a new record deal. The singer has been focusing on building up her acting career with stints on TV and stage since her last musical project in 2008, but she is ready to return to the studio and has announced a new deal with Light Records. Michelle reveals her forthcoming album will be a return to her gospel roots after the pop-inspired, Unexpected. The new release will be Michelle’s first album since leaving Beyonce’s father Mathew Knowles as her manager in 2010.


Lisa Bonet looks far from her 44 years as she joins her elegant daughter Zoe Kravitz on the red-carpet
She may be her mother and 21 years older than her, but Lisa Bonet looked more like her daughter Zoe Kravitz's sister last night.
The Cosby Show star looked nowhere near her 44 years as she attended a Chanel event celebrating designer Karl Lagerfeld’s photo book The Little Black Jacket: Chanel’s Classic Revisited.
Mother and daughter walked the red-carpet and held hands, and it was hard to tell them apart with their striking similar features.
And while Zoe was the epitome of elegance in a Chanel black and white leather strapless dress paired with a super chic new short haircut, mum Lisa went for more grungy attire consisting of a white lace dress, crochet shawl and clunky black men's boots.
Zoe, 23, clearly has had a change of heart regarding her fashion choices.
Only last month the X-Men: First Class actress told Nylon Magazine: 'I feel like everyone thinks that everyone should look the same – clean cut'
'If I go to a party and my hair’s messy and my shirt’s ripped or whatever, it’s like, ‘She’s a crackhead.’ I’m like, ‘Do I have to look like a f—— perfect Barbie doll?’
'The cool thing about fashion is that if you do it right, it’s an art form and it’s a way to express yourself,' Zoe added.
Also going for a grungy vibe at the event like her mother, was Zoe's boyfriend and Gossip Girl actor Penn Badgley, who was sporting a beard and a dirty pair of shoes that were missing the laces.

The pair, who have been dating since July of last year, have been linked to fellow actors in the past, with Penn dating his Gossip Girl co-star Blake Lively and Zoe enjoying a romance with fellow X-Men: First Class actor Michael Fassbender.


Did Tameka Raymond and Jonetta Patton ‘Almost” Come to Blows?
It's no secret that Usher's mother and Usher's ex-wife Tameka Raymond never got along, but did they really come to blows...?
From In Touch Weekly [print edition]
...Usher's mother and best friend, Jonnetta got into a blowup with Tameka over her grandchildren in 2010 claims the insider.
"Tameka began hurling curse words at Jonnetta."
The 55 year-old- grandmother's response?
"She cold-cocked Tameka and knocked her out!"


The Real Miseducation of Lauryn Hill on Paying Taxes
Rapper and actress Lauryn Hill has been charged with failing to file three taxes for three years, Despite earning $1.6M in income from royalties and performances, but busy being mom to 6 kids, Lauryn Hill has been charged with failure to file her taxes for 2005, 2006 and 2007. The charges are directed towards the four companies that Lauryn owns: Creations Music, Boogie Tours, L.H. Productions 2001 and Studio 22. AP News reports:
"According to court documents, in 2005 Hill received a total gross income in excess of $818,000; during 2006, she received $222,000; and in 2007, $761,000. Each of the three tax charges against Hill carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine."
The rap diva, who recently appeared at Summer Jam 2012, is scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael Shipp on June 29 in regards to the charges. Possible consequences? Maximum 1 year in jail or $100,000 fine per charge. Damn homie.


Paris Jackson tells Oprah she didn't understand why father Michael made her wear a mask in public
Her late father Michael Jackson would frequently make his children wear an array of masks in a bid to keep herself and brothers Prince Michael and Prince Michael II out of the prying eye of the paparazzi lens.
Now the King Of Pop's daughter Paris has opened up about the disguises, describing that period of time in her life as being 'confusing.'

But in Oprah's Next Chapter interview, which aired on Sunday on OWN, the 14-year-old also says she now understands what her father's intention was. 'I was really confused,' the teen tells Winfrey.
'I didn't get why I was wearing a mask. But I understand it now – why my dad would want our faces to be covered. When we went out without him we wouldn't be recognized.'
She said that the mask-wearing helped her and her brothers live a childhood, which she describes as 'normal'.
'We had a normal childhood – including trips to the children's arcade and restaurant Chuck E. Cheese's,' she explains to the veteran talk show host.
While Michael was in the public eye from such a young age, Paris says her father wanted his own children to enjoy their youth.
'He told us that when he was younger he didn't really have a childhood,' says Paris.
'He would always be stuck in the studio singing while the kids were out playing. He wanted us to have that.'
'Chuck E. Cheese's and Toys R Us were our favorite places to go.'
Paris opens her heart to chat show queen Winfrey to reveal the pain over her father's death, saying it is still as raw as ever.
In a sneak preview released on the internet, she is also seen explaining how still finds the death of the King of Pop hard to cope with.
Paris addresses the 50-year-old's death in June 2009 due to an overdose of the powerful anesthesia propofol.
His physician Dr. Conrad Murray was sentenced to four years in prison after he was convicted of involuntary manslaughter for administering the drug.
The teenager is also going to talk about her fledgling acting career acting career.
She is already set to star in the upcoming fantasy movie Lundon's Bridge and the Three Keys.
In a recent interview, her aunt Janet Jackson talked about her reservations about her niece's acting career.
She said: 'We've spoken about the fact that you're only a child once.
'I think there's a time for everything, and now is not the time [to act in films].
'I told her I thought she should enjoy being a kid, possibly go to college--or not--but wait till she turns 18.

'She's a very tough, smart girl. But it's a cut-throat industry. I wouldn't want my child to do it.'


Justin Bieber Covers ‘Billboard’ Magazine
Justin Bieber is covering the latest issue of Billboard magazine. With his sophomore LP ‘Believe’ dropping on June 11th, it’s only right that Billboard Magazine chose Justin Bieber.
Justin’s issue of Billboard Magazine is due out June 19th.
The cover quotes Justin as saying, “Everything I do, I do to be the best.” Do you believe the pop star has done just that?-


Gospel Singer Le’Andria Johnson Covers Precious Times Magazine, Talks About Pregnancy
Le’Andria Johnson, Season 3 winner of ‘Sunday’s Best’ and GRAMMY Award recipient, is pregnant with her fourth child, and covers the Spring 2012 Precious Times magazines magazine. I love Le’Andria’s honesty and transparency. While she acknowledges that she does not condone her situation, she believes that she’s pregnant and having her baby for a reason.
She said that a lot of people in the Gospel industry have abortions and sweep it under the rug, but she plans on being the spokesperson for the next woman who comes across a situation like hers. “I’m not condoning it, but I believe we should help one another and support one another.”.
I know a lot of people are wondering about who the father of the baby is. She said that the father is a musician and he said that he would be there for her. It’s his first child, so he is excited. She said that she is not going to get married because she is pregnant, but she will be marrying soon.
Check out part of the interview below:
LJ: I’m the leper to most, but the artists who have contacted me in support are just like me. They realize that we’re not perfect. Many have thanked me for being transparent. I hope that women across this nation will focus on who they are and not what man thinks they are.


New Music: Vashawn Mitchell – Turning Around For Me
VaShawn Mitchell is back with a brand new song for your summer listening pleasure. The inspirational song entitled, Turning Around For Me, will certainly bring comfort to the discouraged. Turning Around For Me is the first single from VaShawn’s forthcoming album, Created4This. 
listen:

The new album is slated to hit stores on August 28th. Recorded live this past April in Chicago, the album features appearances from Fantasia and her mother Diane Barrino; Kierra Sheard; Isreal Houghton; and gospel rapper Da’ T.R.U.T.H.


D. B. Woodside was Glad to See Stacey Dash Go
Here's something you don't see everyday. An unguarded celebrity saying exactly what's on their mind.
When Stacey Dash left VH1 drama Single Ladies it was under a cloud of suspicion that she was being difficult
Single Ladies star D.B. Woodside confirms the rumors and tells Atlanta's V103 that he was glad when Stacey left the show...
D.B. admits,
"I don’t want to cause any trouble, but I, for one, am happy she’s gone. It’s a much better place to be. It’s a much better set. I’m just going to keep it straight. I’m just going to keep it real. I am happy that she’s not there anymore."
"When I first heard that Stacey was leaving, I went out and celebrated and had some drinks."


T.I., Young Jeezy, & Ne-Yo were spotted spending some quality time at Vanquish in Atlanta.
The Fellas was out partying in Atlanta T.I. and Ne-Yo opted for a more relaxed look, Jeezy kept it a lil’ dapper with a crisp white button down and some specs.
Not sure who the blonde is that’s standing close to Jeezy in a few shots, but we’ll discuss the ashy pink lipstick that seems to be taking over you ladies’ lips at a later date.


If given a choice, which one of these guys would you marry, who would you f*ck, and who needs to depart this earth a lil’ sooner than later? Remember that all parties involved must be used once!


VH1 RELEASES The “Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta” SUPER Trailer

VH1 has released the super trailer for "Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta."
Watch:

VH1 is preparing for the "Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta" premiere on Monday, June 18, having released a super trailer for the series. The series will be 10 episodes, featuring Stevie J, a three-time Grammy Award-Winning producer, Stevie’s longtime girlfriend Mimi Faust, Latina rapper named Joseline, Lil Scrappy, his girlfriend Erica Dixon, and his mother, a former hustler known as “Momma Dee.” The show also includes Atlanta rapper Rasheeda, her manager/husband Kirk Frost, songbird K.Michelle, and Trinidadian R&B singer Karlie Redd.


Rumor Has It :Tyra Banks Is Dating Her New 24-Year-Old Top Model Judge
The last time we checked, rumors were swirling that 38-year-old Tyra Banks had bounced back from ending her long-term relationship with banker boyfriend (John Utendahl) and linked up with rapper Drake.
We saw photos of the two “having yogurt” (such an LA ‘thing’) at an amusement park. Both shot down rumors and never addressed their outing together ‘head-on’ per se, but now rumors have linked Tyra to another fair-skinned gentleman. 
Radar Online reports that Tyra has been dating a 24-year-old man named Robert Evans. Who the eff is that? Glad you asked. He’s a British boxer-turned model, and will be a judge on the upcoming America’s Next Top Model season. Allegedly, “witnesses” saw the two lookin’ quite cozy, at a Los Angeles hotel:
“He put his arm around her as they walked to the elevator…He put his arm around her as they walked to the elevator,”

If the rumors are true, would this technically make Tyra a cougar?


Muhammad Ali & Grandson in Louis Vuitton Ad Campaign
Former Heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali and his grandson Curtis Conway,3, are featured in Louis Vuitton’s latest ad campaign:
Print ads featuring the boxing champion will launch June 14, in the latest installment of an ad campaign that has featured Mikhail Gorbachev, soccer great Pelé, musician Keith Richards and, most recently, actress Angelina Jolie, who was shown floating on a Cambodian boat with a Louis Vuitton “Alto” bag at her side.
The ad, which will run in magazines and newspapers in 60 countries, seems to capture Mr. Ali in private reverie. Photographed last month by Annie Leibovitz in his Phoenix backyard, Mr. Ali watches with pleasure as a young boy stands with fists gloved, feet splayed, chest puffed. Though not identified in the ad, the child is his grandson, Curtis Muhammad Conway Jr. A $1,525 Louis Vuitton “Keepall 50″ bag lies by Mr. Ali’s left foot….


Azealia Banks Drops GaGa’s Manager as her own
Sources today are saying that Azealia Banks and her manager Troy Carter, who also looks after Lady Gaga, have ended their partnership.
Announcing the news on Twitter.com, she wrote,
“A whole new set of resources to take advantage of… We’re gonna vamp this up and make it official… No more ghetto mixes and closet recording… I have a budget now!”
Troy Carter issued a statement to Billboard magazine, saying:
“I can confirm that I ended the business relationship with Azealia last month on very amicable terms. She’s incredibly talented and I wish her nothing short of an amazing career.”
Banks had teamed up with Coldplay manager David Holmes. It was even said that the two were involved romantically, but both rumors have been shut down; Banks remains without representation.


Jennifer Hudson Readies Third Studio Album
Jennifer Hudson has been keeping an understandably low profile in the wake of the murder conviction of William Balfour, but the Dreamgirl stepped out in New York Monday night for a charitable cause. On the red carpet at Samsung’s Hope For Children Gala — E! News scored an interview with the Oscar winner, her first interview since the guilty verdict. Jennifer spoke about, the memory of her beloved nephew and gave us some news about her next album. “I’m getting started on my third album this summer, and I have a few films in the works. I’m now just getting back out there and into my rhythm again, so one day at a time.”


More of Bey and Jay in Paris
She's in the City of Lights to support her husband, rapper Jay-Z.
But all eyes were on Beyonce as she left the couple's Paris hotel
The singer, 30, stepped out in a bright yellow short suit paired with a zebra clutch as she joined the hip-hop star for another night on the town.
Jay-Z and Beyonce are in the city with their newborn daughter, Blue Ivy, for the European leg of his Watch the Throne tour with Kanye West.
The hip-hop duo invaded Paris on Friday night but Jay-Z took time from his tour schedule earlier in the week to join Beyonce for dinner at the posh Caviar Kaspia on Wednesday night.

The singer looked polished in leather trousers, a red black tuxedo jacket and sky high pumps, continuing to put a fashionable foot forward during her time in the city..


AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
“Aloha Bro”
Ladies, you usually gotta pay good money for Cinemax or something like that to see that much ass, but I’m starting to think right now you would pay good money to not see that much ass.



PEACE!!!!
EFREM

Kamis, 05 April 2012

Marvin Sapp’s 9th Solo Project ‘I Win’ in Stores Now




Marvin Sapp’s 9th Solo Project ‘I Win’ in Stores Now

First single 'My Testimony' is #5 on Gospel Radio
Marvin Sapp’s highly anticipated new CD & DVD I WIN has been in stores as of Apr 3.
Sapp is on a promotional tour that has included stops in Chicago, Philadelphia, D.C., Atlanta and New York – where he made an appearance at the 14th Street Apple Store. Sapp performed songs from I WIN and was interviewed by Hezekiah Walker during this appearance. On street date, Sapp will appear at Stonecrest Mall in Atlanta.
I WIN is Sapp’s first CD since the passing of his wife MaLinda – who died of colon cancer in 2010 and it is the first live CD recorded outside of Sapp’s Grand Rapids, Michigan, hometown. Still, I WIN is indeed a musical triumph, with 10 brilliant tracks that reinforce Sapp’s sentiment that “because I endured, I won.”
“My Testimony,” which debuted on television during the April 1 broadcast of BET’s Celebration of Gospel, is currently #5 at Gospel radio. “It is a transparent, introspective look at what I came through and how, in the midst of it all, I still maintained and am maintaining my faith,” Sapp says of the single, which he co-wrote with Aaron Lindsey. “We were crying as the lyrics started coming, and that’s why we have the line ‘if you should see me cry’ in the song. The song’ is about me sharing how I got through it, not just that I got through it.” Click Here to see the live performance of “My Testimony” during the recording at Evangel Cathedral
The title track is a soul-stirring ballad that declares “I am an over comer/I know I can conquer anything/with Jesus I am an over comer/I can win…” 
The song was written by newcomers Brittney A. Wright and Joshua A. Lay.
A few new songwriters are showcased on I WIN, because Sapp issued a call via Facebook and Twitter for song submissions. He listened to more than 2,000 songs before finding a few that represented the tone of this CD. “I think part of my assignment is to give unknown writers and opportunity to be heard on a national scale,” says Sapp, who has always given a chance to up and coming songwriters. “My prayer is that their names and work will now become a little more prominent.”

Hailed by The Associated Press as “another victorious album,” I WIN is Marvin Sapp’s 9th solo recording. He first hit the national stage in 1990 as a member of the groundbreaking group Commissioned. The group disbanded around 1996 and Sapp launched his solo career. After a string of Top-Ten radio hits and a considerable following in Gospel music, Sapp saw unprecedented mainstream success in 2007 when a song that started out as a spontaneous moment of worship became a runaway hit at radio. The song, “Never Would Have Made It,” went on to become the #1 most played song of any genre at radio, and was the first Gospel song to sell 1 million ringtones. The rest, as they say, is history.
.

Kamis, 15 Desember 2011

The Daily Roundup for Dec 19

CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER!

YOU!! THE PROTESTER ARE TIME MAGAZINE’S PERSON OF THE YEAR!
'The protester' has been named Time magazine's 'Person of the Year' for 2011.
The selection was announced today on NBC's Today Show.
The magazine cited dissent across the Middle East that spread to Europe and the U.S., and said these protesters are reshaping global politics.
The runner-up for the distinction included Admiral William H. McRaven, who organized the raid that led to Osama bin Laden’s death in May.
Also considered were Chinese conceptual artist Ali Wei Wei, Wisconsin Rep Paul Ryan and Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton.
Movement: From the Arab Spring to Occupy Wall Street, protests have been a major part of 2011, according to Time magazine
An online poll by the Today Show showed overwhelming support for former Apple honcho Steve Jobs and Rep Gabrielle Giffords
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke received the honour in 2009. The 2008 winner was then-President-elect Barack Obama.
Speaking of presidents, they often dominate the outcome, from former President George W. Bush to Jimmy Carter and John F. Kennedy.

ON TIME: THE LAST DECADE OF 'PERSON OF THE YEAR'
2011 - The Protester - Those involved in demonstrations from the Arab Spring to the 'Occupy' movement
2010 - Mark Zuckerberg - Facebook CEO
2009 - Ben Bernanke - Federal Reserve chairman
2008 - Barack Obama - Then-president-elect of the United States
2007 - Vladimir Putin - Then-president of Russia
2006 - You (as a contributor to social media sites like Facebook and YouTube)
2005 - The Good Samaritans (Specifically Bono and Bill and Melinda Gates)
2004 - George W. Bush - Then-president of the United States
2003 - The American Soldier (who was at the time was fighting two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan)
2002 - The Whistleblowers (Specifically Cynthia Cooper of WorldCom, Coleen Rowley of the FBI and Sherron Watkins of Enron)
2001 - Rudolph Giuliani - Then-mayor of New York City


Time's 'Person of the Year' is the person or thing that has most influenced the culture and the news during the past year for good or for ill.
Other previous non-presidential winners have included Bono, Pope John Paul II, and Amazon.com CEO and founder Jeff Bezos.
Controversial winners in the past have ranged from Adolf Hitler in 1938 to Joseph Stalin, who was named Person of the Year in 1939 and 1942.
Adolf Hitler Joseph Stalin
Former U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt is the only 'Person of the Year' to win the title three times.
Time said it is recognizing protesters because they are 'redefining people power' around the world.
Time managing editor Rick Stengel told the Today show; 'There was a lot of consensus among our people. It felt right.'
The 'Person of the Year' mention began in 1927, when the magazine named legendary pilot Charles Lindbergh as the first recipient of the honor



Rick Scott To Florida A&M Protesters: 'I Come From Public Housing' Too….WTF!?!
Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) told hundreds of Florida A&M University students marching at the governor's mansion, protesting his decision to call for the suspension of the president of the state's largest historically black college Thursday that he came "from public housing."
The Florida Courier reported that a student asked a question about educational funding. Scott began, "I come from public housing," to which one student replied, "Not all of us are poor!" The crowd did not allow him to finish.
Scott's official biography mentions that "at times the family struggled financially, and when Rick started public school, they lived in public housing."
Scott called for FAMU President James Ammons to step aside amid several investigations into the death of drum major Robert Champion. He died following a football game in what police say is an incident involving hazing. The governor is responsible for selecting some on the university's board of trustees and most of the people who oversee the state university system. The board voted to publicly reprimand Ammons, but not to suspend him.
At a luncheon with black lawmakers last February, Scott suggested that all black lawmakers grew up poor. "I grew up probably in the same situation as you guys," he said to the group of Democratic lawmakers. "I started school in public housing. My dad had a sixth-grade education." During the luncheon, lawmakers voiced opposition to Scott's plan to end support for two private historically black colleges, according to the St. Petersburg Times.

WOW……Florida has really elected a racist!



Can’t say I’m sad; Kim Jong Il Dead: North Korea Leader Dies
North Korean television announced in a "special broadcast" that its leader Kim Jong Il has died in Pyongyang, the AP reports.
Kim's death was announced Monday from the state capital of Pyongyang. He reportedly suffered a stroke in 2008, but appeared relatively healthy on recent trips around Asia, which were documented by state media.
Reuters adds that the country had begun transferring power to his son, Kim Jong-un, who is believed to be in his late 20s.
Michael Van Poppel tweeted that Kim was given as much first-aid attention as possible, but died at 8:30 a.m. according to the state television report.
The Korean Central News Agency, North Korea's state news agency, paralleled that information. In a statement entitled "Kim Jong Il Passes Away (Urgent)", it noted that he "passed away from great mental and physical strain", passing away at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 17. Additionally, in a separate article entitled 'Medical Analysis of Kim Jong Il's demise', he suffered an "advanced acute myocardial infarction, complicated with a serious heart shock."
The White House released a statement late Sunday evening on reports of Kim's death:
"We are closely monitoring reports that Kim Jong Il is dead. The President has been notified, and we are in close touch with our allies in South Korea and Japan. We remain committed to stability on the Korean peninsula, and to the freedom and security of our allies."

More from the AP:
The communist country's "Dear Leader" -- reputed to have had a taste for cigars, cognac and gourmet cuisine -- was believed to have had diabetes and heart disease.
The news came as North Korea prepared for a hereditary succession. Kim Jong Il inherited power after his father, revered North Korean founder Kim Il Sung, died in 1994. In September 2010, Kim Jong Il unveiled his third son, the twenty-something Kim Jong Un, as his successor, putting him in high-ranking posts.
Kim Jong Il had been groomed for 20 years to lead the communist nation founded by his guerrilla fighter-turned-politician father and built according to the principle of "juche," or self-reliance.
Even with a successor, there had been some fear among North Korean observers of a behind-the-scenes power struggle or nuclear instability upon the elder Kim's death.
Few firm facts are available when it comes to North Korea, one of the most isolated countries in the world, and not much is clear about the man known as the "Dear Leader."
North Korean legend has it that Kim was born on Mount Paekdu, one of Korea's most cherished sites, in 1942, a birth heralded in the heavens by a pair of rainbows and a brilliant new star.

Soviet records, however, indicate he was born in Siberia, in 1941.
Kim Il Sung, who for years fought for independence from Korea's colonial ruler, Japan, from a base in Russia, emerged as a communist leader after returning to Korea in 1945 after Japan was defeated in World War II.
With the peninsula divided between the Soviet-administered north and the U.S.-administered south, Kim rose to power as North Korea's first leader in 1948 while Syngman Rhee became South Korea's first president.
The North invaded the South in 1950, sparking a war that would last three years, kill millions of civilians and leave the peninsula divided by a Demilitarized Zone that today remains one of the world's most heavily fortified.
In the North, Kim Il Sung meshed Stalinist ideology with a cult of personality that encompassed him and his son. Their portraits hang in every building in North Korea and on the lapels of every dutiful North Korean.
Kim Jong Il, a graduate of Pyongyang's Kim Il Sung University, was 33 when his father anointed him his eventual successor.
Even before he took over as leader, there were signs the younger Kim would maintain — and perhaps exceed — his father's hard-line stance.
South Korea has accused Kim of masterminding a 1983 bombing that killed 17 South Korean officials visiting Burma, now known as Myanmar. In 1987, the bombing of a Korean Air Flight killed all 115 people on board; a North Korean agent who confessed to planting the device said Kim ordered the downing of the plane himself.
Kim Jong Il took over after his father died in 1994, eventually taking the posts of chairman of the National Defense Commission, commander of the Korean People's Army and head of the ruling Worker's Party while his father remained as North Korea's "eternal president."
He faithfully carried out his father's policy of "military first," devoting much of the country's scarce resources to its troops — even as his people suffered from a prolonged famine — and built the world's fifth-largest military.
Kim also sought to build up the country's nuclear arms arsenal, which culminated in North Korea's first nuclear test explosion, an underground blast conducted in October 2006. Another test came in 2009.
Alarmed, regional leaders negotiated a disarmament-for-aid pact that the North signed in 2007 and began implementing later that year.
However, the process continues to be stalled, even as diplomats work to restart negotiations.
North Korea, long hampered by sanctions and unable to feed its own people, is desperate for aid. Flooding in the 1990s that destroyed the largely mountainous country's arable land left millions hungry.
Following the famine, the number of North Koreans fleeing the country through China rose dramatically, with many telling tales of hunger, political persecution and rights abuses that officials in Pyongyang emphatically denied.
Kim often blamed the U.S. for his country's troubles and his regime routinely derides Washington-allied South Korea as a "puppet" of the Western superpower.
U.S. President George W. Bush denounced North Korea as a member of an "axis of evil" that also included Iran and Iraq. He later described Kim as a "tyrant" who starved his people so he could build nuclear weapons.
"Look, Kim Jong Il is a dangerous person. He's a man who starves his people. He's got huge concentration camps. And ... there is concern about his capacity to deliver a nuclear weapon," Bush said in 2005.
Kim was an enigmatic leader. But defectors from North Korea describe him as an eloquent and tireless orator, primarily to the military units that form the base of his support.

The world's best glimpse of the man was in 2000, when the liberal South Korean government's conciliatory "sunshine" policy toward the North culminated in the first-ever summit between the two Koreas and followed with unprecedented inter-Korean cooperation.
A second summit was held in 2007 with South Korea's Roh Moo-hyun.
But the thaw in relations drew to a halt in early 2008 when conservative President Lee Myung-bak took office in Seoul pledging to come down hard on communist North Korea.
Disputing accounts that Kim was "peculiar," former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright characterized Kim as intelligent and well-informed, saying the two had wide-ranging discussions during her visits to Pyongyang when Bill Clinton was U.S. president.
"I found him very much on top of his brief," she said.
Kim cut a distinctive, if oft ridiculed, figure. Short and pudgy at 5-foot-3, he wore platform shoes and sported a permed bouffant. His trademark attire of jumpsuits and sunglasses was mocked in such films as "Team America: World Police," a movie populated by puppets that was released in 2004.
Kim was said to have cultivated wide interests, including professional basketball, cars and foreign films. He reportedly produced several North Korean films as well, mostly historical epics with an ideological tinge.

A South Korean film director claimed Kim even kidnapped him and his movie star wife in the late 1970s, spiriting them back to North Korea to make movies for him for a decade before they managed to escape from their North Korean agents during a trip to Austria.
Kim rarely traveled abroad and then only by train because of an alleged fear of flying, once heading all the way by luxury rail car to Moscow, indulging in his taste for fine food along the way.
One account of Kim's lavish lifestyle came from Konstantin Pulikovsky, a former Russian presidential envoy who wrote the book "The Orient Express" about Kim's train trip through Russia in July and August 2001.
Pulikovsky, who accompanied the North Korean leader, said Kim's 16-car private train was stocked with crates of French wine. Live lobsters were delivered in advance to stations.

A Japanese cook later claimed he was Kim's personal sushi chef for a decade, writing that Kim had a wine cellar stocked with 10,000 bottles, and that, in addition to sushi, Kim ate shark's fin soup — a rare delicacy — weekly.
"His banquets often started at midnight and lasted until morning. The longest lasted for four days," the chef, who goes by the pseudonym Kenji Fujimoto, was quoted as saying.
Kim is believed to have curbed his indulgent ways in recent years and looked slimmer in more recent video footage aired by North Korea's state-run broadcaster.
Kim's marital status wasn't clear but he is believed to have married once and had at least three other companions. He had at least three sons with two women, as well as a daughter by a third.
His eldest son, Kim Jong Nam, 38, is believed to have fallen out of favor with his father after he was caught trying to enter Japan on a fake passport in 2001 saying he wanted to visit Disney's Tokyo resort.

His two other sons by another woman, Kim Jong Chul and Kim Jong Un, are in their 20s. Their mother reportedly died several years ago
.

THE President and Family along with some stars come out for “Christmas in Washington”
Christmas is around the corner and everyone’s in the “holiday spirit” including Mr. President Barack Obama and his family. The Obamas as well as other big names such as Jennifer Hudson, Cee Lo Green, and Justin Bieber attended the concert of christmas carols which benefited for the Children’s National Medical Center in the capitol. The event was held at The National Building Museum in Washington, DC.Before the concert, the Obamas greeted patients of the children’s medical center dressed as elves and presented them with a basket of books.He spoke to the children dressed as elves about the story of Jesus’ birth during a short speech to the crowd.He said the story of Jesus Christ has changed the world by teaching basic values such as loving one another, serving the less fortunate and keeping faith.
Obama said: "Those are values that are shared by all faiths. Let us all rededicate ourselves to each other in that spirit."
Here’s a sneak peak of the concert.
Justin Bieber, sang his Christmas hit ‘Mistletoe’.
Cee Lo Green performing
To end the evening, the First family gathered with the performers to sing Hark The Herald Angels Sing.After a moving rendition of ‘Hark! The Herald Angels Sing’.
Malia and her younger sister Sasha, made sure they got a chance to meet Bieber in person as soon as the concert ended.

OHIO WOMAN posted in her Apt Building swimming pool…”WHITES ONLY” Really in 2011??
One would think it'd be a slam-dunk case in 2011, but a landlady who posted a 'White Only' sign by her pool claims she did nothing wrong.
An probe by the Ohio Civil Rights Commission revealed that Jamie Hein put up a sign in May that read 'Public Swimming Pool, White Only.'
Several witnesses confirmed that the sign was posted, but Ms Hein said she did it because a black teen visiting her parents at her duplex used chemicals in her hair that made the water 'cloudy'.
The Ohio Civil Rights Commission found on September 29 that Jamie Hein, who's white, violated the Ohio Civil Rights Act by posting the sign..
The commission said: 'The parents filed a discrimination charge with the commission and moved out of the duplex in the racially diverse city to 'avoid subjecting their family to further humiliating treatment'.
Pool of trouble: Several witnesses confirmed that the 'White Only' sign was posted, and Jamie Hein indicated that she posted it because the girl used chemicals in her hair that would make the pool 'cloudy'
Ms Hein, of Cincinnati, hung up when The Associated Press called her for comment Tuesday. A message was left at her lawyer's office.
The commission's statement said that its investigation concluded that the posting of such a sign 'restricts the social interaction between Caucasians and African-Americans and reinforces discriminatory actions aimed at oppressing people of color.'
Commissioners were scheduled to hear Ms Hein's request for reconsideration at a meeting Thursday in Columbus, commission spokeswoman Brandi Martin said.
If the commissioners uphold their original finding, the case would be referred to the Ohio attorney general's office, which would represent the commission's findings before an administrative law judge, Martin said.
Penalties in the case could include a cease-and-desist order and even punitive damages, but the administrative law judge would determine any penalties, Ms Martin said.
She added that It still would be possible for the parties to reach a settlement before resorting to legal action.
Any decision by the administrative judge could be appealed to Hamilton County Common Pleas Court in Cincinnati, according to Ms Martin.

KANYE AND KIM????
It’s no secret they've been good friends for awhile, but it sounds like things may just be heating up between Kim Kardashian and Kanye West.
Kim and the Kardashian clan (mom Kris, sister Khloe and Scott Disick) attended the rapper's “Watch the Throne” concert at Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA.
Good night Kim: The reality show star tweeted yesterday that 'Last Night Was Kray' referring to a lyric from Watch The Throne
After taking in the show from a raised VIP suite behind center stage, West joined the reality TV family at an after-party - where he "couldn’t keep his hands off Kim," according to a source.
Hugging it out: The pair were said by a source to have been friends 'forever'
“Kanye was eating Kim up like she was a piece of cake. He was all over her — caressing her head, touching her waist,” the NY Daily News insider dished, adding, “I think he was dying to kiss her, but there were too many people in the room."

Jennifer Lopez Buys Boy Toy ‘Casper Smart’ A Bentley??
Post image for Jennifer Lopez Buys Boy Toy ‘Casper Smart’ A Bentley??
Jennifer Lopez and Casper Smart may be getting serious. The singer just gave her backup dancer boyfriend a new Bentley. Damn sounds like J.Lo is a sugar mama, and a cougar. I just think that’s a little to much, and to fast.
What do you think Gumbumpers, is J.Lo moving to fast??

NeNe claims she’s so RICH……But Them Trumps begs to differ!
NeNe Leaks famously described herself as "very rich" in a heated argument with Sheree Whitfield on a recent episode of Real House Wives of Atlanta and punctuated her point with the fact that she was cashing "Trump" checks. While NeNe may be very rich, it isn't because of Donald Trump...
From Wet Paint
Wetpaint Entertainment caught up with Donald Trump, Jr., who appears alongside his father on Celebrity Apprentice, at the Z100 Jingle Ball presented by Aeropostale, asking what exactly he thought NeNe meant when she bragged about her Trump payoff.

“Honestly, I have no idea,”he told us.“All the celebrities on the show play for charity. She received a small appearance fee, sure, but that was it.”
“And as far as I know,”he added,“she’s not involved with any of our other business or corporations. So I’m not sure what she’s talking about.”

So just how much did Nene earn? Well that exact amount is unknown but Piers Morgan, who won the 1st season of the show back in 2008, revealed he and his castmates only received about $25,000 each to do the show. So perhaps that amount has since gone up to $9 million in a span of 3 years!

Monica Talks Mary J. Blige Collaboration
R&B singer Monica recently sat down with BET to talk about her new album and possibly a collaboration with best friend and singer Mary J. Blige. Monica’s new album “New Life” which has been pushed back to February next year will be a treat to fans. The “Until It’s Gone” singer says,
“I have a couple of different people that I really like to work with, I’ve always wanted to work with R. Kelly, I’ve always wanted to work with Mary [J. Blige],” Monica admits. I wanted to save that for last because I think it’s always good when you sit down with artists that you admire and love and play them songs and see if anything touches them.”
“Miss Thang” also did an interview with New Music Director. She talks about inspiration for her new album “New Life,” Brandy, Touring, and more. More surprisingly she talks about two business ventures she’ll be doing, one in which one may shock many.

GOSPEL LEGEND ANDRAÉ CROUCH SUFFERS FROM DYSLEXIA
A ndraé Crouch’s songs have made him a gospel legend. He’s written dozens that he’s made classic hits, while others have been sung by the likes of Elvis Presley – But for Andraé, the songwriting process isn’t actually about writing because of his dyslexia. Andraé Crouch, whose signature songs include “Soon and Very Soon” and “My Tribute (To God Be the Glory),” usually starts off with drawings of how he thinks the song would sound before he begins to write lyrics. From there, he memorizes the images of his drawn characters and sometimes asks his twin sister, Sandra, to help him comprehend a difficult word, so the words do not “look like a bunch of hay stacks.”
“I memorized everything through sight, the shape of the word,” said Andraé, who also pastors at New Christ Memorial Church of God in Christ in San Fernando, Calif., which was founded by his parents. “Some things that I write, you’ll see a page with cartoon pictures or a drawing of a car — like a Ford — or a flag. I still do it on an occasion when a word is strange to me.” Although dyslexia has been a lifelong struggle for Andraé, he thinks it played an integral role in his success. “If I was sharp in every area, I might be too big headed or something,” he said in a recent interview.

Since he debuted in 1960, Andraé has collected eight Grammys. He also helped pioneer the burgeoning “Jesus Music” movement from the late 1960s and ’70s that initiated the spread of contemporary Christian music. He and his choir The Disciples have sung background for Madonna’s song “Like a Prayer” and he went on to arrange music for the 1985 film “The Color Purple” and the Disney’s “The Lion King” in 1994.
The 69-year-old Andraé recently released his 18th solo album, “The Journey,” featuring Chaka Khan, Shelia E., Take 6, Kim Burrell and Marvin Winans. It’s his first release since his 2006 album, “Mighty Wind,” which won a Dove Award for traditional gospel album of the year. Last week, “The Journey” received a Grammy nomination for best gospel album. 

On his latest album, Andraé still uses the same formula that led him to create “I’ve Got Confidence,” which was later performed by Presley. When he helped Michael Jackson arrange the King of Pop’s 1987 hit song, “Man in the Mirror,” he drew a mirror with an image inside to fully grasp the concept of the song. He used this technique many times; he’d be in the studio, and no one knew about his condition or his method of crafting lyrics. “I would be thinking in the back of my mind, ‘If they only knew,’” said he with a chuckle.
“Sometimes when God brings things into an individuals’ life, it makes them totally depend on him,” said Andraé, who is one of five gospel singers to have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, joining Mahalia Jackson, Rev. James Cleveland and recent inductees Bebe & Cece Winans. “So when I finish a song, I thank God for bringing me through,” he continued. “You have to press on and know your calling. That’s what I’ve been doing for all my life. I just went forward.”

Like Andraé, there are many other popular figures affected by dyslexia, including Ozzy Osbourne and Tom Cruise.

FOXY Black Sista Barbie Doll Just In Time For The Holidays

For Black women all around the world seeking a doll that is a reflection of themselves....Barbie put down the products and went NATURAL! At least a group has made sure she did. Here a interesting Christmas gift you never expected.....a black Barbie doll with an afro!
Sure, Barbie has had "black" friends in the past, but they were usually on that creamy crack. This Barbie is rocking a natural 'fro, thanks to a group of creative folks. They’ve remixed the dolls’ manufactured hair into natural styles using pipe cleaners, end papers, and boiling water.
The doll is the result of efforts by an African-American natural hair group who plan to distribute the Barbies to young girls at Booker T. Washington apartments in Columbus, GA for the holidays. The
This is a fab initiative and I think it should be done with ALL women to spread the message that there is more than one type of beauty.

A Pissed Pippen is Suing the Media Because of Bankrupty Reports
Scottie Pippen, according to TMZ, has filed multiple lawsuits against the media for supposedly unfairly portraying him as a financial mess. So every outlet, including CBSsports.com and CNBC.com, that reported he went bankrupt is going to pay.
The former athlete claims he hasn’t been worth less than $40,000,000 in the last 10 years, if you can believe that.
Pippen filed the suit in Illinois and claims that the named media outlets committed “foul libel” and falsely accused him of being bankrupt.
“Scottie never filed bankruptcy and indeed has a substantial net worth, which has not been less than approximately $40,000,000 in the last ten years.”
In a CNBC.com article, the athlete is featured as on of 15 athletes gone bankrupt.
Arizona State University’s publication was sited in the lawsuit as well. He claims that he was tagged as a person who had gone bankrupt in a law blog operated by the school.
For this “false” information and defamation of his reputation, Pippen is asking for at least $1 million in damages.

Report: Madonna Inks Deal with Interscope
As she continues to move toward the release of her new album, it's being told that Madonna has signed a deal with Interscope Records.
The New York Post first reported that the “Hung Up” songstress signed with the American record label which is behind the success of other stars like Lady Gaga and Eminen.
Madonna will reportedly work on three records for $1 million each, but reps for both the Material Girl and Interscope have not been able to be reached.
Madonna is expected to drop her highly anticipated album this spring and in February, she'll not only release her film "W.E.," but she's also set to take the stage during the Super Bowl halftime show.

The Stars come out for The Armani Screening Of "Albert Nobbs"
Giorgio Armani & Cinema Society hosted a screening of the Rodrigo García-directed film Albert Nobbs starring Glenn Close. The screening was held at the Museum of Modern Art with an afterparty at Armani Ristorante.
Zoe Kravtiz looked nice in a simple brown skirt and white top.
Looked a bit unfinished, but that's look she loves to go for apparently.
Viola Davis looked fab in white, wearing a smart suit and stunning overcoat.
Angela Bassett wore a cutesy black and white dress.
Gabby Sidibe also stuck with the black/white theme.
Taraji P. Henson stood out as the lady in red at the swanky event in this fab red gown. We also love the purse and bangles for a pop of more color.
Nice!

Amber Rose Quits Smoking, Talks Music Career
Wiz Khalifa’s girlfriend and Kanye’s ex Amber Rose says “she always knew fame was in her hand if she played her cards right.”
The beautiful blonde is featured on StyleCaster.com and is showing off a more softer side than normal.
She chops it up with them admitting that back in Philly her friends were thinking about who they would get pregnant by and she was thinking about how she was gonna take over L.A.
She also said that she’s completely serious about her music career, serious to the point where she has stopped smoking cigarettes to save her voice.
Picture 11Picture 5Picture 10Picture 9
When asked about being famous
“I always knew what I wanted. I remember hanging out with one of my girls [in Philly] when we were younger and talking about what we wanted to be when we grew up. She was like, ‘I want to get with so-and-so and have lots of babies,’ and I said ‘Well, I’m going to L.A. and I’m going to be famous.’ She just looked at me and told me I was trippin’.”

When Talking About Her Music
I showed Wiz some things I’d written down and he really encouraged me to pursue it. I’m taking this really seriously – I even quit smoking just so I could improve my voice. I already know when the first single drops the haters will have their own opinions, but my fans (almost 900,000 strong on Twitter who she refers to as her “rosebuds” and “rosestuds”) will be there for me.”

Well we’ll know how much of a singler she in due time…But the pics are HOT!

Is This The REAL Reason Sheree Whitfield Isn’t Getting Child Support?
As you know, The Real Housewives of Atlanta has heated up this season and the hotspot is mostly the child support case against Sheree Whitfield and her ex-husband retired NFL baller Bob Whitfield.
Bravo basically gave Sheree her own episode of the show, revealing much about her and her spending habits. Sheree showed up at Phaedra Parks‘ house in a brand new Porsche, while cameras revealed she didn’t even have furniture in her 2 bedroom apartment.
Phaedra had a bit of trouble obtaining her funds from Sheree, but ended up representing her in court while Bob appeared sitting alone as his own attorney.

He watched and gave his two cents about the episode during a phone call the other day….
The child support case is still pending and y’all can call me whatchu want, but I am NOT a snitch. But since the information has “leaked” online… well ummmm all bets are off!
While watching this season of The Real Housewives Of Atlanta, we were CONFUSED. Folks was consistently CONFUSED .. . as to WHY Sheree isn’t getting ANY child support. And we were even more CONFUSED as to why Sheree DIDN’T ALLOW Phaedra to enforce the Child Support ORDER against her ex-husband BOB WHITFEILD . . . and have his AZZ THROWN IN JAIL.
Well, we did some research, and uncovered some SHOCKING documents. We found a LEGAL PROCEEDING from two years ago, which shows that Sheree attempted to DEFRAUD her ex-husband out of their mansion.
Here’s what happened. When Sheree and Bob got divorced, the court ordered them to SELL the house, split the proceeds. And for Bob to give Sheree $425K in additional cash.
The way it was supposed to work is that Bob would pay her $25K up front, and the other $400K once they sold the house. Well Sheree TRICKED Bob, and asked him if he could give her the $400K early, so that she could get a home for their children.
And after Bob gave her the money, Sheree filed MULTIPLE lawsuits, and refused to leave the house or pay the mortgage. Eventually the bank foreclosed on the house, and Bob lost ALL the equity he had in the home.
SOOOOO . . . . according to the docs, the court ADMONISHED Sheree for her behavior. And it suggested that she may OWE Bob a ton of money, for F*CKING up his equity in the house.
And we’d bet that if she tried to get the money for her CHILD SUPPORT from Bob, he’d COUNTER-SUE her and she’d have to pay him the money she SCAMMED from him first. (source)
View all the court documents below. Courtesy of Media TakeOut
At the end of the day, the center of it all is the kids. And in case you’re still inquiring about Sheree and Bob’s kids Kairo and Kaleigh – Bob Whitfield Wants You To Know… “The Whitfield’s are straight… they straight!”
How do you feel about these shocking new developments?

Paris Jackson; The Mask we wore were stupid!
Growing up fast: Paris Jackson discussed her late father Michael's decision to make her siblings wear masks on The Ellen DeGeneres Show Embracing fame: The teenager wants to become an actress
The weird and wacky world of showbiz wouldn't be the same without the frequent eccentricities.
But even Paris Jackson has confessed she initially thought wearing masks in public was 'stupid'.
Her father Michael Jackson would frequently cover his children's faces, in a bid to keep Prince Michael, 14, Paris, 13, and nine-year-old Prince Michael II out of the prying eye of the paparazzi lens.
Growing up fast: Paris Jackson discussed her late father Michael's decision to make her siblings wear masks on The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Despite ridiculing the myriad of disguises on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, the teenager revealed she understood why the King Of Pop had concealed his brood.
Speaking of her early years, Paris said: 'I'm like, "This is stupid, why am I wearing a mask?" But I kind of realised the older I got, he only tried to protect us and he'd explain that to us too.'
'Normal': Paris said she had a chance to be ordinary when she joined The Buckley School
It seems protecting their identity from the public had the desired effect though, and when Paris arrived at The Buckley School - no one knew who she was.
'Normal': Paris said she had a chance to be ordinary when she joined The Buckley School
She said: 'I do have a regular childhood. I mean, I'm treated the same. When I came to (my new school) they didn't know who I was. I was like, "Yes, I have a chance to be normal."'
Yet now the rising star is chasing fame and recognition by landing her debut role in a film series.
Jackson will play the heroine in fantasy picture Lundon's Bridge And The Three Keys, based on the young adult series by novelist Dennis H. Christen.
Protecting their identity: Michael Jackson would frequently cover his children's faces, as seen here during a trip to London's Madame Tussauds in 2005
Protecting their identity: Michael Jackson would frequently cover his children's faces, as seen here during a trip to London's Madame Tussauds in 2005'Stupid': Paris on a shopping trip with her father and two siblings in 2009
She added: 'My dad was in the movie Moonwalker and I knew he could sing really well but I didn't know he could act.
'I saw that and I said, "Wow, I want to be just like him." I was little. I was younger than Blanket (their nickname for sibling Prince Michael II).'
Paris added: 'We would do improvisation together. He would give us little scenarios. He would say, "OK, in this scene, you're going to cry," and I would cry on the spot.'
Loves this girl. I think she’ll be ine. Too bad Michael did not see this!

TASHA SMITH COVERS BE ENTERTAINED MAGAZINE
Actress Tasha Smith continues to make waves as she reveals her cover for BE Entertained Magazine’s 2011 Winter Print Issue. In the issue Tasha discusses her love for husband, meeting & working with Tyler Perry. Tasha also talks about her new show “For Better or Worse” and how it’s been working with that amazing cast. People will be surprise how different she is from her fast-talking sassy characters, “I’m really a homebody, my friends always joke with me because they think I’m the one that’s gonna shut down the party, but I’m usually the one at home in bed by 10

And finally from “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
“7 Days ‘Til Christmas!”

Some people don’t have chimneys so she is just showing Santa the backdoor…

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!
EFREM