Beyonce's "Drunk in Love" Track Goes Vintage

Had to post one of the coolest renditions of singer Beyonce's, "Drunk in Love" track performed by 'Vintage Big Band' featuring Cristina Gatti. 

2014 LA

Women Empowerment on the Queen Latifah Show

Last week on the Queen Latifah Show, the ever evolving artist dedicated her entire panel to the empowerment of women.

The list of strong women in attendance included woman's rights activist Gloria Steinem, Arianna Huffington founder of The Huffington Post, Rita Moreno who played "Carmen" in West Side Story and Melissa Harris-Perry, host of the MHP Show.

The ladies tackled subjects like banning the word "bossy" with regards to women leaders; the "B" word was another touchy topic in which Mrs. Perry, broke down the Hip Hop structure of the word from a male point-of-view (Rapper Apache "Gangsta B") in comparison to the feminist point-of-view (Queen Latifah "U-N-I-T-Y"). Arianna Huffington stated that because the "workplace was designed by men", the "B" word's are commonly used when women exude any kind of assertiveness.

Another hot topic addressed was the fact that there are

"mean girls" out there in which Ms. Moreno, stated she felt the "media creates false competition" with regards to females. The founder of the Huffington Post quoted Madeleine Albright saying, "there's a special place in hell for women that don't support other women."

Adding to the empowerment of women Queen, decided to ask everyone in the audience to take a moment of silence for the girls that were stolen in Nigeria, while holding up signs that read: #BringBackOurGirls.

As Latifah closed out the show for the day, she brought on another strong woman leader named Carol, the founder of Carol's Daughter products. And she gave great advice to women entrepreneurs that although your ideas may be rejected over and over again - eventually "the no's are encouraging."

With that said Queen, picked a woman entrepreneur out of the audience to give one thousand dollars to as seed money to further her entrepreneurial ambitions. 

#WomenBusinessIsTheBest

2014 LA

Rapper Jay-Z Viciously Attacked by Sister-in-law

I'm late with posting this video as it has already gone completely viral, but what would 'A Hood Talks' be if it didn't keep up with the hoopla?!

The video below displays superstar Beyonce, along with her rapper hubby Jay-Z and baby sister Solange, who totally kicked the crap out of her brother-in-law! The brawl went down at The Standard Hotel during the 'Met Gala' event May 5th, in which it appears a hotel employee leaked the private video footage.

The media and public has been constantly speculating what the argument could've been over, but neither individual involved in the dispute has come forward to put too bed any rumors which have been spreading like wild fire.

We can only hope that peace and understanding will prevail within their family circle, but until then we'll continue keeping a watchful eye on upcoming interviews to explain this very intense situation.

2014 LA

Update: Jay Z, Solange and Beyonce make peace.

Kevin Durants' Testament to Single Mothers All Around the World

A TESTAMENT TO ALL SINGLE MOTHER'S OUT THERE THAT YOUR SACRIFICES AREN'T IN VAIN.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL THE WONDERFUL MOTHERS IN THE WORLD, AND THANK YOU KEVIN DURANT FOR THESE INSPIRATIONAL WORDS OF WISDOM.

2014 LA

Kim Kardashian Discovers Racism in America

Kim Kardashian at USC Shoah Foundation's 20th Anniversary Gala (Lester Cohen/Getty Images)

Although racism has been woven into the fabric of our American society since pilgrims touched the soil, reality star Kim Kardashian, has recently discovered how prevalent it is within her world.

Recently in a post on her blog, Kardashian's epiphany about the nation's plight of prejudice and inequality has opened her eyes to what her own child could possibly face as she gets older. 

Kim candidly spoke as she stated, "I never knew how much being a mom would change me," she began. "To be honest, before I had North, I never really gave racism or discrimination a lot of thought. It is obviously a topic that Kanye, is passionate about but I guess it was easier for me to believe that it was someone else's battle."

Does Kim only care about racism now, because it's affecting her livelihood?

After all, she clearly stated she always felt it was someone else's battle to fight, even though she has dated black men through her entire career with her first marriage BEING to a black man. Did she not care that her past spouses may have experienced racism, or was racism not a factor for them because they're all rich?

Reading some comments posted with regards to Kardashian's sudden realization that racism has and will continue to affect her, it almost made me sad that people were still attacking her character while she spoke her truth. Kim's reputation has been tainted so it's made it easier for people to disrespect her and anything she says, however, it isn't fair to attack someone based off of what they didn't know.

Kim Kardashian grew up privileged - some like to call privilege a "wealth bubble", which means you are completely sheltered from any and all things an average person or a person of limited means may encounter or endure. And although one's bank account doesn't constitute whether you'll be discriminated against or not, 9 times out of 10, if you're rich you live in a rich area, attend rich schools, rich events and have rich friends, because ones wealth and status automatically made you a part of an accepted club hence, her past relationships with rich black men.

Can we really blame Kim, for being raised to not care about political issues although her dad was a lawyer? Is it fair to gang up on her, because she's speaking from personal experiences?

People write about what they know about and your experiences, mold you in to the person you will ultimately become. Yes, Kim isn't known for speaking on political issues, yes Kim isn't known for having intellectual conversations and yes, she almost always seems consumed with herself and her world while others may see her as a self-centered, shallow, gold-digging and conceited human being. But outside all of that it appears that Kim, is beginning to "see" things with a fresh pair of eyes. She's beginning to see "others" and not just herself.

At the end of the day, we can all believe that she's using this "racism" platform to make herself look better in the eyes of others, as a means of shedding the "old" Kim as she transforms herself into the "new" Kim. But the fact that she's being bold enough to speak on such a controversial issue that has nothing to do with her brand, I believe speaks volumes about her evolving character that will only continue to evolve as she becomes more informed with "real" world issues.

#KnowledgeIsPower #ReadingIsNeccessary #HistoryIsNeccessary #KimMakingPoliticalStrides?

2014 LA

Actor George Clooney Rips Into Hotel Mogul Steve Wynn

Steve Wynn-l; George Clooney-r

Legendary actor George Clooney rips into hotel mogul Steve Wynn, over his comments about President Obama in a Vanity Fair article.

Click here to read Clooney's statement in its entirety. #ClooneysStatementMadeMeLikeHimThatMuchMore

2014 LA

Did Vogue's Creative Director Throw "Shade" At Kim Kardashian?

Anna Wintour, Kim Kardashian, and North West (Instagram) 

Kim Kardashian decided to share with the world a single picture of herself with baby North, alongside Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour. 

And below the photo KK captioned with hashtags,"#TBT when Anna met North! Oh and told us about our Vogue shoot! #BestDayEver #Vogue

#NorthOnlyPayingAttentionToHerDaddyTakingThePic."

The snapshot was taken on November 19, while Anna Wintour, delivered the exciting news about the KimYe Vogue cover over lunch in New York City.

The person who ultimately chose to shoot West and Kardashian, 34, was actually Vogue creative director Grace Coddington in which she plainly stated, "There was a wedding story to be done, and Anna probably had them in mind, because she had been seeing a lot of Kanye, so she said, Maybe we should shoot it on lookalikes. And I thought, Why not just do it on the real thing? This is Vogue," Coddington told the Financial Times."

"And I do think Kim Kardashian represents this moment in our culture. I'm fascinated by her, in the same way I'm fascinated by the people I see on the street or the subway."

OUCH! That was a major dig by the Vogue creative director - was it not? Put it like this if Ms. Coddington, had said something like that about...lets say...an A-list celebrity, I'm pretty sure it wouldn't have gone over very well. Will Kim endure any and all insults, just as long as it gets her to "wherever" she's trying to go?

"That cow girl, you reverse that cow girl." ~Kanye West

2014 LA

How Kanye West Plotted His Marriage to a Porn Star?

Kanye West and Kim Kardashian in 2010, as Kim tapes her reality show

The artist that is Kanye west, is a futuristic thinker who uses strategy as a means of bringing his art form to life - hence, his 2010 Dark Fantasy album.

In his track titled "Hell Of A Life", the Hip Hop star opens his first verse with the words "I think I just fell in love with a porn star, turn the camera on she a born star."

And as we all know, Kim Kardashian's sex tape is still the highest selling porn video to date.
 
In his third verse Kanye says, "One day I’m gon' marry a porn star, We’ll have a big-ass crib and a long yard, We’ll have a mansion and some fly maids."

And as we all know KimYe, purchased an 11 million dollar mansion in Bel Air, California, with a long yard. Of course with an elaborate home - one would need maids, right?

The artisans metaphorical outtro was quite interesting though as he spoke these tantalizing words,
 

"I think I fell in love with a porn star
And got married in a bathroom
Honeymoon on the dance floor
And got divorced by the end of the night
That’s one hell of a life"

We interpret the latter to mean that Kanye had sex with Kim, in a club bathroom then partied it up on the dance floor like nothing happened, and parted ways when the night was over - hence, the "divorce" that he mentioned when the party ended.

Which leaves us wondering was the bathroom rump around, the first time that Kim and Kanye hooked up or was it simply one of many times? Lets not forget that in 2010, when this song was recorded Kanye, was just breaking up with then girlfriend Amber Rose, while Kim made a dash for NBA player, Kris Humphries. 

Amber Rose blasted Kim for being a "homewrecker", as it is said that Kim cheated on her boyfriend Reggie Bush with Kanye, and Kris Humphries sounded the alarm as he reported his now ex-wife, cheated on him with the Yeezus rapper as well.

So it's understandable why Kanye, appeared to be peeved at the fact that he didn't bag Kim a long time ago, but instead lost her to Kris Humphries, who ultimately married the signature "trophy wife."

Yeezy even rapped about his disgust on the track "Theraflu" with the lyrics, "and I'll admit I fell in love wit' Kim 'round the same time she had fell in love wit' him, well that's cool baby girl do ya thing, lucky I ain't have J drop him from the team."

And when Kris and Kim's relationship took a turn for the worse, Ye' found the perfect opportunity to fly in and snatch up his prize while making Kim, feel like the luckiest girl - since the world turned against her regarding her 72 day marriage.

The KimYe duo has been a hell raiser ever since with no signs of cooling down and it would seem that Kanye, is finally getting what he has wanted all along - marriage to a porn star, Ah Ha Honey!

2014 LA

Donald Sterling Has Master-to-Slave Moment

Donald Sterling-l and girlfriend V. Stiviano-r

The LA Clippers staged a silent rebuttal to their owner's racist rhetoric yesterday by turning their suit up gear inside out, and throwing their Jersey's in the middle of the floor as to not show the team's significant logo. 

Donald Sterling, owner of the LA Clippers, didn't make an appearance at his teams playoff game yesterday as most assume he is to embarrassed to show face.

Mr. Sterling, a married man of 50 years, was recorded on tape as he spoke these racist words to his Black and Mexican girlfriend V. Stiviano, of whom he's been dating since 2010 and who looks young enough to be his granddaughter.
 

Man: "It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you’re associating with black people. Do you have to?" (3:30)
 

Man: "You can sleep with [black people]. You can bring them in, you can do whatever you want.  The little I ask you is not to promote it on that ... and not to bring them to my games." (5:15)
 

Man: "...Don't put him [former NBA player Magic Johnson] on an Instagram for the world to have to see so they have to call me.  And don't bring him to my games." (9:13)

As time went on more exerts from this mysterious recording kept unraveling as Donald Sterling, continued his black degradation rhetoric and this time he decided to give his opinion on Jews.

Man: "The white Jews, there's white Jews and black Jews, do you understand?"
 
Woman: "And are the black Jews less than the white Jews?"

Man: "A 100 percent, fifty, a 100 percent."

Woman: "And is that right?"
 
Man: "It isn't a question—we don't evaluate what's right and wrong, we live in a society. We live in a culture. We have to live within that culture." 

But actually, Mr. Sterling seems to evaluate what's "right" and "wrong" all the time, as he deems it to be "wrong" for his minority girlfriend to associate with other minorities. Doesn't that just sound ridiculous? And by the way Mr. Sterling, thanks for giving that brief history lesson about the Jews, because now it makes it clearer to everyone why the constant battle of racism ensues.

Woman: "But shouldn't we take a stand for what's wrong? And be the change and the difference?"

Man: "I don't want to change the culture, because I can't. It's too big and too [unknown]."

Woman: "I don't understand, I don't see your views. I wasn't raised the way you were raised."

Man: "Well then, if you don't feel—don't come to my games. Don't bring black people, and don't come."

Woman: "Do you know that you have a whole team that's black that plays for you?"

Man: "You just, do I know? I support them and give them food and clothes and cars and houses. Who gives it to them? Does someone else give it to them? Do I know that I have – who makes the game? Do I make the game, or do they make the game? Is there 30 owners that created the league?"

Man: "I don't want to change. If my girl can't do what I want, I don't want the girl. I'll find a girl that will do what I want! Believe me. I thought you were that girl—because I tried to do what you want. But you're not that girl."

V. Stiviano, was brilliant in questioning Sterling on whether he forgot that his NBA team is majority black as he spewed his toxic language. And did Sterling also forget that his girlfriend is black, and that his words just might hurt her feelings too?

Did you get wind of Sterling stating that the 30 owners is what makes the basketball teams?! He is correct; the owners make up part of the franchise and the NBA players make up the other part. I mean, he didn't think that he "built it" all on his own...now did he? It would seem easier to replace NBA owners because they are in the few, verses an athlete who hones superior athleticism.

It sounds like Sterling enjoys his money and power, and uses it to flex his invisible muscles in order to remain relevant. And currently his wife is flexing her invisible muscles as well, as she uses it to sue Sterlings' girlfriend to retrieve all the trinkets, properties, and cash that she received from her unfaithful husband...her unfaithful husband..."unfaithful", well, I guess she missed that part.

To be continued...

Click here to hear the actual recording...insane!

2014 LA

Academy Award Winner Lupita Nyong'o Is Named "Most Beautiful" By People Magazine

People magazine has named Lupita Nyong'o, 2014's "Most Beautiful" in its annual issue. 

The 31-year-old actress won an Oscar for her breakout performance in last fall's "12 Years a Slave", and has been an unstoppable force ever since.

Nyong'o says she is thrilled to receive the honor because of what it means for others. "It was exciting and just a major, major compliment," she tells the mag. "And especially, I was happy for all the girls who would see me on [it] and feel a little more seen."

Nyong'o, who was born in Mexico and raised in Kenya, grew up thinking that she didn't fit into the mold of what was considered beautiful. After all, she didn't look like anyone she saw on TV. Those women had "light skin and long, flowing, straight hair," she notes. "Subconsciously you start to appreciate those things more than what you possess," as she credits her mother with changing her mind.

America's newest "it" girl commented, "when I have been called beautiful with not one drop of makeup on. And also before I comb my hair or put on a pretty dress," she reveals. "Happiness is the most important thing."

Congrats to Lupita for contributing her amazing artistry to cinema, but for also being that beacon of light for those young girls who see themselves in her.

2014 LA

Actress Drew Barrymore Gives Birth to Second Daughter

On Monday, Drew Barrymore posted the above photo on Instagram with the caption: "Desert #iheartchinesefood."
 
And the very next day, the newly married actress and her hubby Will Kopelman, became parents for the second time as Drew went into labor while making her first daughter Olive, a new sister! Could it have been that Chinese food?!

The actress, 39, gave birth to a healthy little girl on Tuesday, April 22. 

“Happy to announce that today we are the proud parents of our second daughter, Frankie Barrymore Kopelman,” the couple told People in a statement. “Olive has a new little sister, and everyone is healthy and happy!” 

              

Congrats to the beautiful couple.

2014 LA

  Drew Barrymore and Will Kopelman (Getty Images)

Rapper Nicki Minaj Rocks "Au Naturale"

Rapper Nicki Minaj, the 31 year old "Super Bass" singer (seen above), has did away with her signature colorful wigs and wild makeup in favor of a more ladylike style, that seems ages away from her animated rap character we all came to know. 

The curvaceous star tried out her new look on the red carpet at The Other Woman premiere in Los Angeles on April 21, and at the MTV Movie Awards on April 13.

Although Minaj's hair stylist prefers wigs over real hair since all the styling, heat, and color can severely damage hair follicles, the sexy rapper, who recently released her latest fragrance Minajesty, is staying away from them. "I'm trying to gradually get her back into wigs, but she's adamant now," he says. "She doesn't want it."

Good for you Nicki, rock your "au naturale" hair and have fun while you're doing it! Personally, I've been waiting to see the "real" Nicki behind the commercialized character Nicki, and I must say that I'm pleasantly impressed.

2014 LA

Beyonce Channels Her Inner Marilyn Monroe

Gracing the cover of OUT magazine while paying tribute to a legendary icon, as she is also a legend within her own right, Beyonce does a sexy black and white photo shoot as she channels her inner Marilyn.

Gotta love the natural beauty and well-rounded talent of an amazing superstar. Amazing photos Beyonce!

2014 LA

Kim Kardashian Pushing Those "Ass-ets" To The Limit

Source: Brian Prahl/Splash News

"Let me remind you, you gotta, you gotta great future "behind" you. You gotta tell me what we tryna do?!" ~Kanye West

Apparently, Kim Kardashian is following her man's lead by continuing to publicize her "ass-ets" at any given opportunity -- as she did here while on a family vaca in Thailand, but hey, might as well use the one thing that gave her name branding power, right? 

I hear ya Kim, keep on pushin' it to the limit. What else do you have to lose?

Side note: A report from Life & Style magazine states that when Kim K had the fat sucked out of her legs, she simply recycled the fatty tissue by injecting it into her buttocks. On the KUWTK show Kim K was fed up with the butt implant rumors, and so to denounce them she had Xrays done to prove to the world that her "ass-ets" were indeed very real. However, she coyly decided to leave out the butt augmentation part. 

Good job Kim! A Hood Talks contends that you're the best looking "build a b@$#*" yet.

2014 LA