Source: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin / Getty KiKi Layne is absolutely gorgeous. Point, blank, periodt. However, this chocolate goddess went out and outdid herself for the 2019 Los Angeles County Museum of Art + Film Gala . She showed up and showed out in style! The beauty of natural hair is all the incredible shapes and silhouettes it can take on. The way Layne had her locs styled and shaped – I’m here for it! It looked like an astrological arrangement – like a planet orbiting around two rings. So here for it. Her hair was done by Larry J Sims who revealed to Essence that he was “inspired by the Gucci dress that her stylists Wayman and Micah chose for her. The color on KiKi’s chocolate skin felt regal and royal. Her make up artist Rebekah Aladdin always makes her look like a queen so I wanted to do something grand that would complement everyone’s efforts.” Source: Gregg DeGuire / Getty This Gucci dress is absolutely stunning. It was green with floral embellishments and the end. She left her neck bare and wore small earrings to allow the hair and the dress to shine. Layne wore silver sandals to compliment the entire look. And while she didn’t adorn her neck with jewels, she did wear glitzy rings.
Source: Wendy Ngala / Wendy Ngala Name: Chizi Duru IG: @ChiziDuru Agency: Self-Represented Claim to Fame: Duru started a huge YouTube channel after her dad encouraged her to cut off her hair and go natural as a pre-teen. Black women are chronically underpaid . Studies show this is a fact across a number of industries but in creative fields it is expounded on by an intentional lack of transparency. YouTube star turned professional model Chizi Duru is committed to changing this in creative fields. “There’s kind of been this culture of keeping quiet about the things that you’re doing, how much you’re making, what deals you’re making, what does your deal entail,” said Duru in an exclusive interview with Hello Beautiful . View this post on Instagram What's one thing you've learned to love about yourself? For me, it was my hair texture. Yep. I remember getting so upset at my hair because it wouldn't curl “the right way” and it was so. hard. to. comb. But now I love it! It all came down to being mindful of my thoughts towards my hair and learning what worked for it. Now she's my crown, a game-changer, and I'll forever be thankful for my 4C hair Comment below, let's talk! A post shared by CHIZI DURU (@chiziduru) on Sep 20, 2017 at 5:09pm PDT Appearing in campaigns for major brands like Burlington Coat Factory and Clarks she has been able to see the full extent of a company’s resources from a more empowered perspective.The infiltration of influencers into spaces traditional models have dominated has been met with some tension but Duru feels Youtubers can actually be assets to what she refers to as, “traditional models.” Cultivating a personal brand can fortify a model against rapidly shifting industry trends or missteps made by representatives . Many of the top models in the industry have cultivated a more personable approach to the faces on the billboards. “You can always use that to negotiate a deal for an even higher deal,” said Duru. View this post on Instagram The goal is to continue to foster my self expression & individuality Rocking this outfit from @modcloth #ModClothSquad #SayItLouder @liketoknow.it #liketkit http://liketk.it/2wu6e A post shared by CHIZI DURU (@chiziduru) on Jul 10, 2018 at 2:20pm PDT “I definitely think there’s a bridge that’s being made,” she added. She wants her voice to be among those crossing that bridge. “What I love about our generation and even the generation coming up after us is we’re more open and we’re like, ‘No we don’t have to keep quiet about things!’ I’m going to tell you how much I make so that you don’t ever get into a position where you’re undercharging or underselling yourself or you’re getting lowballed.” View this post on Instagram When you see your future husband walk by & silently thank God your braidout fully dried #happyhumpday #4cnaturalhair #naturalhair : @nvmwendy A post shared by CHIZI DURU (@chiziduru) on Sep 6, 2017 at 11:15am PDT She created an offline space to further conversations about knowing your worth through the development of the Afro Brunch series. “You need a community and that’s something that I didn’t have. There’s no books on it. Unless you talk to someone and ask them hey how much did you charge for this you’re probably not going to find that easily on the internet right now.” She hopes her modeling work will allow her to use her face and 4C hair to add diversity to visual representation in mainstream media. She acknowledges that her level of influence allows her insulated from things other models experience. View this post on Instagram Happy Friday I hope your weekend is filled with lots of joy and laughter : @kacienelsonphotography A post shared by CHIZI DURU (@chiziduru) on Aug 4, 2017 at 9:25am PDT “I haven’t been in any situation where they told me to wear my hair differently which I’m sure is different for a traditional model,” she said. She uses that privilege to advocate for inclusion and consideration of women with “with darker skin and kinky hair,” when she is in the room with brands often pushing back on their creative visions. “Whenever you are in the room with just people you’re bound to connect in some way.” Duru desires for her image in store ads and commercials to not only impact little Black girls but people passing by who might not see them as the standard for what is beautiful. “I just I think it opens up their minds as well to see that beauty doesn’t just look one way,” she said. View this post on Instagram Everyone needs a break from their natural hair and I like to protect mine by wearing wigs. Check out my newest video where I show you step by step how I created this gorgeous wig using @hergivenhair. Video link in bio! : @oyitenwula A post shared by CHIZI DURU (@chiziduru) on Jul 6, 2017 at 4:18pm PDT “Growing up the images that we see or at least the images that I saw were of lighter skinned women. You always see the woman that’s in the forefront is the lighter woman and it’s kind of subconsciously tells you like ‘Well I’m dark skinned, I’m not always going to be number one kind of thing.’ And I think just being able to be representation for that little girl that has darker skin or has kinky hair and them being able to see me on tv for a national commercial with Burlington they’re going to go ‘Wow! So this is possible for me,’ and that completely changes someone’s mindset and what they think is possible for them, which is everything because that can change someone’s trajectory in their life in general.” Tyra Banks inspired Duru to speak up for herself on and off set. Arguably one of the model influencer hybrids she addressed topics like fat shaming on her talk show the way Duru does on her YouTube channel. “She started gaining weight and she started gaining backlash for that and I just remember really connecting to her story, like I’m gaining weight too I’m not a figure eight.” She started using the phrase “You cannot talk to me anyhow,” to formalize her rejection of other people’s labels and refusals to meet her standards. “Even if I’m not a two or a six or a zero you still can’t talk to me anyhow. It’s something that I said because it doesn’t matter how what size I am how big or how small or what I look like you still cant talk to me anyhow.” DON’T MISS: MODEL MONDAY: Nyakim Gatwech Is A Model With A Message For Black Girls MODEL MONDAY: Shawana Vickers Chooses Confidence Over Clout Chasing MODEL MONDAY: Erica Campbell’s Modeling Career Began After She Was Diagnosed With Stage 4 Cancer [ione_media_gallery src=”https://hellobeautiful.com” id=”3062746″ overlay=”true”]
Source: Prince Williams @atlpics / ATLPics.Net T.I., Tiny, Ludacris, Monica And More Celebrate Kenny Burns Birthday At Cassette The Halloween edition of Cassette , Atlanta’s monthly event at Distrikt nightclub, included performances from Silk and BBD as the party host Kenny Burns celebrated his birthday with help from celebrity guests including Ludacris, Monica, T.I., Tiny, Toya Wright and more. Source: Prince Williams @atlpics / ATLPics.Net Ludacris came dressed and ready for Ron Burgundy mode, while LeToya Luckett and her hubby Tommicus Walker looked Fresh out of Bel-Air. Hit the flip for more dope costumes and celebrity cameos from the Thursday night party.
Source: Mint Images / Getty Former Georgia Cop Sentenced To 12 Years In Prison Anthony Hill Death The former Georgia police officer who killed Anthony Hill has been handed down a sentence. Former Officer Robert “Chip” Olsen was sentenced to 12 years in prison Friday for the killing of Hill, a mentally ill, unarmed and naked black man in 2015. CNN reports that DeKalb County Superior Court Judge LaTisha Dear Jackson gave Robert “Chip” Olsen a 20-year term, with 12 years to be served in custody. Under the sentence, Olsen is prohibited from working in law enforcement, possessing firearms or profiting from the case. Prosecutors were hoping for a 25-year sentence with five years probation, but Judge Jackson noted the emotion Olsen had during the trial. “Many might have thought you were stoic and void of emotion,” the judge told Olsen according to CNN. “From the time opening statements started, I saw the tears that you’ve had. I saw how you replayed March 9, 2015, in your head.” Mind you Olsen was NOT found guilty of murder , he was found guilty of aggravated assault, making a false statement, and two counts of violation of oath, but acquitted on two felony murder charges. A jury in DeKalb County, Georgia, has found police officer Robert E. Olsen not guilty on murder charges in the shooting death of unarmed veteran Anthony Hill. Olsen was found guilty of four lesser charges. https://t.co/Mk3oPo2Brh — CNN (@CNN) October 14, 2019
Source: SOPA Images / Getty Halloween can be a fantastic time for those that celebrate it. While it’s geared towards children, adults fall into the fun as well ! Costumes are sold online, in stores, in fact, there are even pop up Halloween stores specifically selling items for this one evening. While it can be fun to dress up as your favorite celebrity, movie character, childhood character, meme, and more and there are so many creative ways to construct a costume (or just buy one), you can take the fantasy too far. Halloween has become associated with cultural appropriation because people may dress up in costumes, not knowing the history behind it. Worst of all, there seems to always be a case(s) of Blackface every year, which naturally let’s me know that Halloween is also a time that some choose to offend. In the age of Google, it’s hard for me to accept that someone just didn’t “know”. Doing the research on your costume and spending some time thinking about why you want to have this costume should lead you to know whether it’s a smart idea or not. People choose ignorance. Source: SOPA Images / Getty However, when will we acknowledge that our diction is more damaging than the costumes themselves? It comes out in marginalized communities like minorities and the obese . Growing up, I recall Black people saying, they were going to be the “ Black version of Ariel ” or “the Black Belle.” Yes, we have evolved and have our own Black princesses (shout out to Tiana), it still seems like a limitation for when we dress up for Halloween. We should just be able to imagine those characters in our own image, because for so long, we were ignored on the screen. Also, you can recreate a character without trying to recreate a race; you don’t see Black people powdering their faces, yet the need to create inclusion is heard clearly through the description. We aren’t even having enough discussions around size in animation or representation in a positive light for the young and old alike. Jessica Rabbit was the “thickest” the community has gotten. We haven’t advanced far enough in our fight in diversity to where Disney has given us a voluptuous Princess, with roll and folds in all her glory. Thank goodness we have been graced with a real life BAP like Lizzo . Each year, plus size women are forced to create representation for themselves, we dress up as Tinkerbell’s and Mariah Carey ‘s, Beyoncé ‘s, Michelle Obama ‘s, and Oprah ‘s showcasing the power of plus size women within our superstars. As we strive to be a more culturally aware society, Greek Goddesses become Goddesses, we dress up as skeletons and not Day of the Dead, and we don’t wear makeup from specific African origins in which we don’t identify. It’s not sensitive, it’s respectful and inclusive. Sometimes it’s not what we see and more so what we imply and our verbiage. By thinking more about what we say, how we say it, and how we describe our costumes, can speak volumes to communities that are normally affected by the thoughtlessness within the Halloween holiday. DON’T MISS: LET’S MAKEUP: Here ‘ s The Perfect Halloween Makeup Look To Take Care Of Your Last Minute Costume 7 Halloween Costumes That Pay Tribute To Pop Culture Icons Here Are 25 Halloween Beauty Looks That Will Make Them Stop And Stare [ione_media_gallery src=”https://hellobeautiful.com” id=”3062983″ overlay=”true”]
Source: Netflix / Netflix ‘Rhythn + Flow’ Judges Are Impressed By Saxon Netflix new hip-hop competition show, Rhythm + Flow , is off and running and the first episode was a doozy. Snoop Dogg, Chance The Rapper, Cardi B, and T.I. judge the sartorial bars of a rapper named Saxon who came dressed in a 3-piece suit. Press play down bottom to check it out. Hate it or love it?
Source: Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images / Getty Errol Spence Jr. Injured In Car Crash We’re sending prayers a famed boxer’s way. Errol Spence Jr. is reportedly in serious condition after his Ferrari flipped multiple times Thursday morning in Dallas. The news comes from CBS 11 who reported that the Unified welterweight champion was not wearing a seat belt when his Ferrari veered over the center median and flipped multiple times. The 29-year-old was reportedly ejected from the vehicle and taken to the hospital. No other cars were involved in the crash and police report that he was driving at a high rate of speed. He is expected to survive. UPDATE: Sources tell @CBSDFW Pro boxer ERROL SPENCE JR is the “high-profile man” @Dallaspd says was seriously injured after being ejected from the #Ferrari he was driving during a rollover crash on Riverfront Blvd. He was transported hospital, but expected to survive. #BREAKING pic.twitter.com/JjkCP2OcXz — Madison Sawyer (@MadisonSawyerTV) October 10, 2019 This story is still developing…
Source: Shutter King Images @shutterkingimages / Shutter King Images @shutterkingimages Dee “lilD” Porter ‘s New Book “Route 2” Is Out Oct. 10 Her infectious voice has entertained scores of listeners over the years. But 97.9 The Beat’s Dee “lilD” Porter’s rise to fame on the radio airwaves was anything but smooth. The Dallas, TX radio personality, who endured poverty and homelessness in her quest for success on the air, has written about her struggle to succeed on the radio in her new memoir, “Route 2,” which is out this week. In it, the Louisiana native and self-proclaimed “Mouth of the South” recalls the three months she spent homeless and working two jobs in order to break into radio. The book, out Oct. 10, includes a forward from “The Breakfast Club” host Charlemagne Tha God and chronicles her grinding for low wages, going hungry and struggling to fill her car with gas for the two hour trip for her part-time radio gig. lilD said she promised herself that if she made it, she would write about her experience to help others. Source: Shutter King Images @shutterkingimages / Shutter King Images @shutterkingimages “It was a Wednesday and I was sitting in that motel room,” lilD recalled in a recent interview with BOSSIP. “I knew I wasn’t going to eat until Friday, and I thought if I make it through this…I realized that so many people are going through a struggle right now. I want them to know that this isn’t the end of the road, it’s the beginning.” lilD said she hopes the book will show readers the real deal about breaking into the radio industry while illustrating that people coming into it can be successful if they are willing to work hard and stick it out. “I want people to get a realistic vibe,” she said. “This industry is very tough. You don’t just come in one day, be a jock and make $80,000.” But “I want them to understand that if you believe in yourself, the risk will pay off.” She also hopes that “Route 2” will help counter the stigma around homelessness. “Your co-workers could be homeless, because I was and nobody knew,” lilD said. “Homelessness isn’t just that you chose to smoke your rent away. Homelessness has a face and it was my face at some point…You never know what’s going on.”
Source: Christian Petersen / Getty Well that didn’t take very long. Antonio Brown is asking his former employers to pay the remaining balance of his professional football contract. NFL.com is reporting that the controversial wide receiver has a filed a grievance against the Oakland Raiders and New England Patriots . The former wide out is seeking to recoup almost 40 million dollars in his unpaid salary. From Oakland specifically he has requested monies deducted due to disciplinary penalties, a week of salary when he was abruptly dropped from Oakland and voided guarantees. His complaint against the Patriots states includes salary not paid to him from week 1 of the 2019 season and the balance of the contract. Even though the Raiders made Brown the highest-paid receiver he had a very tumultuous year off the field. He allegedly confronted his then general manager Mike Mayock in a hostile manner which resulted him in being terminated even before he played one game for the AFC West squad. He then signed with the Patriots a week later amidst allegations of rape and sexual assault. He would be cut shortly after when it was reported that he sent texts intimidating a witness related to a separate case. On September 22 he took to his Twitter account to vent his frustration claiming he will never play for the NFL again and also allude to this recent grievance filing. Will not be playing in the @NFL anymore these owners can cancel deals do whatever they want at anytime we will see if the @NFLPA hold them accountable sad they can just void guarantees anytime going on 40m 2 months will see if they pay up ! — AB (@AB84) September 22, 2019 Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Source: Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images for ReedPOP “Star Trek: Picard” Premieres At New York Comic Con You would have to be a nerdy “Star Trek: The Next Generation” fan to grasp just how amazing (and nostalgic) this “Star Trek: Picard” trailer (that premiered at New York Comic Con) truly is. If not, we urge you to binge-watch the classic ’90s show on Netflix to genuinely enjoy Captain Jean-Luc Picard’s next chapter (AT 80) in space. “Star Trek: Picard” premieres exclusively on CBS Access on January 23.
