Source: Jeff Kravitz / Getty Beyoncé has teamed up with ABC to gift us with another special television event. The network has been deemed “A-Bey-C” after announcing that they will air Making the Gift, giving the BeyHive an up close and personal look at the making of The Lion King soundtrack. “The Beyonce-executive-produced album is a masterful recording, with a robust soundscape bringing together some of the most important African artists of the day with well-known American talent to both re-interpret the powerful story and themes of the iconic film and bring the authentic sounds of Africa to a global audience,” ABC said in a press release. Text “RICKEY” to 71007 to join the Rickey Smiley Morning Show mobile club for exclusive news. ( Terms and conditions ). The hour-long special gives fans a look into the creative process behind each song of the soundtrack. Bey called this project her “love letter to Africa.” “The narrative, steeped in love and appreciation, highlights the beauty of the people and the vibrant sounds of a pulsating continent,” read the press release. The wait for this special program won’t be long either. Making the Gift airs September 16th on ABC. Take a look at the trailer below. 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 This story was originally published on MadameNoire.com . ALSO TRENDING ON RICKEYSMILEYMORNINGSHOW.COM : Phaedra Parks To Join “Marriage Boot Camp” With Her New Man Aoki Lee Simmons & Her Black Harvard Squad Shine In All-White [PHOTOS] Rest In Peace: ‘Fresh Prince’ And ‘Martin’ Actor Passes Away At Age 72 Follow @TheRSMS
Isabel Rock has said very little over the years. She hasn’t really had to, of course, as she wasn’t dating Jacob Roloff back when he was a prominent cast member on Little People, Big World The couple mostly got serious after Jacob quit the show back in the summer of 2016. But now, just over a month before she becomes Mrs . Jacob Roloff, Rock has felt a need to speak out. That’s what happens when strangers are all up in your personal business; heck, all up in your person itself, specifically your womb. This is what we mean: Earlier this week, Little People, Big World patriarch Matt Roloff shared a gallery of images to his Instagram account, including a snapshot featuring himself posing alongside his son and future daughter-in-law. Matt did so because he and Jacob had just picked out the latter’s suit for his September 7 wedding. “Look who popped over for a visit ..they wanted to show me the final look of the New Man!” Matt wrote as a caption, adding: “Working hard every day getting the farm shaped up for their big day.” Indeed, Jacob and Isabel will be exchanging their vows on Roloff Farms, just as Tori and Zach Roloff did and just as Audrey and Jeremy Roloff did. However, instead of focusing on these nuptials and/or on Jacob’s fancy look… a bunch of social media honed in on Rock’s stomach and wondered if there was a person growing inside of there. Pretty inappropriate, right? And yet something that happens all the time online. “Are they expecting?” one person asked. “She looks pregnant,” another remarked. “She sure does look pregnant to me that’s for sure,” wrote a third individual. But Rock didn’t let this speculation linger for too long, jumping into the Comments section and writing simply: “ Definitely not pregnant ,” she wrote. “ Just a flowy dress .” Jacob and Isabel got engaged in December of 2018 while vacationing in Iceland, with Roloff dropping to one knee with a ring concealed in a handcrafted wooden box. Wrote Rock on Instagram of the romantic gesture: “My heart started beating so fast. He handed me my gift; a tiny black box, inside of it a tiny bag, with a stunning turquoise ring. I slowly pulled it out, and to my complete surprise, it was a ring we had seen earlier that day — a handmade Icelandic ring that was my favorite color. “But it was definitely not an engagement ring! “Tripping over my words I said, ‘Oh.. it’s.. it’s beautiful,’ because it was, but I will admit I was completely thrown off!” Concluded Rock at that time: “Right then, Jacob spun me around and said, ‘Alright, one more gift…’ and that is the moment he got down on one knee and asked the question I’d been longing to hear… “He asked with a ring box he had hand built out of real wood and my dream ring. I said ‘YES!’ and leapt into his arms to hug him and we both cried.” View Slideshow: Little People, Big World: The Roloffs’ Shocking Scandals… Exposed! [Updated]
Tori Roloff continues to be very open about her second pregnancy. The popular Little People, Big World star announced back in mid-May that she was expecting her second child. But Tori and Zach did even more than this at the time: they also announced the baby’s gender and approximate due date. “Zachary and I are so excited to announce that Jackson is going to be a big brother! We are expecting a sweet baby girl this November,” the tandem said this spring, adding as a message to fans: “Thank you so much for always supporting our family and loving us!” Since this time, Roloff has posted several snapshots her growing baby bump , telling followers that it’s bigger than it was at this stage with son Jackson and that she feels self-conscious about the excess weight. It’s a feeling to which millions of women around the globe can likely relate. Now, via her Instagram Stories page, Tori has basically provided fans with their very first glimpse at future Little Girl Roloff… … sonogram style! Tori didn’t include a caption along with this image, but what is there to say about it, really? We just appreciate Roloff being so constantly candid about her expecting state and her baby to come. Just a few days ago, she actually grew more honest than ever, admitting that her stomach made her feel fat and ugly , despite the miraculous reason why it has been growing at such a rapid rate. “This pregnancy has been a lot harder on me than the last,” Tori wrote on Instagram, careful not to throw herself too big of a pity party by adding: “Don’t get me wrong-I’ve been so lucky… im not sick (anymore) and I haven’t had any complications (thank the lord). However I have had a harder time accepting my body this go around. “I’ve gotten bigger a lot faster than I did with Jackson and I’ve become a lot more insecure.” To Roloff’s amazing credit, however, she is using this insecure feeling as a way to build up others in a similar situation. “Hearing people ask me if I’m sure it’s not twins definitely does not help (for all our sakes-don’t ever ask a woman this question. Like ever),” she continued. “It’s been hard to really enjoy this pregnancy because I’ve let my own body image issues get in the way. Us as women are so badass. Like we can grow babies.” It’s true, fellas. Never forget this. Concluded Tori in this post/message: And I know I need to give this up to God right and be thankful for this gift-and I’m trying trust me. But for all those women out there-pregnant or not- you need to hear this just like I do: you’re beautiful, you’re strong, and dang it love yourself no matter what. I know someone besides just me needs to hear that today. So excuse me while I go try my best to live out these words and continue growing a freaking human being. We so admire Tori for speaking out on this topic and for encouraging other pregnant women across the Internet. One of those women is actually her sister-in-law because Audrey Roloff is also expecting child number-two. “Baby #2 is coming in January!!!” she wrote in online on July 1, keeping it simple and straightforward and concluding: “Ember is gonna be a big sister! We are so grateful and excited for this little blessing to join our family.” We send our very best to both Roloff women. View Slideshow: Tori and Zach Roloff: Secrets of the Little People, Big World Stars’ Private Lives
We’re just gonna go right ahead and say this up front: We love and admire you, Tori Roloff. You’ve managed to build a huge Instagram following while remaining upbeat, kind, helpful and, simply put, normal . That’s not easy to do in this day and age. Why did we feel a need to open this post by stating our take on the Little People, Big World star? Because Roloff shared an emotional message on her social media account over the weekend that candidly focused on her second pregnancy… how it compares to her first pregnancy… and what she is struggling with these days, both physically and mentally. “This pregnancy has been a lot harder on me than the last. Don’t get me wrong-I’ve been so lucky… im not sick (anymore) and I haven’t had any complications (thank the lord),” wrote Amy to open her caption to the photo above. Amy and Zach Roloff announced they were expecting again in mid-May. They are already parents to a two-year old named Jackson. And Tori has talked previously about why this pregnancy has been a a challenge . In this case, however, she gets far more personal than ever before. “I have had a harder time accepting my body this go around,” Tori now confesses, adding: “I’ve gotten bigger a lot faster than I did with Jackson and I’ve become a lot more insecure. “Hearing people ask me if I’m sure it’s not twins definitely does not help (for all our sakes-don’t ever ask a woman this question. Like ever).” About two weeks ago, Tori joked about how quickly her baby bump was growing . Here, though, she gets pretty serious pretty darn quickly. “It’s been hard to really enjoy this pregnancy because I’ve let my own body image issues get in the way,” she admits, prior to turning her attention to her gender in general and writing: “Us as women are so badass. Like we can grow babies. And I know I need to give this up to God right and be thankful for this gift-and I’m trying trust me. But for all those women out there-pregnant or not- you need to hear this just like I do.” Her what? Tori goes on to deliver a rather awesome pep talk. This is what she writes: You’re beautiful, you’re strong, and dang it love yourself no matter what. I know someone besides just me needs to hear that today. So excuse me while I go try my best to live out these words and continue growing a freaking human being. Like we said at the outset: We really love Tori Roloff. We can’t wait to meet her daughter in November. Yup: We already know the baby’s gender and approximate due date. Back on May 13, Tori and Zach confirmed their major family news to Us Weekly. “We are so excited to announce that Jackson is going to be a big brother!” the couple shared back then, adding: “We can not wait to meet our sweet baby girl!” Hey, we feel the same way! We just said that! Congratulations, you two. And also: SO well said above, Tori. Hang in there. View Slideshow: Tori and Zach Roloff: Secrets of the Little People, Big World Stars’ Private Lives
We have an update on the very sad death of Mary Duggar. As previously reported, the beloved matriarch of this famous family died on Sunday at her home in Arkansas. She was 78 years old. At the time this tragic news was broken, Duggar’s cause of death was unknown. But People Magazine and Radar Online have now confirmed that the mother of Jim Bob passed away due to an accidental drowning. On Wednesday evening, the latter outlet reported that a 911 call was made on Sunday for a “possible drowning” at Mary’s home in Springdale. The website writes that the call came in at 4:37 p.m. and emergency assistance was requested because a woman was said to be “unconscious” at the scene, based on a recording of this emergency message. This is all the information we have right now, but an investigation has been opened to uncover more of what led to this awful incident. The TLC stars announced the sudden death of their loved on Facebook earlier this week. “We are so sad to share that Grandma Duggar (Mary) passed away Sunday afternoon, June 9th, 2019. Mary Lester Duggar grew up in Farmington, Arkansas and was married almost 50 years to J.L. (Jimmy Lee) Duggar who preceded her in death,” the announcement opened. It continued as follows: “Mary found great joy in sharing her love for Jesus and her own story of how at age 15 she asked Christ to forgive her for her sins. It was at that time she committed the rest of her life to live for Him, a commitment she kept with devotion. “Grandma Mary Duggar has been on the TLC shows, 19 Kids & Counting and Counting On with her family for over 15 years. “She is greatly loved and will be missed so very much! “She lived a tremendous life as a follower of Christ, a wife, a devoted mother, a loving mother-in-law, and a much-loved grandmother.” Since this initial confirmation went public, multiple Duggar family members have also shared their own personal tributes and messages. Here are a few examples… Anna Duggar : Great-Grandma Duggar went to heaven today to be with Jesus! What an awesome woman of faith and such a loving example of God’s love. She was a true soul-winner and loved everyone she met, telling them to turn from sin and trust Jesus for salvation! Miss her soooo much and we cherish each moment we were blessed to spend together! Lots of tears being shed here — grateful for all the prayers. Jill Duggar : My heart breaks. My grandma died suddenly today! She was an amazing woman of God and such a great example to so many! Grandma, you are greatly missed by all who knew you! Austin and Joy-Anna Duggar : Grandma Duggar… She was a strong woman, role model, godly counselor…and my favorite person to watch ‘The Price is Right’ show with. She is GREATLY loved & missed! Thank you all for your kind words and prayers for our family. Amy Duggar : My best friend passed away yesterday afternoon. Jesus sure took home a treasure. I’m at a loss for words, shaking as I even type this out. I loved her so much. She helped raise me, we did everything together. We’ve been on countless trips, we had lunch together 3 times a week, and if we weren’t together we were either texting or calling each other. I know you are in perfect peace and we will see you again. Jessa Duggar : We will keep her stories and memories alive for these little ones, but we’re sad that they will not have the blessing of knowing her in person as we have… As we look back and reflect on the gift God gave us in Grandma Duggar, we are so grateful. How we wish we would’ve hugged her more, said ‘I love you’ more, and spoken more of these sentiments to her while she was here with us. She was deeply loved, and she impacted the lives of so many people. While we weep over our loss, we realize that she has been united with the person she loved more than anyone here on this earth. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. We love you, Grandma. Mary is survived by her daughter, Deanna, her son, Jim Bob, along with 21 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. May she rest in peace. View Slideshow: The Duggars: Who’s Courting? Pregnant? Next In Line? [UPDATED]
Earlier this week, we reported on the sad news that Mary Duggar has passed away . The mother of Jim Bob Duggar was beloved by family and fans alike, and her death has been a devastating blow to the entirety of Duggar nation. All week, Mary’s descendants have been taking to social media to eulogize the late 78-year-old for their millions of followers. On Tuesday, Jill Duggar paid tribute to Mary in a moving blog post. Her words were mostly met with praise and sympathy, but some fans criticized her for monetizing the death by forcing fans to follow a link from her social media pages to her personal website in order to read the piece. It was the latest in a series of bizarre controversies for the Duggars — but it seems Jessa Duggar was undeterred by the controversy. Jessa followed suit today and posted a tribute to Mary on the website she runs with her husband, Ben Seewald. “It didn’t matter who you were, she was ‘Grandma’ to you,” she wrote. “That’s most often how she would introduce herself. ‘Hi, I’m Grandma!’ Everybody called her Grandma. “She took a genuine interest in people. She would converse with you in a way that made you feel special and loved and cared about,” she continued. “She had a knack for remembering details, and the next time she saw you, she would inquire about things told to her in past conversations.” Jessa went on to reiterate an observation shared by so many others — Mary’s greatest joy in life was her ever-expanding family: “She welcomed each new baby with joy and would hold them with such tenderness and delight,” the 26-year-old wrote. “We will keep her stories and memories alive for these little ones, but we’re sad that they will not have the blessing of knowing her in person as we have.” Jessa stressed that her grandmother was neither a shrinking violet nor a stay-at-home mom, but an “exhorter” and “successful businesswoman,” who remained active until her final days. “As we look back and reflect on the gift God gave us in Grandma Duggar, we are so grateful. How we wish we would’ve hugged her more, said ‘I love you’ more, and spoken more of these sentiments to her while she was here with us,” she wrote. “She was deeply loved, and she impacted the lives of so many people.” Jessa concluded with a poignant statement of grief and undying affection: “While we weep over our loss, we realize that she has been united with the person she loved more than anyone here on this earth. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord,” she concluded. “We love you, Grandma.” Fans may take issue with Jessa making money from her eulogy — but there’s no doubting the sincerity of her words. View Slideshow: The Duggars: Who’s Courting? Pregnant? Next In Line? [UPDATED]
A n unsung Black athlete is finally getting the recognition that he deserves. Marshall ‘Major’ Taylor —a man who dominated cycling during the late 1800s—is being highlighted in a new book, Chicago PBS reported. Taylor was the world’s fastest athlete at the turn of the 20th century in a sport for which the wheels were just beginning to turn in the U.S. — cycling. https://t.co/JBxAIygShB — WTTW (Chicago PBS) (@wttw) May 15, 2019 The book, titled The World’s Fastest Man: The Extraordinary Life of Cyclist Major Taylor , America’s First Black Sports Hero , was penned by political reporter Michael Kranish . It delves into the racism that Taylor faced while competing during that era. Due to Jim Crow laws, he was banned from participating in several competitions and endured racially charged physical attacks during races. Taylor—who at one point was the world’s fastest cyclist—didn’t let the racial discrimination that he experienced deter him from cycling. In fact, he used all of the negative experiences as fuel to push forward and understood that what he was doing was something bigger than himself; he was opening up doors for generations of Black athletes to follow in his footsteps. Many star athletes would follow suit and lend their voices to social and political issues including Jackie Robinson , Muhammad Ali , Colin Kaepernick , LeBron James and Serena Williams . “He really was a civil rights icon for his day,” Kranish said in a statement. “He wrote extensively about racing not just for his glory. He wanted to show that if he could win a fair match against whites, that any Black could compete and triumph whatever field they tried, if they were given a fair shot.” Taylor is also the inspiration behind a new art exhibit slated to be unveiled next month. Artist Kadir Nelson —known for doing the cover art for rapper Drake ’s Nothing Was the Same album—will create a bronze sculpture of Taylor that will be on display at 3 World Trade Center. SEE ALSO: Chadwick Boseman To Star In Film About First Black Samurai LeBron James Aims To Combat Hunger In Underserved Communities [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3852847″ overlay=”true”]
A n unsung Black athlete is finally getting the recognition that he deserves. Marshall ‘Major’ Taylor —a man who dominated cycling during the late 1800s—is being highlighted in a new book, Chicago PBS reported. Taylor was the world’s fastest athlete at the turn of the 20th century in a sport for which the wheels were just beginning to turn in the U.S. — cycling. https://t.co/JBxAIygShB — WTTW (Chicago PBS) (@wttw) May 15, 2019 The book, titled The World’s Fastest Man: The Extraordinary Life of Cyclist Major Taylor , America’s First Black Sports Hero , was penned by political reporter Michael Kranish . It delves into the racism that Taylor faced while competing during that era. Due to Jim Crow laws, he was banned from participating in several competitions and endured racially charged physical attacks during races. Taylor—who at one point was the world’s fastest cyclist—didn’t let the racial discrimination that he experienced deter him from cycling. In fact, he used all of the negative experiences as fuel to push forward and understood that what he was doing was something bigger than himself; he was opening up doors for generations of Black athletes to follow in his footsteps. Many star athletes would follow suit and lend their voices to social and political issues including Jackie Robinson , Muhammad Ali , Colin Kaepernick , LeBron James and Serena Williams . “He really was a civil rights icon for his day,” Kranish said in a statement. “He wrote extensively about racing not just for his glory. He wanted to show that if he could win a fair match against whites, that any Black could compete and triumph whatever field they tried, if they were given a fair shot.” Taylor is also the inspiration behind a new art exhibit slated to be unveiled next month. Artist Kadir Nelson —known for doing the cover art for rapper Drake ’s Nothing Was the Same album—will create a bronze sculpture of Taylor that will be on display at 3 World Trade Center. SEE ALSO: Chadwick Boseman To Star In Film About First Black Samurai LeBron James Aims To Combat Hunger In Underserved Communities [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3852847″ overlay=”true”]
G raduates of Morehouse College received the gift of a lifetime at their commencement ceremony on Sunday morning. According to CNN , philanthropist and billionaire Robert F. Smith pledged to pay off the student loan debt for the entire 2019 graduating class. Morehouse College seniors got a surprise Sunday when billionaire investor Robert F. Smith announced during his commencement speech that he would pay off their student loan debt https://t.co/oNsu57sS3w pic.twitter.com/eYyi8q2jpe — CNN (@CNN) May 19, 2019 The historically Black college awarded Smith with an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree for being a trailblazer in the realm of business. The entrepreneur and investor—who founded and leads the venture capital firm Vista Equity Partners—has invested in the progression of Morehouse. In January, he donated $1.5 million to the school for the creation of a scholarship fund and the addition of an outdoor study area on campus. Unbeknownst to students and faculty, Smith planned on topping that generous donation by giving graduates the gift of being student loan debt free through the establishment of a new a grant. “On behalf of the eight generations of my family who have been in this country, we’re going to put a little fuel in your bus. Now, I know my class will make sure they pay this forward,” he said during his speech. “I want my class to look at these (alumni) — these beautiful Morehouse brothers — and let’s make sure every class has the same opportunity going forward because we are enough to take care of our own community. We are enough to ensure we have all the opportunities of the American dream.” There were 400 seniors that were a part of the graduating class and Smith’s gift is estimated to be $40 million. The graduates were overjoyed and many of them were in disbelief. Morehouse President David A. Thomas says that the erasure of debt will be a key factor in helping the graduates thrive. Student loan debt has continued to rise within our country. According to Forbes , there is currently $1.5 trillion owed. Paying it forward is nothing new to Smith. He was the National Museum of African American History and Culture’s largest private donor and has been an advocate for education and combating global poverty. SEE ALSO: Robert F. Smith, Angela Bassett To Receive Honorary Degrees From Morehouse Morehouse Receives $1.5M Gift From Black Billionaire Robert F. Smith [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3852506″ overlay=”true”]
G raduates of Morehouse College received the gift of a lifetime at their commencement ceremony on Sunday morning. According to CNN , philanthropist and billionaire Robert F. Smith pledged to pay off the student loan debt for the entire 2019 graduating class. Morehouse College seniors got a surprise Sunday when billionaire investor Robert F. Smith announced during his commencement speech that he would pay off their student loan debt https://t.co/oNsu57sS3w pic.twitter.com/eYyi8q2jpe — CNN (@CNN) May 19, 2019 The historically Black college awarded Smith with an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree for being a trailblazer in the realm of business. The entrepreneur and investor—who founded and leads the venture capital firm Vista Equity Partners—has invested in the progression of Morehouse. In January, he donated $1.5 million to the school for the creation of a scholarship fund and the addition of an outdoor study area on campus. Unbeknownst to students and faculty, Smith planned on topping that generous donation by giving graduates the gift of being student loan debt free through the establishment of a new a grant. “On behalf of the eight generations of my family who have been in this country, we’re going to put a little fuel in your bus. Now, I know my class will make sure they pay this forward,” he said during his speech. “I want my class to look at these (alumni) — these beautiful Morehouse brothers — and let’s make sure every class has the same opportunity going forward because we are enough to take care of our own community. We are enough to ensure we have all the opportunities of the American dream.” There were 400 seniors that were a part of the graduating class and Smith’s gift is estimated to be $40 million. The graduates were overjoyed and many of them were in disbelief. Morehouse President David A. Thomas says that the erasure of debt will be a key factor in helping the graduates thrive. Student loan debt has continued to rise within our country. According to Forbes , there is currently $1.5 trillion owed. Paying it forward is nothing new to Smith. He was the National Museum of African American History and Culture’s largest private donor and has been an advocate for education and combating global poverty. SEE ALSO: Robert F. Smith, Angela Bassett To Receive Honorary Degrees From Morehouse Morehouse Receives $1.5M Gift From Black Billionaire Robert F. Smith [ione_media_gallery src=”https://newsone.com” id=”3852506″ overlay=”true”]
