Source: VH1 / VH1 Mimi Drama Is BYKE We knew this season of Love & Hip-Hop would be explosive and we knew this feud would be at the center of it. Mimi and Stevie J have had the longest reality show back and forth love/hate relationship of all time. Now, they’re gearing up to fight some more as Mimi was upset Stevie introduced their daughter to Faith Evans before Mimi *checks notes* met Faith Evans? Really? Twitter was a bit confused because it’s not like Faith Evans is some stranger. She’s Faith Evans! Also, Mimi might not wanna get buck at Faith who can get scrappy when she wants. Twitter was firmly on ONE person’s side, so peep the shade they were tossing. Also, peep their skepticism about ANOTHER story Mimi was telling. #LHHATL Faith is very level headed. Mimi wanted to have a problem with her but Faith threw the brakes on all that drama real quick — barbara morris (@BarbaraBann1366) March 26, 2019
Text “RICKEY” to 71007 to join the Rickey Smiley Morning Show mobile club for exclusive news. ( Terms and conditions ). Source: Jeff Kravitz / Getty Via Madamenoire : As Love and Hip Hop New York comes to an end (the reunion begins next week), the eighth installment of Atlanta is set to begin at the end of this month. VH1 put out a first trailer following the ending of Monday night’s LHHNY episode. Even though there isn’t too much going on with the usual cast of characters worth getting excited about, people were quite taken aback by the presence of their fave, Faith Evans . While it shouldn’t be a shock that the 45-year-old R&B star will be featured since she’s married to cast lead Stevie J , for fans on Twitter , they made it seem like it’s a step down for the star. Many were genuinely surprised, others were very disappointed. Sign Up For Our Newsletter! Close Thank you for subscribing! Please be sure to open and click your first newsletter so we can confirm your subscription. Email Submit In case you missed the memo, the couple said “I do” last July in a Las Vegas hotel room. They had been dating since 2016, and Stevie mentioned that after being friends for so long, they simply evolved to more. “I’ve known her for like 25 years,” he said. “We was like family and then as years progressed, we just began to hang out more [and] talk more.” SEE ALSO: Gary’s Tea: Stevie J Opens Up About His Sex Life With Faith, K. Michelle Fan Pulls Out Subpoena On Her & More In the LHHATL trailer, which oddly features Nina Simone’s “Feeling Good,” Evans meets up with Mimi Faust who feels some type of way about that the fact that the pair wed without giving anybody a heads up. I’m assuming we’ll also be hearing more about their active sex life, which according to Stevie, has been “upped from three to five times a day.” But as for what other drama and eventful things she will encounter as a new cast member on the series, we’ll have to wait and see when the show returns on March 25, 8/7c. And while Evans seems excited to be on the series, Twitter? They’re not so happy to see her on it. Hit the flip to see all of the shock and confusion that arose online when people peeped that the star was headed to LHHATL: I’m not sure if I more surprised that Faith Evans is doing LHHATL or that Nina Simone’s music was used to score the LHHATL trailer, but I’ll be watching. pic.twitter.com/CXZ5KhCHBk — Michael Arceneaux (@youngsinick) March 4, 2019 I just hope Mimi and Faith Evans dont be beefin over no damn Stevie J on #LHHATL — Jay Bibbs (@JayBibbs) March 5, 2019 I DONT CARE to see Stevie and Faith on #LHHATL — IG: @ShawneyLovelyy (@ShawneyLovelyy) March 5, 2019 [ione_media_gallery src=”https://rickeysmileymorningshow.com” id=”1903870″ overlay=”true”] ALSO TRENDING ON RICKEYSMILEYMORNINGSHOW.COM : ‘Friend’ Who Bailed Out R. Kelly Is Identified Kenya Moore Was Kicked Out A Restaurant For Changing Her Baby’s Diaper [PHOTOS] ‘Cussing Pastor’ Defends Decision To Host Twerking Contest At Church, Curses Out Critics [VIDEO] Follow @TheRSMS
Photo Credit: KD Photo London Name: Leah Vernon IG: @lvernon2000 Agency: Seeking Representation Claim To Fame: Not only has she been in ads on two continents Vernon has been featured in Cosmo , Buzzfeed , Yahoo Style , and The Detroit Free Press for her fashion sense and activism. When Leah Vernon was growing up in Michigan admiring the women presented as the height of beauty on the glossy pages of magazines, she had no idea she would one day be among them. The plus-size model, author, body-positive activist, and Muslim feminist didn’t see a clear path to the spotlight for a person who looked like her. “I was never represented so I thought it was impossible to be a model,” she told Hello Beautiful in an exclusive interview. “They would be thin and white with the long straight hair like you know really skinny very high fashion, and there wasn’t anybody who looked like me doing it.” The media taught her that “my body doesn’t fit the standards,” but that did little to restrain her “obsession” with the fashion industry. She wanted in and if being on the catwalk wasn’t an option, she would look to the other careers displayed during the hours and hours of television programming she was consuming on the now defunct Style Network . Photo Credit: Eric Puschak “I was like okay I’ll never be a model , so I’ll style skinny people and that’s the only way I’ll be able to be in the industry is by being behind the scenes.” A Detroit native with a noticeably eclectic style Vernon was ready to apply her ability to study and interpret trends to styling. She kept up to date “by looking at fashions in Europe or fashion in New York.” She said “I was heavy into Gwen Stefani at the time and the whole punk culture. I took inspirations from a little bit of everywhere.” She felt boxed out professionally, but social media and the rise of blogging introduced her to a way she could strike a pose for fun. Writing was cathartic and shooting was a way to express her creativity. “I did two photos shoots just for fun because I wanted to be a blogger, and I discovered the hashtag #plussizemodel. I was like there’s real plus size models out in these streets? So, and then I was like I’m gonna do two photoshoots and see what happens.” Photo Credit: Mike Edmonds What happened was thousands of women who also didn’t see themselves represented flocked to the images Vernon posted. As she became more transparent and connected to her body and spirit, they became more interested. As of publication Vernon has amassed more than 40,000 Instagram followers by simply being herself. “So, after that I kind of just like fell in love with what modeling meant or what it actually means which is showcasing beauty . I just started modeling and posting on Instagram and talking about cool shit and people started fucking with me.” She explained that her friend’s deception actually led to her first gig. “My friend actually ended up tricking me into modeling the third time she was like ‘Can you come to the store and style my models?’ I was like ‘Fo sho!’ So, I get there, and I bring all my shit and I said, ‘Where are the models?’ She’s like ‘You ARE the model.” Afterwards, she applied her stylish instincts to dressing in a way that aligned with her faith on and off the set. She maintains that she is “just as Muslim without” her hijab but after exploring what it meant to her, she decided to observe the tradition. “It took a long time for me to figure out what the hijab meant to me and it’s definitely a choice. I’ve come to terms with it. The hijab reflects who I am whether I wear it or not I’m still Muslim and its definitely not oppressive to me. It’s actually like my crown and I rock it hard.” Photo Credit: Victoria Kaempfe Like other modern Muslim women, she has found a way to express her style with her hijab, but no number of sequins or other adornments will stop people from having their opinions about the practice. “Some people it doesn’t matter what you do to a hijab they’re still going to be offended by it because hijab means oppression to them for whatever reason even though they’ve never talked to an actual hijabi before,” lamented Vernon. But as a grown woman who has found her place and makes her own choices , she isn’t intimidated by others’ prejudices.“People are going to say what the fuck they want to say about what you’re wearing so you might as well wear what you want to wear.” Photo Credit: Eric Puschak Interest in her style has prompted productive dialogues in the media and on her website Beauty and The Muse about femininity, individualism, sisterhood , and self-image. Her DMs are full of people wanting to know more about her decision. She can’t connect personally with each person but she encourages those she can to make their own choices and come to their own conclusions. “You definitely meet a lot of people who just are curious about it. So, it’s been cool to educate about it.” While she’s glad to be able to educate people it’s not always comfortable for her to do so in professional settings. “When I do ads a lot of people are not necessarily hip to Islam or what exactly my limitations are as a model. I was on set recently and I took off my hijab to put on another hijab that matched the outfit and this girl was like ‘You look cute. Why don’t you just model like that?’ and I was just like ‘I can’t do that I’m Muslim’ and she was like ‘I guess.’ It’s hard to not be offended sometimes.” It’s even harder in an adolescent body positivity movement straying further and further away from the roots that drew Vernon into the space. Once a force that threatened the ideal of visual hierarchy the community that overthrew the supremacy of Victoria’s Secret has now been infiltrated by quests for engagement that often include baring it all. “I’m not throwing shade, but I feel like some of them are doing that not necessarily for body positivity they’re doing it for likes and engagement,” said Vernon of the behavior that led Allison McGevna to ask if “plus size bodies can only be recognized and celebrated” when they are sexualized in Plus Model Magazine . She has no problem with people making their own choices as long as they’re examined ones.“I want to see liberated bodies if they’re covered or not,” said Vernon. Fortunately, she can always look in the mirror. DON’T MISS: MODEL MONDAY: Flaviana Matata Is Using Modeling To Give Girls In Her Country A Future MODEL MONDAY: Cambria Francesca Isn’t Letting Chronic Pain Stop Her Hustle Model Monday: Jessica Fennix’s Family Nicked Named Her ‘Naomi Campbell’ Before She Ever Set Foot On A Runway [ione_media_gallery src=”https://hellobeautiful.com” id=”3024019″ overlay=”true”]
Source: Megan Q Daniels/Getty Images / Getty / Getty Wait, what??? Bennett College Loses Accreditation, Gets It Back After donors nationwide rallied together to save an HBCU, a board STILL denied the college its accreditation—but ultimately was defeated, for now at least. As previously reported Bennett College proudly announced that it raised $8.2 million , surpassing the required $5 million to keep it accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). That number has since jumped to a whopping $9.5 million in donations. Despite that Wxii12 reported that Bennett STILL lost its accreditation. The SACSCOC released a press release to the news station confirming that Bennett’s accreditation was still revoked and noted that the Appeals Committee of the College Delegate Assembly would be holding up their December 9 decision. The board claimed that Bennett was still lacking financial resources. The school “failed to show that the institution possesses resources demonstrating a stable financial base to support the mission and scope of programs and services,” said the board. After the news broke, Bennett took swift action and filed a lawsuit against The SACSCOC. Journal Now reports that Bennett had their accreditation restored by a federal judge in Atlanta who granted the college a temporary restraining order that lets them keep their accreditation while the lawsuit remains active. The President of the college has since spoken out and she’s assuring students and alumni that Bennett’s still fighting. “Our fight continues, … ” said President Phyllis Worthy Dawkins. “The negative decision … to remove Bennett from membership will not interrupt the daily operations of the college. … We urge everyone to keep the faith and know that Bennett College is standing strong.” . @BennettCollege Files Lawsuit to Keep Accreditation: https://t.co/ESbXfx1iJy — Bennett College (@BennettCollege) February 23, 2019 Fight on Bennett, we’re glad to see that the Bennett Belles are still standing.
Source: Jim Spellman / Getty Remember when Kanye West hopped on stage at the VMAs and interrupted Taylor Swift ‘s Best Female Video win? Of course you do, but depending on your age, maybe you didn’t know Kanye West wasn’t the first Black man to catch the spirit, run up on stage, and suddenly speak his mind at an award show. Back in 1998, Wu-Tang Clan were nominated for Best Rap Album at the Grammys, but lost to Puff Daddy . Much like ‘Ye did in 2009, Ol’ Dirty Bastard intervened and gave everyone a piece of his mind—just as Shawn Colvin was about to accept her award for Song of the Year. Source: Kevin Mazur / Getty MTV reported at the time: “After sneaking to the microphone and kissing presenter Erykah Badu in mid-bumrush, O.D.B. urged the crowd to ‘Please calm down,’ and launched into a confusing speech thusly: ‘I went and bought me an outfit today that cost me a lot of money, because I figured that Wu-Tang was gonna win,’ O.D.B. said, referring to the Best Rap Album that Wu-Tang was nominated for, but did not win earlier in the evening as the honor went to Puff Daddy. “‘I don’t know how you all see it, but when it comes to the children, Wu-Tang is for the children,’ O.D.B. continued. ‘We teach the children. Puffy is good, but Wu-Tang is the best. I want you all to know that this is O.D.B., and I love you all, peace.’ O.D.B. was then ushered off the stage, and a thoroughly confused Colvin was allowed to give her acceptance speech.” [ione_media_gallery src=”https://globalgrind.cassiuslife.com” id=”4104584″ overlay=”true”] When asked what got into him, the late rapper reportedly told MTV News ‘ Chris Connelly backstage at Radio City Music Hall, “Something just jumped into my blood.” O.D.B. also apologized, though he said he believed the Grammy stage was, in fact, the appropriate place to express his thoughts on Puffy’s win. Puffy beat out the Wu-Tang Clan with his debut studio album No Way Out , which features many of his most classic hits to date, including “Victory” featuring Notorious B.I.G. and Busta Rhymes, “I’ll Be Missing You” featuring Faith Evans and 112, “It’s All About The Benjamins” featuring Lil Kim, The Lox, and Notorious B.I.G., “Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down,” feat. Mase and more. Puffy also beat out Missy Elliott’s Supa Dupa Fly , Notorious B.I.G.’s Life After Deat h, and Wyclef Jean’s Wyclef Jean Presents The Carnival . Watch it all go down at the 2:29 mark in the throwback clip up top and let us know if you knew someone Kanye’d before Kanye Kanye’d at the 2009 VMAs? Also, tune into the 61st Annual Grammy Awards, February 10 at 8 p.m. EST.
Source: Chip Somodevilla / Getty After surviving and resisting a broken system, Cyntoia Brown is finally on her way to freedom. Back in 2004, Brown killed 43-year-old Johnny Allen, a man who reportedly solicited Brown as a child sex slave when she was just 16 years old. According to The New York Times , Brown shot and killed Allen at his place when she believed her life was in danger. She was charged as an adult and eventually convicted, resulting in a life prison sentence. However, after 15 years in prison, Cyntoia is being granted clemency by Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam. “This decision comes after careful consideration of what is a tragic and complex case,” Haslam said in a statement. “Cyntoia Brown committed, by her own admission, a horrific crime at the age of 16. Yet, imposing a life sentence on a juvenile that would require her to serve at least 51 years before even being eligible for parole consideration is too harsh, especially in light of the extraordinary steps Ms. Brown has taken to rebuild her life.” Since her time in prison, Brown has obtained her GED and she’s expected to get her bachelor’s degree this year. Brown’s story was covered in a 2011 documentary called Me Facing Life: Cyntoia’s Story and in 2017, she gained major attention from celebrities speaking out on her story, including Rihanna , T.I., and Kim Kardashian West. Lawmakers and criminal justice reform advocates have been fighting for Cyntoia for a while now, and the governor’s clemency serves as a big win in the larger issue of incarceration. Brown will be eligible for release from prison on August 7, but unfortunately, she won’t be completely free until 2029. According to ABC13 , Brown will be under parole supervision for ten years on the condition that she doesn’t violate any federal or state laws. She also will have to hold a job down and participate in regular counseling sessions. Despite all this Cyntonia is still thrilled with the decision. “Thank you, Governor Haslam, for your act of mercy in giving me a second chance,” Brown said in a statement. “I will do everything I can to justify your faith in me.” Meanwhile, some major celebrities are celebrating Cyntonia’s projected release. Hit the next pages to find out who’s giving Cyntonia their full support!
Source: Icon Sportswire / Getty Deion ‘PrimeTime’ Sanders accomplished a lot of the goals all professional athletes strive for. But at one point in his life, the two-sport star was in a very dark place and tried to end it all. A new ESPN 30 For 30 documentary will touch on Sanders’ almost succumbing to the pressures of fame. Sanders an NFL Hall-of-Famer and two time Superbowl champion on the outside was a charismatic figure on an off the field. He was living the life and the “Must Be The Money” rapper had it all but reveals in his autobiography Power, Money & Sex: How Success Almost Ruined My Life , it all of those things brought him to the brink of taking his own life. The book was first released in the late ’90s but a new ESPN 30 For 30 documentary about Sanders airing January 31st,2019 will revisit the moment as reported by The Undefeated . The trouble began for the high-stepping cornerback during his first marriage to then-wife Carolyn Chambers back in 1997 who is the mother of his two children Deion Jr and Deiondra. Their union was hit a snag and propelling him to spiral downward with him attempting suicide. “I was going through the trials and tribulations of life. I was pretty much running on fumes. I was empty, no peace, no joy. Losing hope with the progression of everything.” Sanders tried to kill himself by driving his car off a cliff 30- to 40-feet down. He survived and after the life-changing experience gave his life to God. “I finally just got on my knees and gave it all to the Lord. Slowly, but surely, I had to deal with my faith, deal with my strength. I had to get a lot of Word in so that I could fight off the enemy. I wouldn’t be where I am today without my faith. People argue about what faith is, and who Jesus is, but it works for me. I’m not going to sit here and argue about who is what, and what is what, I’m just going to say it works for me.” We are looking forward to seeing the doc which will give us a closer look on Deion Sanders’ life while he a star in the NFL, and his attempt back in 1992 at playing in a pro-football game and MLB National League Championship game in the same day. — Photo: Icon Sportswire / Getty
We had Icewear Vezzo on The Morning Heat when he announced his major deal with Motown Records. In that interview he also shared that new music was coming soon. Today, Clarity 6 dropped and before the highly anticipated release, he came back to the studio to chop it up with Ally. Related: EXCLUSIVE: Icewear Vezzo Makes A Major Announcement!! [VIDEO] Vezzo breaks down his childhood, the Detroit music scene, how important his family is to him, and how his faith kept him going through all of his struggles. Clarity 6 is available on all streaming platforms and features Kash Doll, B Ryan, and legendary producer Zaytoven. Stay up-to-date by following us on Facebook, Twitter and on Instagram at @hiphopdetroit.
Kim Porter has been laid to rest. On Saturday, in her hometown of Columbus, Georgia, the late actress and model was mourned by hundreds of friends, famiily members and loved ones. Most of them remain absolutely stunned that the 47-year old is no longer with us. As previously reported, Ported died on November 15 after being found unresponsive in her Los Angeles home. The mother of four had been feeling ill enough to call a doctor just the day before, but it’s unknown at this time whether or not said illness played a role in her passing. At this time, we cannot say for certain why Porter died . On a celebrity front, Porter has been written about on websites such as ours because she dated Diddy off and on for 13 years, breaking up for good with the rapper in 2007. The two stayed very close over the years, however, because they were the parents of three kids together. The music mogul was in attendance at Porter’s funeral this weekend, of course, as were the following well-known individuals: – Kimora Lee Simmons. – Tichina Arnold. – NeNe Leakes. – Kandi Burruss. – Lil’ Kim. – Yolanda Adams. – Mary J. Blige. – Faith Evans. Shortly before the sad ceremony got underway, Diddy Tweeted the following message about the love of his life: “Today we lay to rest our ANGEL. Her spirit lives on with us FOREVER!!! We thank you all for your prayers and support. You have no idea how much it means to us. We thank GOD for all of you. #KimPorter. He had previously mourned Porter by leaving another post that read: For the last three days I’ve been trying to wake up out of this nightmare. But I haven’t. I don’t know what I’m going to do without you baby. I miss you so much. Today I’m going to pay tribute to you, I’m going to try and find the words to explain our unexplainable relationship. We were more than best friends, we were more than soulmates. WE WERE SOME OTHER SHIT!! And I miss you so much. Super Black Love. Beyonce, meanwhile, also acknowledged Porter’s death on Saturday. The Grammy-winning artist honored Kim in a series of touching throwback photos, the first of which appeared to be taken from a yearbook. “Heaven couldn’t wait for you,” Beyonce wrote as a touching caption. According to TMZ, funeral details for Porter included the following: Porter’s golden casket traveled to the ceremony in a horse-drawn carriage. The church was decorated with white roses, many of which adorned the casket. A black and white photo of Porter was also placed near it. A live band and choir performed various musical numbers. “The service was lengthy with many people speaking and performing. The mood was somber but it was also a celebration of Kim’s life with uplifting music and prayer,” a source tells E! News. There was also a public viewing held at the Charles E. Huff International Funeral Home before the funeral commenced on Saturday, as well as a viewing on Friday. Porter is survived by her and the Diddy’s son Christian Casey Combs and twin daughters Jessie James Combs and D’lila Star Combs; along with the model’s father Jake D. Porter, Jr. and her grandmother Lila Mae Star. God broke the mold when he made Kim, there was truly no other woman like her,” Porter’s extended family, including Diddy’s, said in a statement on Friday. “Although her time here on earth was far too short, she lived a life full of purpose and meaning. She was a loving mother and devoted friend. She was the epitome of kindness and grace. “There wasn’t a person she met who’s soul she did not touch. Kim was the type of woman who changed lives for the better. “She will be forever remembered and missed by so many. As her family, we promise to honor her every day of our lives. We love you always.” View Slideshow: Celebrities Who Died in 2018: In Memoriam
We hate to break this to you, but… … Josiah Duggar and Lauren Swanson having a bit of fun at your expense. They know exactly what you are thinking, exactly what websites such as this one are writing and they don’t have any plans to address the elephant in the room. Or the alleged child in the womb, we should say, to be more specific. Indeed, every other social media user seems to be convinced that Swanson is pregnant . This has been a topic of debate ever since she married Duggar at the end of June and fans are so desperate for confirmation that they took Lauren’s recent decision to make her Pinterest page as a sure sign that she’s expecting. She must have done so because she’s making a few baby boards and isn’t prepared to share the news yet, right? Right? RIGHT?!? Probably, according the latest reports. But don’t expect either Josiah or Lauren to confirm the news any time soon. “Josiah and Lauren are having fun keeping her possible pregnancy status a secret,” a source tells Hollywood Life, making it sound as if a baby is in there, but… “They are so happy, in love and excited about this newlywed time in their life that they are keeping everything just between the two of them. “When anyone asks them directly about being pregnant, they give a vague answer with a smile.” Hey, look, we’re all about respecting privacy and few things are more special or personal than a baby on the way and… … eh, who are we kidding?!? We’re a celebrity gossip site! Give us all the scoop you’ve got, Lauren and Josiah! “Lauren and Josiah have been married five months now and it’s no secret that they’ve been trying for a baby since their wedding night so it’s very likely she’s already pregnant,” another source tells Celebrity Insider. This would certainly fit the pattern of Josiah’s family. Nearly every Duggar woman or every woman who marries into the Duggars starts trying for a baby within hours of exchanging vows. For Lauren and Josiah, this occasion took place on June 30 in Arkansas . Because the couple never revealed their wedding date ahead of time, many followers assumed Swanson was already pregnant and that this was your basic shotgun marriage. Alas, if that were the case, Lauren would be showing by now. All this time later, however, even those very close to the stars believe a bun is on Lauren’s proverbial oven. “Friends and family believe Lauren is secretly pregnant and they are all anxiously waiting for her to reveal her big news,” writes Hollywood Life, adding: “They are dedicated to their faith and believe when the time is right, they will share the wonderful news with their families first.” Of late, Swanson sparked pregnancy chatter after she wore a loose-fitting dress in a photo she shared on Instagram. She’s also been sharing a handful of images that only show her upper body, which has led to some speculate that she’s hiding her growing baby bump. And she very well may be. Good luck getting an answer to this question from either half of the couple is all. Trust us. We tried. And neither Lauren nor Josiah have uttered a word to The Hollywood Gossip about it. 🙁 View Slideshow: Josiah Duggar and Lauren Swanson Wedding Pics: See Their First Kiss… EVER!
