Chris Rock’s New Girlfriend Megalyn Echikunwoke The dust is still settling from Chris Rock’s 2014 divorce , but it seems like the comedian has already found a new love. Chris was spotted with Arrow actress Megalyn Echikunwoke at Clive Davis’ pre-grammy shindig , and the couple was looking cozy and comfortable at their table… Via PageSix : Chris Rock has a new girlfriend. A source close to the comic confirms he is dating “Arrow” actress Megalyn Echikunwoke, and the pair were spotted looking cozy at Clive Davis’ pre-Grammy bash on Sunday in Los Angeles. Rock and Echikunwoke were first photographed together in September at the Global Citizen Festival in Central Park. Echikunwoke, who also starred in TV series “The 4400,” has been tweeting about the upcoming Oscars, which Rock will host — including quoting Whoopi Goldberg, who said of the controversial awards telecast, “Boycotting doesn’t work, and it’s also a slap in the face to Chris Rock.” Rock split from his wife of 19 years, Malaak Compton-Rock, in 2014. Well, good for Chris. And she’s certainly pretty, right? Hit the flip for more from Chris Rock’s new boo… SplashNews
Sage The Gemini Begs Jordin Sparks To Take Him Back Though they’ve only been broken up for a manner of days, but it seems that Sage the Gemini can’t take being away from his boo Jordin Sparks for another moment. The singer kicked the rapper to the curb late last week after what appears to have been some bad behavior on Sage’s part . Now today, after seeing pictures of Jordin looking right at Clive Davis’ pre-grammy party , Sage took to his feelings and his Instagram to beg his lady to at least pick up the phone. This guy is completely camped out in his feelings over Jordin! She was looking right the other night though… Welp, sometimes a grand gesture is what it takes. Do you think she’ll give him a call?? Instagram
Eliot Spitzer Was With Russian Call Girl At Hotel Before She Ended Up In Hospital Some folks never learn! Former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer is caught up in another scandal , this time involving a 25-year-old call girl named Svetlana Travis who returned to her native Russia within days of being hospitalized following an incident at the Plaza Hotel in NYC where she told hospital officials Spitzer attacked her . She has since recanted her statement via an email apologizing for the allegation. The email was released by Spitzer’s lawyer, Adam S. Kaufman, which said: “I just read the news, I’m so sorry. My report was all fake. You tried to save me.” Kaufman gave the Manhattan District Attorney a copy of the email. The former governor also released a statement saying that the 25-year-old was not his girlfriend. “The woman who initially made the allegation was not my girlfriend. Lis Smith was my girlfriend, and I had and have deep affection for Lis,” he said. Spitzer and his girlfriend, Lis Smith, 33, broke up in December. Damn… When will they learn?!?! Also, as far as this girl changing her tune — is anyone really surprised. We’ve watched enough ‘House of Cards’ to guess what happened there. And conveniently enough the girl is now back in Russia. Google Plus/WENN
Denise Katrina Matthews, Known As ‘Vanity,’ Dead At 57 Another musical legend has passed away . Denise Katrina Matthews, best known by her stage name ‘Vanity,’ has passed away at age 57 due to complications from a medical condition . Via TMZ : Vanity, lead singer of the ’80s girl group Vanity 6, has died after years of battling kidney failure and, more recently, an abdominal illness. Vanity, whose real name was Denise Katrina Matthews, passed away in a Fremont, CA hospital on Monday … according to sources close to her family. A few months ago she set up a GoFundMe page, and said she’d been diagnosed with sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis — an inflammation of the small intestines. She also battled crack addiction in the ’90s, and after a 1994 OD her kidneys were shot. She had to undergo nearly daily dialysis treatments. Vanity’s biggest hit came in 1982 with “Nasty Girl” … a song produced by Prince. The group toured with Prince on his 1999 tour, but she quit right after that. She went on to sign a solo record deal with Motown, and starred in movies like “The Last Dragon” and “Action Jackson.” She eventually ditched Hollywood, quit drugs and became a born-again Christian in the mid ’90s. She remained active in her local church up until her death. We’re told she was in church on Saturday evening and told the congregation she was “ready to go home.” So sad. She will be truly missed. MadameNoire
Gucci Mane To Be Released From Prison In September 2016 The saga of Gucci’s release date continues. After reports that Gucci was headed from the big house back to the trap house in a manner of months — which were then quickly shut down by legal docs that claimed he wouldn’t be heading home until next year at the earliest — it appears that Gucci’s own attention to detail will actually have him heading home by the fall. Via TMZ : Gucci Mane had to play math teacher to prison officials … and it means he’s gonna get out of jail earlier. It’s been a long road for Mane since he was arrested in 2013 for violating probation by carrying a gun. He served time in a Georgia jail, then got transferred to a federal pen. He’d been sentenced to 39 months for the violation. Mane filed docs claiming the Bureau of Prisons was miscalculating his time served … and a judge agreed a clarification was needed. Thanks to the change, his 39 months will be up in September 2016. 7 months to go. It’ll go by like that! Good for Gucci! His return to the streets should make for a pretty epic weekend in Atlanta. Splash
After a particularly frustrating week with some the teaching staff at my son’s school, I happened to stumble upon a short video titled “The System of Racial Inequality.” In this just over 60 second soundbyte, a white woman, Tilman Smith, who has experience in the education system, pretty much confirmed my greatest concern with a certain race of teacher and my son. Her brief dialogue was alarming when describing the way white teachers tend to judge children based simply on race of school-aged black boys in particular. Smith gave an example and explained how white teachers would think highly of an “animated and cheeky” white boy in the class, label him “smart” and would all but dismiss his behavior because, “boys will be boys.” On the other hand, however, if a black child in the class displayed the same behavior she wouldn’t be so quick to think his “animated and cheeky” demeanor is smart but instead would raise an eyebrow and take mental note that, “I might need to keep an eye on him…” [ MadameNoire ] Would You Get A Tattoo At Whole Foods? American supermarket chain specializing in organic food, Whole Foods, is getting expanding their business portfolio this year. According to Bloomberg, the companies Co-Chief Executive Officer Walter Robb is looking to appeal to millennial, “budget-conscious shoppers.” This initiative also includes a new line of lower-priced grocery stores 365 by Whole Foods Market. “There’s a number of smaller-store competitors out there that are doing a nice job,” Robb told Bloomberg. “We don’t see any reason why we can’t go participate in that part of the market as well with our 365 by Whole Foods offer — it’s going to be unique.” Unique is definitely the word to explain this announcement. The Whole Foods website states, “Friends of 365 may be any type of business — from food and drinks to fashion, body care products, record shops and tattoo parlors, inside 365 stores and on its outdoor patios… [ MadameNoire ] Future To Be Musical Guest On Saturday Night Live In March Future‘s 2015 was was a top notch but his 2016 may be even better. The Atlanta rapper will be the musical guest on Saturday Night Live on March. Another win for the “Jumpman” rapper is his latest album, EVOL, landing at no. 1 on the Billboard album chart. That would be his third numero uno album in just over six months. One hiccup in Future’s flow is getting sued for $15M by his baby mama Ciara, though. Jonah Hill will be the host while Future will hold down musical guest duties on SNL on March 5. [ HipHopWired ] Wyclef Jean Drops Priceless Gems On The 20th Anniversary Of The Fugees’ ‘The Score’ [ Vibe ] Kanye West: $53 Million Is Accurate But It’s NOT Debt [ TMZ ] 7 Black Business And Tech Professionals Who Are Changing The Game [ HuffingtonPost ] Oprah Winfrey Shows Off 30-Pound Weight Loss In New Photo [ StarPulse ]
Blac Rob Celebrate Their First Valentine’s Day Blac Chyna and Rob Kardashian killed any breakup rumblings on Valentine’s Day when she took to social media to share several of the sweet trinkets he gifted her with. Both Chyna and Rob shared some pretty funny photos on the gram…. They actually seems like they would click based on their humor. Hit the flip to find out how Rob spoiled his lady on Valentine’s Day. Instagram
