Influencer Amber Rose recently had a candid conversation regarding her beliefs about God and Christianity. She reveals she found Buddhism and that feels right to her. In a candid conversation, Amber Rose tells Raquel Harper on the It’s Tricky Podcast why she questions the religion.
“I had a lot of questions about God that just didn’t add up. I believe in science, more than, like an invisible entity named God was like, ‘Let there be light,’ It just seems far fetched to me.”
“And I just don’t believe Jesus died for my sins and came back to life. That’s ludicrous.”
She also adds, that science and the theory of evolution are just more logical to her. She says she did grow up going to church, and was even told by her mom what TV shows to avoid due to “the devil” — but as she’s grown up, she’s only developed more questions than answers about religion. Especially about some of the Bible stories.
On this day in Hip Hop history, rap queen Missy Elliott released her debut LP, Supa Dupa Fly.
Arguably the most influential release by a female rapper in history, this project birthed one of rap’s most important icons, male or female. The Hip Hop/R&B experimental masterpiece not only delivered a fresh sound to a period in between dominant trends, it also set the tone for what would be considered a radio hit at the turn of the millennium.
The sound and success of this project are due in equal part to Missy and fellow Virginian super-producer Timbaland. In the new age, digital R&B style production pioneered a sound that became the standard of any Top 40 crossover hit of the era. His technical ability as a beatmaker personally complimented Missy’s unorthodox, almost broken-up, flow and smooth, soulful vocals. Missy’s ability as an innovative songwriter allowed for the mind-boggling production to not be wasted. The subjects that were touched on came with a new perspective and the way she rode each beat added such emphasis, giving the project a strong theatrical quality.
Commercially, it performed quite well peaking at #3 on the Billboard 200 chart. The album claimed the #1 spot on the R&B/Hip Hop chart and made appearances on music charts in New Zealand and the Netherlands. The album was certified platinum in the United States and silver in the United Kingdom, both in the year of its release. Critics across the board praised both Timbaland and Missy Elliot for their work on this album, calling it “a key prophecy of the dominant 21st-century Black pop” and “everything the Hip Hop doctor ordered; a woman who could flip between aggression and romance, sex and nonsense, materialism and imagination, without batting one outrageously spidery eyelash.”
The 2022 Emmy Awards nominations arrived recognizing Hip Hop’s greatest talents. Dr. Dre, Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar, and 50 Cent starred in Pepsi’s Super Bowl LVI halftime extravaganza performance that has received 5 nods.
“Dre is the one who called us all to be part of this moment and it’s an honor because we love and respect him so much,” The Queen of R and B gushed with USA Today on the plans of their halftime show. “You get that call and you’re like, ‘What do you want me to do and I’m there.’ And if he gives you two or three minutes of Super Bowl time … wow.”
MJB added, “I appreciate the offer and I’ve earned the right to be anywhere that amazing. I’m going to be a team player and let them know, thank you for recognizing my talent.”
They’ll be competing in the Emmy categories of Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Series or Special category, Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special, Outstanding Variety Special (Live), Outstanding Music Direction, and Outstanding Production Design for a Variety Special.
Along with Dr. Dre, Kanye West also earned his first time nomination for his 3-part documentary ieen-yuhs, which he worked on as an executive producer. jeen-yuhs is “an intimate and revealing portrait of Kanye West’s experience, showcasing both his formative days trying to break through and his life today as a global brand and artist.”
Rapper and Actor Donald Glover was also nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for Atlanta.
The Emmys are set to air on ABC on September 12 at 8 p.m. ET.
5x Emmy Nominee
Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show Starring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, and 50 Cent pic.twitter.com/gm2cM56S3y
Investigators looking into a 67-year-old unserved warrant connected to the Emmett Till lynching investigation have revealed there’s no statute of limitations on kidnapping in Mississippi.
That means 88-year old Carolyn Bryant Donham could still be arrested and served. 14-year-old Emmett Till was kidnapped, brutally beaten, and lynched in 1955 after Donham falsely accused him of flirting with her in a grocery store operated by her then-husband.
Currently, Donham is reported to be living in Raleigh, North Carolina. According to NPR, Priscilla Sterling, Till’s cousin, urged Mississippi Fourth Circuit Court District Attorney W. Dewayne Richardson during a news conference last week to issue the warrant for Carolyn Bryant Donham’s arrest.
“I know that over a period of time, 67 years, nothing has been done as far as this warrant,” Sterling told reporters. “The family wants Carolyn Bryant to face justice. And by justice, we want her to at least come here and defend herself.”
The family feels both the federal government, along with the state of Mississippi, are “protecting [Bryant]” because of authorities telling Richardson to “not move forward on the warrant,” Sterling told reporters.
“So what is really going on here in the state of Mississippi?” she added. “The warrant must be issued. The warrant must be executed.”
Kevin Gates confirmed again he likes to keep it in the fam. He recently admitted for the second time to sleeping with his cousin and continuing to do so even after finding out they’re related.
In an interview with Yung Mami for the Caresha Please podcast, Miami asks him straight up if it was true. The “Twerk” rapper questioned, “Did you really f**k your cousin?”
The 36-year-old Baton Rouge native responded by saying his grandmother told him that this woman was his cousin but he didn’t care and continued to date her for three years. Gates explained, “She pulled me to the side and said, ‘baby, that’s your cousin.’ I ain’t ’bout to stop!”
He said they had a good thing going and why mess it up. Gates initially revealed his unconventional relationship back in 2015.
The Fierce Awakens,” the 15th episode of the fifth season of Raven’s Home, premiered on Friday, and episode writer Nori Reed posted to Instagram to commemorate the occasion, writing that she “may have created the first ever trans character for the Disney Channel.
Transgender actress Juliana Joel makes history by portraying the first trans character in Disney’s Raven’s Home.
Juliana Joel is an actress, known for Truly, Madly, Crazy!, Full Beat (2018), and Always. Additionally, actress Juliana Joel is well-known for her work on American Gigolo (2022), Absolute Dominion, and Disney Television Discovers Talent Showcase (2021).
In addition, she is currently in the headlines after she is portraying the role of a transgender in Disney’s latest show called the Raven’s home. Moreover, this has received so much media attention because this is the first live-action trans character on the network.
On her Instagram page the actress writes:
1st out Trans character on Disney Channel? I can finally share that I’ve joined the season 5 cast of Raven’s Home on Disney Channel !
A personal story I shared with Raven on set:
Growing up as a kid in Florida (like many other kids) I dreamt of being on the Disney Channel, specifically on That’s So Raven. It was my favorite show & Raven Baxter was my best friend in my mind. It was my escape from what I was going through internally. Coming from a typical Puerto Rican family, I didn’t think being an actor was possible esp for someone like me, I thought you had to be born into that world. Fast forward to becoming an actor I then told myself I wasn’t young enough to be on Disney anymore & even if that wasn’t the case I’m TRANS! I’d never seen an out trans actor or character on the Disney Channel. EVER. Needless to say I cried in my dressing room after walking onto that set the first time. It was a moment where it hit me that I not only get to live out my childhood dream on a version of my favorite show…I get to do it as my authentic self and with a character that is openly trans. But it was really more than just being on the show. With all of the anti-trans hate and narratives in media and society, it was a win. I claimed a dream and space for myself while so much of the world is trying to erase me & my community. And now I get to be that person I wish I had to watch on TV growing up. So never tell yourself it can’t happen because it can, in ways you never dreamt possible.
Massive shout out to @norireed the writer of this episode who created my character Nikki. She is such a talented, badass person and comedic genius.
And of course thank you to the entire cast & crew for being so welcoming, every episode was such a blast to be a part of. Go check out the crazy talented main cast of the show.
Ready to meet Nikki?! Make sure to tune in to tonight’s episode “The Fierce Awakens” directed by @ianreedkesler 6PM PST/ 9PM EST on @disneychannel & @disneynow
California Governor Gavin Newson just approved a $308 billion state budget, which includes historic investments in supporting the proliferation of plant-based meals at schools across the state. As part of the budget, $100 million will be used to support schools in procuring plant-based foods, as well as sustainably produced foods, California-grown foods, and foods to accommodate the dietary needs of students. An additional $600 million will be invested in upgrading school kitchen infrastructure and in training and compensating food service workers, who will be tasked with preparing new plant-based meals and increasing scratch-cooking—which is an important factor in expanding these types of meals in schools.
With this development, California is the first state to invest public funds into plant-based school meal programs. California’s new $300 billion budget includes funding for initiatives that will increase plant-based meal options at schools.
On this day in Hip-Hop history, Oakland rapper Too $hort released his fourth studio LP, Shorty The Pimp.
Inspired by a 1973 blaxploitation film of the same name, the album’s sexually braggadocio lyrics and funk-inspired production held true to the style Too $hort had established for himself over his past six projects. And although Too $hort rarely strayed away from his proven formula, his progression as an artist is evident on this project.
Commercially, this album had great national reception and was Too $hort’s most popular album to date selling 82,000 copies in its first week. The project debuted at #6 on the Billboard 200 chart, where it peaked, and #11 on the Billboard R&B/Hip Hop chart.
Although Too $hort was never hailed as the greatest lyricist of his era, the production and instrumentation of his projects brought him such acclaim. On this project particularly, the instrumentation and composition fromShorty B alongside production from Ant Banks and Too $hort himself is strong enough to stand solo and still be considered a satisfying pseudo-funk album. Check out “In The Trunk” as an exemplary track from the album below.
rap legend Eminem announces his second greatest hits collection, Curtain Call 2, set to be released on August 5th via Shady Records/Aftermath Entertainment/Interscope Records. The news comes on the heels of the just released “From the D 2 the LBC,” an epic new single featuring fellow icon Snoop Dogg. The song – and it’s accompanying James Larese-directed video — made its global premiere on June 23 at Ape Fest, the Bored Ape NFT event at NFT.NYC.
The song is the lead single from Curtain Call 2, a hits collection comprised of the inimitable Detroit MC’s creative output since the 2005 release of Curtain Call: The Hits. Curtain Call 2 will include music from all Eminem projects from Relapse forward, including side-projects, guest appearances, film soundtrack songs, and of course selections from his solo albums.
In addition to the standard release, there will be a limited edition box set and a limited quantity of autographed vinyl available on Eminem.com – sign up for first access to these offerings here. (shop.eminem.com)
The Eminem/Snoop Dogg collaboration follows the June 16th release of “The King and I,” a CeeLo Green-assisted song Eminem contributed to the soundtrack for Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis biopic, which is also included on Curtain Call 2.
Along with the two recently released songs above, there will be one additional previously unreleased track on the collection, to be revealed in the coming weeks.
L.O.X.’s Styles P has rapped and stood for social justice long before his healthy living ventures and that was shown yesterday in front of Styles’ juice bar in Yonkers when the rapper confronted Yonkers Police officers who were being overly aggressive with a woman they were attempting to detain.
The teen girl can be heard screaming for help in the video in front of Juices For Life In Yonkers while several officers were attempting to place her in handcuffs. A female bystander recorded the incident to ensure police didn’t overstep their authority. Not long after, Styles can be heard in the video calling the cop on top of the teen a “bitch” before the officer attempted to confront the D-Block veteran, but with no laws broken, the officer was forced to listen to the legendary rapper’s anti-police brutality tirade.
In typical gentleman fashion, Styles took to social media later last night to apologize for not controlling his temper during the confrontation, however, he did contend that somebody has to stand up against an obvious problem that continues to haunt urban communities.
