Source: Adam Bielawski/WENN.com / WENN DMX has mellowed out quite a bit since going free from prison at the top of the year, and recent appearances of the veteran rapper showcase him enjoying the life of a beloved star. Realizing his good fortune after selling millions of albums since the late 1990s, Darkman X blessed a Maine family with shoes to prep them for the upcoming school season. WMTV.com reports : Nikki Cutchens and her daughter Grace were shopping at the Maine Mall on Saturday when they stopped into the store Journey’s. The family was in line ready to check out when the man at the next register offered to buy their shoes for them. The man happened to rapper DMX. DMX was in Maine for a concert at Rock Row in Westbrook on Saturday. He told them he was blessed to have 15 children and wanted the family to be blessed as well. “I was actually having a really hard time picking out shoes. I could not figure out which ones I wanted and then we went in that store and I found the shoes that I wanted and we just happened to go pay for them and it happened.” Grace Firley said. “They’re technically his shoes. That’s what I’m going to say. I have DMX’s shoes.” The outlet adds that X copped sneakers for Grace and her sister, who attends college in Portland. Way to go, DMX. — Photo: WENN
Source: Ivan Nikolov/WENN.com / WENN Malik Yoba turned heads last week after revealing that he is “trans attracted” and has endured an onslaught of comments both positive and negative. In the wake of the revelation, the veteran actor thanked fans for their support but is now facing allegations that he solicited underage trans prostitutes previously. In an Instagram video, the Empire star reached out to his fans and checked detractors who aimed some words at his children for his choice. View this post on Instagram Happy Labor Day Fam!! Thank you all who have reached out to me with love and support over the last 24 hours. Thank you @bet and all others who have spread this message of hope that it is ok to be who the FUCK you are no matter what other ppl say as long as you ain’t hurting nobody. Fear and shame should not be our gods. Freedom and love of all of HUMAN-ity should be the order of the day! SEE YOU IN DC FOR @transmarchondc AND Love + Trauma : The Trans Experience. Go to site for all upcoming details A post shared by malikyoba (@malikyoba) on Sep 2, 2019 at 9:30am PDT “I apologize to my own children because my kids got some foul messages with folks thinking that it’s okay because you don’t understand something,” Yoba said via an Instagram video. “Just because you don’t understand something does not make it wrong or does not make people wrong. I don’t even understand all of it, but I’m willing to ask questions.” A trans woman by the name of Mariah Lopez Ebony has since come forth to accuse the actor of soliciting her services when she was 13 and again at 16, blasting Yoba for confusing his love of trans women. Yoba has yet to answer the allegations. — Photo: WENN
Bachelor in Paradise did not save the drama for its mama on Monday night’s Season 6 premiere. Instead, it saved the drama almost entirely for Blake Horstmann, the runner-up on Becca Kufrin’s edition of The Bachelorette , and the two women with whom he hooked up last night. Before we delve into that drunken chaos, a quick refresher: This summer’s crop of horny contestants includes: Colton Underwood’s finalists Tayshia and Hannah G. A villain from Hannah Brown’s very recent season, Cam. Her former suitor John Paul Jones. Veteran franchise member Chris Bukowski. And other Paradise veterans such Bibiana, Wills, Annaliese and Derek, who’d gotten engaged on Bachelor in Paradise season 4. While they were hoping to start something brand new and exciting in Vallarta, Nayarit, one participant said she needed to figure out the feelings she had in an existing relationship. That would be Demi, also from Colton’s season, who revealed in a pre-beach talk with Hannah B. that she had “kind of been seeing someone.” “Plot twist, it happens to be a woman,” Demi said on air, adding: “It’s not something that I need to label, so I feel like I don’t have to proclaim that I am gay, I am straight, I am bisexual, I am this. I just like who I like. It doesn’t matter who or what you are, it’s the person.” Demi added that this woman was “amazing,” but that she is not in an exclusive relationship. So bring on the hook-ups, people! Men and women! Once she hit that warm and inviting sand, Demi found a connection with 32-year-old Derek — and they ended up kissing in the hot tub, which we’re pretty sure it mandated in the show’s by-laws. “I’m ready to find someone that’s ready to have a relationship, and I’m having fun exploring,” she explained in an on-camera interview. “I’ve had some fun with Derek tonight. He’s a sweet, sweet man and I feel good whenever I’m around him. Derek is a good kisser and I love it. “I do think that Derek’s sexy. I’m having a lot of fun but I’m definitely trying to take it one day at a time right now.” As for Blake? He was trying to take it one woman at a time… … and not always succeeding. “Blake and I talked for a few months and it was really great, but he played me and that sucked,” Caelynn, 23, told host Chris Harrison of her ex, adding: “It wasn’t fun. I really did struggle and he hurt me. So if he is here, I just want to clear it up and I’m hopeful that Blake will man up.” Horstmann immediately ran away once he saw Caelynn descend the stairs. “Blake sucks,” she continued, as many of the other female contestant expressed interest in going on a date with the handsome 30-year-old. “All of the girls are saying what a great guy he is, and I’m sitting there like, you guys don’t even know who this guy is. We were seeing each other, I was pretty sure it was exclusive. “He’s done some really horrible things to me. So now I’m not interested in him. He’s made it clear he’s not interested in me. I’m a mistake. He’s never apologized, and that’s hurtful.” Naturally, Blake received the first date card, promptly asking out Tayshia. As they went off for their evening together, Caelynn opened up to bartender and former Bachelorette contestant Wells. “I thought he was a great guy and then we really had something,” she told Wells of Blake. “We talked about skipping Paradise and coming out with us, and then he ghosted me. Just like fully stopped communication and now I’m here. F-cking first date. And then we saw each other at a music festival. “He ended up sweet-talking me and we spent the night together. And we wake up and I’m in his bed and he’s DMing Hannah G. I’m still in his bed, he’s talking about how hot Tayshia is. “I was like, ‘Are you kidding me?’ Like no dude, that’s not okay. And then he was like, ‘I just want to let you know I hooked up with Kristina [Schulman, from Nick Viall’s season of The Bachelor] the night before.’” She went on to say that Blake told her the two of them had to keep their old romance a secret in Mexico. Watch Bachelor in Paradise Season 6 Episode 1 Online Wells encouraged Caelynn to spread the truth about Blake, so precisely that and let Onyeka from Colton’s season be the first to know about her bad experience with Paradise‘s most in-demand hottie. “We were like FaceTiming three times a day, texting every day,” Caelynn told Onyeka, explaining: “I really liked him. Like I was like, I actually see something with this guy. And everyone last night is like, he’s the king of Paradise. Everyone wants to date him. I was like, guys, he’s so good at twisting things. Very smooth… “He treats girls like scum.” Kristina then arrived… with a date card of her own. And she asked out Blake! “Me and Kristina were hanging out maybe like six or seven months ago,” Blake told the other men. “It started as a friendship and then it moved into something more. But whether it was the timing or whatnot, but we decided to stay friends and we have been. We’ve still like honestly, we talk. “We’re still there for each other for certain things. Honestly, we’ve been very open with each other. It ended very mutually.” Kristina didn’t see it the same way, however. “I know what happened with him and Caelynn. I honestly thought he would have a little more respect for me, so knowing that he spent the night with her kinda hurt my feelings,” she said. “That’s a slap in the face to me, and I will not let myself be f–ked over again. So today, I’m going to make Blake my bitch.” Cue an evil laugh… and the conclusion of the episode… and the start of yet another season of this franchise where the ladies are here to hold men accountable for bad behavior. We hope that’s the case, at least.
Source: Jason Mendez / Getty Jermaine Dupri caught an avalanche of slander from a bevy of women rappers after he criticized them and compared them to being like strippers. After getting a strong lesson on women in the game that can do whatever they want in music just like the men are allowed, the veteran Atlanta producer announced the launch of a new women-focused venture. “After all the calls,DMs, angry tweets and other messages saying “I am a major gatekeeper in the hip hop world,why don’t I invest in a female who is out here hustling and making a name for herself?” I decided to create the #SoSoDefFemalecypher, details coming soon,” Dupri wrote on his social media accounts. On Twitter, R&B singer 6lack checked Dupri on the curious timing of the SoSoDef Female Cypher. women in hip hop don’t need representation/approval from men (ya cypher sounds more reactive than proactive). if u don’t have a fav artist that hits on the subjects u wanna hear, u could solve that wit a quick search & some support. plus, IF they do wanna talk about sex, they can https://t.co/9nX46FDUia — black (@6LACK) July 12, 2019 “[W]omen in hip hop don’t need representation/approval from men (ya cypher sounds more reactive than proactive). if u don’t have a fav artist that hits on the subjects u wanna hear, u could solve that wit a quick search & some support. plus, IF they do wanna talk about sex, they can,” 6lack wrote via Twitter. Dupri fired back with, “You right!! they can talk about whateva they wanna talk about and I can have my opinion right ?” which didn’t endd there. 6lack returned fire saying, “sure, but “they all talkin about the same thing” ain’t accurate lol. i got an amazing playlist that i didn’t even break a sweat to make.” Time will tell if the So So Def boss nails the concept. After all the calls,DMs, angry tweets and other messages saying “I am a major gatekeeper in the hip hop world,why don’t I invest in a female who is out here hustling and making a name for herself?” I decided to create the #SoSoDefFemalecypher , details coming soon pic.twitter.com/Nyxl5KpPXZ — Jermaine Dupri (@jermainedupri) July 12, 2019 — Photo: Getty
We have yet another twist and a possibly giant turn in the Jussie Smollett case/investigation/scandal/total and complete mess. On Monday evening, police released a couple of videos in relation to the alleged attack against the veteran Empire actor. As you must know by now, Smollett told the police and then the public way back in late January that he had been attacked on the streets of Chicago. He said this attack was perpetrated by two white men… that they tied a noose around his neck… that they poured bleach all over him … and that they screamed racial and anti-gay epithets in his direction. At first, Smollett was the subject of numerous sympathetic articles and headlines. The entire world, including President Donald Trump, appeared to be on his side. But after more information came to light (such as the supposed assailants being two black men who actually knew Smollett well) and doubts were raised about the validity of Smollett's story, he eventually became a pariah. The police actually arrested Smollett on the charge of falsifying an official report — only for the district attorney to eventually let the star go free. The situation continues to be a sordid and confusing enigma. This leads us into the newest update, which is this: Chicago police released video today that showed a noose around the Empire star’s neck. It also features a brief conversation between Smollett and the officers inside his apartment. “Do you want to take it off or anything?” an officer asks Smollett in the body cam footage, which depicuts the actor donning a cream and red sweater and having a tangle of white rope around his neck. “Yeah I do. I just wanted you all to see,” Smollett replies. He then claims that bleach is all over him. After just about 30 seconds of an exchange, Smollett gives the police permission to turn off their body cameras. So… what does this footage actually reveal? A Smollett apologist would say there you go, it shows a noose around his neck. Case closed! He was attacked! A Smollett critic would say that it's VERY weird for Smollett to have simply kept the noose around his neck (the video was filmed about 40 minutes after the alleged attack)… that he doesn't appear injured at all… that his mere claim of bleach being on his person doesn't mean anything at all… and that his request to have the cameras turned off could mean he didn't want anyone else to see all this flimsy evidence. It really just depends on where you stand. On Friday, Cook County Judge Michael Toomin announced that that Smollett’s criminal case will face another review by a special prosecutor. He also said that the actor, who he described as a “charlatan who fomented a hoax the equal of any twisted television intrigue,” could face additional charges. So this still isn't the last we've heard about this scandal. Check out the official police footage now.
Catelynn Lowell is in a pretty amazing place in her life right now. After a few hiccups, her marriage to Tyler appears to be in a great place — and the couple just welcomed another child into the world a few months ago. Her name is Vaeda . And she is pretty much perfect. But it wasn't all that long ago that things were a lot worse for the veteran Teen Mom OG star. How much worse? She once considered suicide . What was going through her mind at the time? Where does she stand now? Scroll down for the latest, very raw and very candid thoughts from Catelyn… 1. A Quick and Sad Refresher Catelynn and Tyler suffered one of the worst tragedies possible in late 2017. They lost a child due to a miscarriage. 2. Catelynn Didn’t Handle It Well We mean, no mother handles such an awful situation well. But this reality star had been battling mental health issues even before the miscarriage, checking into a rehab facility in November of 2017. 3. She Was Honest About Why, Too “Well today I thought of every way to kill myself.. so I’m going to treatment #makeChesterProud @TalindaB #KeepTalkingMH #thiswontlast,” Catelynn tweeted right after making that decision. 4. She Really Was in Trouble As maybe you noticed in that Tweet, Catelynn tagged the wife of late Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington… and Bennington took his own life in July of 2017 at the age of 41. 5. Has Catelynn Opened Up About This Low Point Before? Yes. She spoke on air to Dr. Drew about it in April 2018, admitting at the time of her thought process: “If I don’t go somewhere else today, I’m going to off myself and life would be 10 times better.” 6. Added Catelynn in This Interview: “I could picture myself driving into an electrical pole off the road, praying it would kill me. But I wouldn’t do it because I had my kid in the backseat.” View Slideshow
Jersey Shore: Family Vacation is getting set to expand its family. In our very first look at the third season of this MTV revival, the cable network tells fans to speak now… … or forever pump your fist. This is a reference to Mike Sorrentino's wedding, which took place in late October and which will be a focal point of at least the new season premiere. “Oh yeah, weddings yeah!” Paul “Pauly D” Delvecchio enthusiastically and hilariously declares in this trailer. Meanwhile, a tuxedo-clad The Situation poses with his dapper groomsmen in the promo — while Snooki and Jenni Farley throw petals down the aisle and gush over the bride. There's no footage here of Lauren Pesce herself, but there's a whole lot of excitement flowing around and around between the veteran colleagues and close friends. At one point, Mike rides a horse. At another, Snooki screams loudly on a boat. “I believe it’s too late to turn back now,” Mike says about getting hitched, which he did just a few weeks before going to jail for tax evasion. Jersey Shore: Family Vacation is a spinoff of the original Jersey Shore, a series that ran from 2009 through 2012. It catches up with he original Seaside Heights cast a decade after we first met them as a bunch of wild and crazy party-goers and drama-creators. They still stir up plenty of the latter, but most of the stars are now married and/or have their own children, with Snooki having just given birth to a boy . Who ever would have thought just a few years back, right? As for the upcoming third season? Delvecchio, Farley, Vinny Guadagnino, Ronnie Ortiz-Magro, Snooki, Sorrentino, Angelina Pivarnick and Deena Nicole Cortese will all return for another go-around. It sounds as if we'll also see a lot of Ronnie's violent occasional girlfriend, Jen Harley, despite her recent arrest . Season 3 will also give us a glimpse at how the roommates deal with Sorrentino's jail sentencing and his subsequent time served behind bars. Reads the official press release: The roommates may be back, but a lot has changed, as the squad rallies around Mike, who’s facing prison time and planning a wedding. At the same time, Deena’s about to give birth, Jenni’s contemplating divorce, Ronnie’s fed up with all the jokes at his expense, and Pauly can’t resist just one wedding prank. Through the challenges and fears, pranks and surprise wedding guests, it’s the humor that keeps this group together and proves that facing life’s twists and turns is easier with friends. Jersey Shore: Family Vacation returns on July 11 at 8/7c on MTV.
Source: FayesVision/WENN.com / WENN Jordin Sparks’ Stepfather Dies Jordin Sparks is in mourning. The singer’s stepfather James Jackson, an army veteran and firefighter, passed away May 7 after suffering a stroke. PEOPLE confirms that a funeral service for the 50-year-old father of three will be held Tuesday, May 14 at 10:30 a.m. at the Second Baptist Church in Kingwood, Texas. They add that in lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Houston-based ministry The Forge for Families. Sparks’s mom Jodi recently shared her heartbreak on social media writing; “James and I had a big beautiful love. We loved out loud. He took nothing for granted and gave of himself everyday to everyone. We adored each other and every minute he wasn’t working we were together loving our crazy, blessed life,” she wrote in the emotional post. “He spent his life saving lives and will save many more through this tragedy. That was just who he was.” View this post on Instagram Wedding time. A post shared by Jodi Jackson (@jodijax) on Mar 31, 2019 at 1:31pm PDT Jordin has since alluded to her grief on Instagram with a repost that read; “The more my heart expands, the less offended I feel by other people working out their particular stage of being a human.” View this post on Instagram Happy 1 Year Anniversary to my Mommy, @jodijax & Step Dad James! Your love is so incredibly inspiring. I love you both so much! Here's to many more! A post shared by Jordin Sparks Thomas (@jordinsparks) on Mar 15, 2015 at 9:34pm PDT We’re praying for the Sparks family.
Just over a month after Felicity Huffman agreed to plead guilty to charges of fraud for her role in the nationwide college admissions scandal , the veteran actress officially entered her plea on Monday, May 13. Wearing a dark coat and a pleated dress, the former Desperate Housewives star did so inside of a courtroom in Boston, multiple outlets have confirmed. In response to Huffman’s plea, prosecutors have recommended a four-month jail sentence. But, on a later date, a judge will have final say over the star’s exact punishment. Huffman has admitted to paying $15,000 to admissions consultant William “Rick” Singer and his nonprofit organization, Key Worldwide Foundation. A federal indictment has alleged that this so-called charity was really just a front for accepting bribes, however. Singer then facilitated cheating on Huffman’s oldest daughter’s SAT test by having a proctor correct the teen’s answers after the fact. Over two dozen wealthy individuals were snared in this operation, with Huffman and fellow Lori Loughlin the most well-known among them. While addressing Judge Indira Talwani on Monday, Huffman broke down in tears explaining that her daughter really had been seeing a neuropsychologist since the age of eight and had been receiving extra time on exams since she was 11. She told the judge that neither her daughter nor the neuropsychologist had any knowledge of the bribery scheme. At one point, witnesses inside the courtroom confirm, Huffman grew so emotional about her error in judgment that she needed a minute to compose herself. Huffman broke her silence on the scandal on April 8, announcing that she planned to plead guilty and accepting full responsiblity for her actions. “I am in full acceptance of my guilt, and with deep regret and shame over what I have done, I accept full responsibility for my actions and will accept the consequences that stem from those actions,” she said in a statement. It continued: “I am ashamed of the pain I have caused my daughter, my family, my friends, my colleagues and the educational community. “I want to apologize to them and, especially, I want to apologize to the students who work hard every day to get into college, and to their parents who make tremendous sacrifices to support their children and do so honestly.” She then turned her attention to Sophia, the 18-year old daughter for whom Huffman paid to have test scores altered: “My daughter knew absolutely nothing about my actions, and in my misguided and profoundly wrong way, I have betrayed her. “This transgression toward her and the public I will carry for the rest of my life. My desire to help my daughter is no excuse to break the law or engage in dishonesty.” The ex-American Crime star and husband William H. Macy, who got married in 1997, are also parents of 17-year-old daughter Georgia. While Huffman allegedly “made arrangements to pursue the scheme for a second time” for her younger daughter, she ultimately opted “not to do so,” per legal documents. Under her plea deal, Huffman is prohibited from running for office, owning a firearm and ammunition, and faces other restrictions. She will return to court for her sentencing on September 13. Loughlin, meanwhile, has taken the opposite approach from Huffman. She has not pleaded guilty and plans on fighting all fraud and bribery charges against her, despite these accusations being extreme in nature. The former Full House cast member is accused of shelling out $500,000 as part of an elaborate scheme to pretend that her two daughters were on their high school rowing team. In exchange, Singer arranged for an official at the University of California to place the young women on the school’s athletic recruitment list — thereby lowering their admission standards. Both teenagers were subsequently accepted to this college. After the actress and husband Mossimo Giannulli, rejected a plea deal in April, they were hit with additional charges of money laundering conspiracy They now face 40 years in prison .
Three may be company for Leah Messer. But four would be an absolute score! So the veteran reality star basically said on the April 15 episode of Teen Mom 2 . Messer took viewers by surprise when the subject of her family and its future was broached, admitting that she may not be done having children. Granted, it would help if she were in a serious relationship before this dream of expansion turned into a reality – but Messer is just 26 years old. She has plenty of time to settle down with someone and try again … or get back together with Jeremy Calvert . Wait, what? Scroll down to see what Leah actually said and to get caught up on where her life is right now, along with where it may someday go… 1. How Many Kids Does Leah Currently Have? Three. All daughters. They are: Adalynn Faith Calvert, Aleeah Grace Simms, Aliannah Hope Simms. 2. How Many Baby Daddies? Two. She gave birth to her twins back when she was dating Cory Simms, while she shares Adalynn with ex Jeremy Calvert. 3. She Hasn’t Expressed Much Interest in Getting Pregnant Again… … except that she was at her OBGYN on this Teen Mom 2 episode in order determine the form of birth control that would work for her after getting more serious with boyfriend Jason Jordan. 4. Messer Has Since Split from Jordan But the episode was filmed many months ago. 5. What Did Messer Tell the Doctor? While she admitted to using the Plan B pill “as needed,” which is pretty controversial on its own, the mother of three wanted to get on something a lot more stable to ensure there was no surprise in their relatively new relationship. 6. But Here’s The Thing: “As crazy as it sounds, I would want to have another kid,” Messer told a friend. “I would. Like, I miss the baby stage, and I love kids so much.” View Slideshow
