Noel Vasquez/GC Images TDE Has Added An Athlete To Their Superstar Roster One of the hugest labels in the music game is making it’s way into the business of representing more than just the hottest musicians. Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE), which represents Kendrick Lamar, SZA, ScHoolboy Q and Jay Rock to name a few, announced on Friday that it is opening up a sports division. Included in that announcement is the reveal of the first client they will be representing, which is former LSU running back Derrius Guice. “They were the first guys who came to me, just like LSU was the first school to offer me a scholarship,” Guice said about choosing TDE, “I didn’t forget that.” He also mentioned that he really liked the idea of being the division’s first and only client; “The focus is on me and my game plan, not on a ton of other guys.” TDE was founded by Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith in 2004, and the new sports division will be run out of the company’s Los Angeles headquarters. This new venture will be led by veteran agent Fadde Mikhail, who just joined the team. “‘Top Dawg’ is a huge sports fan, and although he isn’t working in the business of sports, he is very familiar with it,” said Mikhail, who will represent Guice in contract and marketing negotiations. “He had a phenomenal vision to start this company and now is extending that into sports.” Congrats to Derrius Guice and Top Dawg Ent for there new venture together! Continue reading →
Image via Danielle James/iONEDigital How Black Hollywood Is Failing The Black Press This article was written by staff writer and producer Keyaira Kelly and was originally published by our iONE sister site Hello Beautiful . I was a budding journalist nervously going over my iPhone notes for my first red carpet interview when I noticed it. I was proudly standing on the HelloBeautiful place marker waiting for the behind-the-scenes chaos to begin, when I spotted around my feet the strategic placements of almost every other Black outlet in the space. It doesn’t take a veteran to realize the Black press cluster at the end of red carpet lineups makes Black reporters susceptible to the brush-by of celebs and publicists who politely quip, “sorry, ran out of time” as they scurry out of view. Black media often receives rushed statements, or no comment at all, even though that same Black celebrity stopped for E! Online just moments ago. The strategic cafeteria table-esque segregation of Black press on red carpets is one of many micro-aggressions we face as Black journalists. And while being placed at the tail-end of a carpet is more indicative of the predominately White media system and its value assessment of Black press, these oversights are even more hurtful when they come from your own people. The fact is, too many of our Black celebrities are simply not supporting us. Most, if not all, Black celeb power seeds in our communities. The dominant corporations and media powers-that-be mine our talent and resources for the “next big thing.” And Black media celebrates when our people are plucked out of our silos and make it. We cheer as they float up into mainstream heaven with the hopes that, as they ascend, that they will still feel our loose grips on their balloon strings and tug back. But all too often, that mutual support just isn’t felt. In many cases, once a celebrity passes a certain status, they completely forget about those same Black media outlets who were among the first to cover them and their talents. We live in an age where social capital immediately translates into monetary capital. Re-tweets and shares translate into clicks, which drive traffic and advertising dollars and revenue. That’s the reality of our business model. So when small teams of Black journalists take the time and effort to profile a Black celebrity with a large reach and that content isn’t shared with the influencer’s audiences, the impact reverberates through us all. Just a simple scan of some of your favorite Black celebs Twitter and IG feeds and you would discover links to and RTs of interviews they did with White outlet after White outlet, while Black-owned, Black-run press is often omitted from the conversation. I don’t write this with the intent to say the erasure is entirely malicious or even conscious. The lure of White validation is something we’ve all been conditioned to seek. In 2016, Very Smart Brothas writer Damon Young, unpacked how he, and many other Black people, subconsciously value “the attention of the mainstream platforms more than the Black ones”–even if they don’t show us the same love back. We still throw up our hands in outrage when we lose Oscars and Grammys and Golden Globes to mediocre White talent, when in reality those systems were never created to celebrate us in the first place. After Beyoncés “Lemonade” album of the year Grammy snub in 2016, Solange echoed this sentiment urging black folks to “Create your own committees, build your own institutions, give your friends awards, award yourself, and be the gold you wanna hold my g’s.” Black press was born from that same place of urgency. Early 19th-century Black newspapers like the Freedom’s Journal, the North Star and the Frederick Douglas Papers sought to inform Black people from Black perspectives during a time when literacy rates were dismal among our people. After thriving for a century, many Black newspapers folded, unable to attract advertising dollars in the midst of economic crisis. Fortunately, the spirit of those early Black media outlets were reincarnated digitally, with outlets like The Root, Ebony, The Grio, Blavity, Black Voices, Madame Noire, Essence, and HelloBeautiful’s own parent company iOne Digital now carrying the torch and commitment to telling our stories our way. In a time where the press and freedom of speech are under attack more than ever before in modern history, the support from our communities and our celebrities is indispensable. When we say Black Lives Matter, we have to talk about this statement beyond the clutches of police brutality: behind every one of our bylines is a Black life. Black jobs matter. Black families matter. Black POVs matters. Black ownership matters. #BlackPressMatters. And when you have a company, like iOne Digital, which is one of the few remaining Black-owned media companies in the country, snubbed or not acknowledged for our coverage and support of Black interests, it eats away at the foundation of success that keeps our communities alive. So Black celebs, my brothers and sisters, I urge you to pay attention to the Black journalist at the end of the carpet nervously holding her recorder waiting to snag a quote from you. Tell your publicist that you want to give equal time to People Mag and MadameNoire. Google your name and make a note to retweet or share the latest article from the small Black women’s website that can’t get enough of your style choices. When breaking news happens, make it a point to share coverage from the black perspective as well as the big headline from CNN. After you complete an interview, post that photo inside our small studios and don’t forget to tag our brands. We’re all in this together. And nobody wins when the family forgets. Editor’s note: We truly hope this message sinks in with all of our beloved Black celebrities
Image via Danielle James/iONEDigital How Black Hollywood Is Failing The Black Press This article was written by staff writer and producer Keyaira Kelly and was originally published by our iONE sister site Hello Beautiful . I was a budding journalist nervously going over my iPhone notes for my first red carpet interview when I noticed it. I was proudly standing on the HelloBeautiful place marker waiting for the behind-the-scenes chaos to begin, when I spotted around my feet the strategic placements of almost every other Black outlet in the space. It doesn’t take a veteran to realize the Black press cluster at the end of red carpet lineups makes Black reporters susceptible to the brush-by of celebs and publicists who politely quip, “sorry, ran out of time” as they scurry out of view. Black media often receives rushed statements, or no comment at all, even though that same Black celebrity stopped for E! Online just moments ago. The strategic cafeteria table-esque segregation of Black press on red carpets is one of many micro-aggressions we face as Black journalists. And while being placed at the tail-end of a carpet is more indicative of the predominately White media system and its value assessment of Black press, these oversights are even more hurtful when they come from your own people. The fact is, too many of our Black celebrities are simply not supporting us. Most, if not all, Black celeb power seeds in our communities. The dominant corporations and media powers-that-be mine our talent and resources for the “next big thing.” And Black media celebrates when our people are plucked out of our silos and make it. We cheer as they float up into mainstream heaven with the hopes that, as they ascend, that they will still feel our loose grips on their balloon strings and tug back. But all too often, that mutual support just isn’t felt. In many cases, once a celebrity passes a certain status, they completely forget about those same Black media outlets who were among the first to cover them and their talents. We live in an age where social capital immediately translates into monetary capital. Re-tweets and shares translate into clicks, which drive traffic and advertising dollars and revenue. That’s the reality of our business model. So when small teams of Black journalists take the time and effort to profile a Black celebrity with a large reach and that content isn’t shared with the influencer’s audiences, the impact reverberates through us all. Just a simple scan of some of your favorite Black celebs Twitter and IG feeds and you would discover links to and RTs of interviews they did with White outlet after White outlet, while Black-owned, Black-run press is often omitted from the conversation. I don’t write this with the intent to say the erasure is entirely malicious or even conscious. The lure of White validation is something we’ve all been conditioned to seek. In 2016, Very Smart Brothas writer Damon Young, unpacked how he, and many other Black people, subconsciously value “the attention of the mainstream platforms more than the Black ones”–even if they don’t show us the same love back. We still throw up our hands in outrage when we lose Oscars and Grammys and Golden Globes to mediocre White talent, when in reality those systems were never created to celebrate us in the first place. After Beyoncés “Lemonade” album of the year Grammy snub in 2016, Solange echoed this sentiment urging black folks to “Create your own committees, build your own institutions, give your friends awards, award yourself, and be the gold you wanna hold my g’s.” Black press was born from that same place of urgency. Early 19th-century Black newspapers like the Freedom’s Journal, the North Star and the Frederick Douglas Papers sought to inform Black people from Black perspectives during a time when literacy rates were dismal among our people. After thriving for a century, many Black newspapers folded, unable to attract advertising dollars in the midst of economic crisis. Fortunately, the spirit of those early Black media outlets were reincarnated digitally, with outlets like The Root, Ebony, The Grio, Blavity, Black Voices, Madame Noire, Essence, and HelloBeautiful’s own parent company iOne Digital now carrying the torch and commitment to telling our stories our way. In a time where the press and freedom of speech are under attack more than ever before in modern history, the support from our communities and our celebrities is indispensable. When we say Black Lives Matter, we have to talk about this statement beyond the clutches of police brutality: behind every one of our bylines is a Black life. Black jobs matter. Black families matter. Black POVs matters. Black ownership matters. #BlackPressMatters. And when you have a company, like iOne Digital, which is one of the few remaining Black-owned media companies in the country, snubbed or not acknowledged for our coverage and support of Black interests, it eats away at the foundation of success that keeps our communities alive. So Black celebs, my brothers and sisters, I urge you to pay attention to the Black journalist at the end of the carpet nervously holding her recorder waiting to snag a quote from you. Tell your publicist that you want to give equal time to People Mag and MadameNoire. Google your name and make a note to retweet or share the latest article from the small Black women’s website that can’t get enough of your style choices. When breaking news happens, make it a point to share coverage from the black perspective as well as the big headline from CNN. After you complete an interview, post that photo inside our small studios and don’t forget to tag our brands. We’re all in this together. And nobody wins when the family forgets. Editor’s note: We truly hope this message sinks in with all of our beloved Black celebrities
Joy-Anna is using social media to sing the praises of her husband. In and of itself, that’s nothing suspicious, right? But given the context of Joy-Anna’s impending due date and a lot of suspicious timing surrounding this pregnancy, fans aren’t so sure. In fact, a number of fans believe that Joy-Anna has already given birth. Joy-Anna Duggar took to Instagram to gush about her husband, Austin Forsyth. “Austin, I’m so grateful for your sacrificial, Christ-like love.” Gotta be honest, the word “sacrificial” can creep out a lot of people, but you have to remember that she lives in a fundamentalist bubble where certain words have different connotations. “I know that through this pregnancy you’ve given and given so much to me and have never expected anything in return.” She means throughout the pregnancy. Through works but it almost sound like she’s referring to … well, you know how babies get made, folks. “Thank you for being my best friend! You are the greatest!!!!” That line sounds like something that a person would scribble in a yearbook. But she continues. She then adds a kissing lips emoji, a kissy face emoji, and a heart eyes emoji. “I love you with all of my heart, honey!!” She signs and tags her message: “-your girl #sohandsome #besthusbandever” Austin Forsyth looks like an off-brand Michael Cera, but we’ll let Austin’s alleged handsomeness and other husbandly qualities go unchallenged. A swell of commenters replied by … well, assuming that Joy-Anna has given birth and that this Instagram post was merely “fluff” to string followers along until there’s a more “appropriate” time to announce that she’s given birth. “Is this post to throw the haters off? To make them think you haven’t had the baby yet? Honestly i don’t care when you got pregnant i just hope your baby is healthy and you are happy forever.” Among other things, Joy-Anna’s suspicious baby bump really reinforces the belief that Joy-Anna and Austin Forsyth lied about pre-marital sex and had a shotgun wedding. But, to be clear, most of those who commented with the belief that Joy-Anna has given birth weren’t being hateful. “Congrats on the new baby girl!” Others seem to be setting themselves up for disappointment, because Joy-Anna isn’t likely to post photos until we get closer to the “due date.” “Congrats! Hope you and the baby are doing well! Posts pics soon!” Other commenters were intensely defensive of Joy-Anna. “She’s not had the baby and its non of our business if she has.” Yes and no. Sure, it’s her body. But she’s a reality star and public figure and pregnancies are very much a part of her family’s brand. “She is still very much pregnant stop with the rumors.” Some people will believe anything that the Duggars put on their website. Precious! “She could of had it early…premie?” That’s really cute. “Who care if was before or after she got pregnant??? They look like a hard working couple and they will make good parents.” To be clear, we don’t know that Joy-Anna has given birth, and neither do any of those commenters. More importantly, the only reason that the alleged premarital sex and ensuing shotgun wedding and now the perceived fudging of the due date is even a topic of conversation is because Joy-Anna and Austin are Duggars. Sort of. They are part of this extreme, fundamentalist fertility cult with a deeply archaic view of sex, gender, and marriage. It’s not actually wrong to have premarital sex or to get pregnant out of wedlock. But because the views that they espouse say otherwise, many point to this as yet another instance of Duggar hypocrisy. But you know what? Joy-Anna didn’t choose to be born into that family. Honestly, who would? View Slideshow: Duggar Family 2018 Predictions: A Baby For Jinger & So Much More!
Source: Kevin Winter / Getty While we miss former First Lady Michelle Obama in the White House, we also recognize that it was time for her move on and live her life. And by the looks of it that’s exactly what she’s been doing…and killing it! Case in point: This pic of her SNATCHED waist in this white bikini and daisy dukes while vacationing in Miami with her daughter Malia Obama . This is 53!!!! According to AOL.com , the mother of two was trailed by an entourage, including members of the Secret Service and former White House senior adviser Valerie Jarrett to name a few. GIRLS TRIP!!!! Since the Obamas left the White House, they have definitely made vacation a priority. In a new Netflix special called My Guest Needs No Introduction With David Letterman , former President Barack Obama revealed why taking trips was number one on their to-do list. “I took Michelle on a holiday because I missed my wife. We had not hung out, so we spent days and had a wonderful time,” Obama told Letterman about their February trip to the British Virgin Islands, where the couple kicked it with billionaire Richard Branson , AOL noted. And while on vacation last September in Spain, Obama broke the Internet when she was seen looking easy breezy in a cropped graphic white tank and a high-waist, high-slit blue and white skirt revealing her toned legs. Yaaassss!!!! She be killing em y’all! BEAUTIES: What do you think of Michelle’s beach look? RELATED NEWS: GET THE LOOK: Michelle Obama’s Business Fierce Look Forever FLOTUS! Michelle Obama Stuns With High-Slit Skirt While Traveling in Spain Is Michelle Obama The Democrats Best Chance To Beat Trump In 2020? [ione_media_gallery src=”https://hellobeautiful.com” id=”2961277″ overlay=”true”]
Source: Kevin Winter / Getty While we miss former First Lady Michelle Obama in the White House, we also recognize that it was time for her move on and live her life. And by the looks of it that’s exactly what she’s been doing…and killing it! Case in point: This pic of her SNATCHED waist in this white bikini and daisy dukes while vacationing in Miami with her daughter Malia Obama . This is 53!!!! According to AOL.com , the mother of two was trailed by an entourage, including members of the Secret Service and former White House senior adviser Valerie Jarrett to name a few. GIRLS TRIP!!!! Since the Obamas left the White House, they have definitely made vacation a priority. In a new Netflix special called My Guest Needs No Introduction With David Letterman , former President Barack Obama revealed why taking trips was number one on their to-do list. “I took Michelle on a holiday because I missed my wife. We had not hung out, so we spent days and had a wonderful time,” Obama told Letterman about their February trip to the British Virgin Islands, where the couple kicked it with billionaire Richard Branson , AOL noted. And while on vacation last September in Spain, Obama broke the Internet when she was seen looking easy breezy in a cropped graphic white tank and a high-waist, high-slit blue and white skirt revealing her toned legs. Yaaassss!!!! She be killing em y’all! BEAUTIES: What do you think of Michelle’s beach look? RELATED NEWS: GET THE LOOK: Michelle Obama’s Business Fierce Look Forever FLOTUS! Michelle Obama Stuns With High-Slit Skirt While Traveling in Spain Is Michelle Obama The Democrats Best Chance To Beat Trump In 2020? [ione_media_gallery src=”https://hellobeautiful.com” id=”2961277″ overlay=”true”]
You know how the world recently learned that June Shannon has a secret boyfriend who taught her how to love again ? Mama June gushes about him and the two kiss on the From Not to Hot season 2 trailer, but his actual identity has been kept pretty hush-hush. But now we know his name … and a lot more about him. While it’s great that June’s new size 4 figure is helping her find happiness, for a lot of viewers, the news that June Shannon was dating again brought up … mixed feelings. After all, June was infamously seen cozying up to Mark McDaniel … a convicted sex offender whom June’s own daughter, Anna Cardwell, accuses of molesting her. The only good reason anyone can think of for a mother to spend time with the man who molested her then-8-year-old daughter while her then-three-year-old daughter (Lauryn) was also on the bed is if she had been planning to murder him. Here Comes Honey Boo Boo was canceled over that scandal. It was years before the final episodes were aired and before June Shannon made her (real) reality television comeback with From Not to Hot . Thankfully, Mama June does not appear to be repeating such an unimaginable mistake. RadarOnline reports that Mama June’s new boyfriend is Geno Doak, a 42-year-old carpenter. June had previously stated, without naming her beau, that the two had met through mutual friends. Apparently, that also involved her hiring him to fix up her home in Hampton, Georgia. Geno Doak is also a single parent, as he has one son and two daughters. What’s more — these two have dated before. Way back in 2015, in fact. As we previously reported, Mama June hasn’t been able to resist gushing about her then-mystery boyfriend. “He is very, very awesome,” she told E! Well, she definitely sounds enthusiastic about the guy. “He actually restored my faith and the girls’ faith in men.” That’s pretty profound. Before you question why a girl as young as Alana might need her faith in men restored, remember that she has eyes and has also probably noticed her mother’s relationships over the years. June also talks about what makes her love Geno. “It’s the little things…he is above and beyond anything that I could ever expect.” She talks about how this happy romance got started. “We honestly were just wanting to be friends and things just worked out.” A lot of relationships begin that way. RadarOnline confirms that Geno Doak will appear on the second season of From Not to Hot , by the way. We’d figured as much. But we already knew that June’s ex, Sugar Bear, and his new wife would be appearing on the new season, too. And apparently June does not give one flying flip what he thinks about her new relationship. “As long as I’m happy and the girls are happy at the end of the day, that’s all that matters to me.” It sounds like she has her priorities in order. Finally. View Slideshow: Mama June: See Her Transformation Through the Years!
You know how the world recently learned that June Shannon has a secret boyfriend who taught her how to love again ? Mama June gushes about him and the two kiss on the From Not to Hot season 2 trailer, but his actual identity has been kept pretty hush-hush. But now we know his name … and a lot more about him. While it’s great that June’s new size 4 figure is helping her find happiness, for a lot of viewers, the news that June Shannon was dating again brought up … mixed feelings. After all, June was infamously seen cozying up to Mark McDaniel … a convicted sex offender whom June’s own daughter, Anna Cardwell, accuses of molesting her. The only good reason anyone can think of for a mother to spend time with the man who molested her then-8-year-old daughter while her then-three-year-old daughter (Lauryn) was also on the bed is if she had been planning to murder him. Here Comes Honey Boo Boo was canceled over that scandal. It was years before the final episodes were aired and before June Shannon made her (real) reality television comeback with From Not to Hot . Thankfully, Mama June does not appear to be repeating such an unimaginable mistake. RadarOnline reports that Mama June’s new boyfriend is Geno Doak, a 42-year-old carpenter. June had previously stated, without naming her beau, that the two had met through mutual friends. Apparently, that also involved her hiring him to fix up her home in Hampton, Georgia. Geno Doak is also a single parent, as he has one son and two daughters. What’s more — these two have dated before. Way back in 2015, in fact. As we previously reported, Mama June hasn’t been able to resist gushing about her then-mystery boyfriend. “He is very, very awesome,” she told E! Well, she definitely sounds enthusiastic about the guy. “He actually restored my faith and the girls’ faith in men.” That’s pretty profound. Before you question why a girl as young as Alana might need her faith in men restored, remember that she has eyes and has also probably noticed her mother’s relationships over the years. June also talks about what makes her love Geno. “It’s the little things…he is above and beyond anything that I could ever expect.” She talks about how this happy romance got started. “We honestly were just wanting to be friends and things just worked out.” A lot of relationships begin that way. RadarOnline confirms that Geno Doak will appear on the second season of From Not to Hot , by the way. We’d figured as much. But we already knew that June’s ex, Sugar Bear, and his new wife would be appearing on the new season, too. And apparently June does not give one flying flip what he thinks about her new relationship. “As long as I’m happy and the girls are happy at the end of the day, that’s all that matters to me.” It sounds like she has her priorities in order. Finally. View Slideshow: Mama June: See Her Transformation Through the Years!
It may be the job of Ellen DeGeneres to make people laugh on a daily basis, but the talk show host was sadly forced to turn serious on Thursday. For the saddest of reasons: Because her father passed away at the age of 92. Ellen broke this news to her viewers in a moving tribute to her dad, Elliott, which followed a long talk with Oprah Winfrey about the fatal mudslides in their home town. “In addition to what’s going on in Monetico, I lost my dad this week,” DeGeneres said, fighting back tears as she spoke. “He was 92 years old. He had a good, long life. And he lived his life exactly how he wanted. He was Christian science his entire life. He never had medicine his whole life. “He never went to a doctor. We never had a vaccination. We never had medicine growing up and he lived to be 92.” Continued the comedian: “He was very proud of me. He loved this show. He was a kind man, very accepting man. “There was not one bone of judgment in his body. He was very funny … Before he passed away I got to talk to him, so I got to say goodbye to him.” We don't know the exact cause of death in this case. But the man was 92 years old. As you can see immediately above and below, Ellen also paid tribute to her father on Twitter yesterday. “It wasn't unexpected,” Ellen added on Instagram. “I was able to say goodbye. When I was a kid, my dad took us on one vacation to Warner Bros. Studios. He loved this business. He loved that I was in it. “When he died, I saw this rainbow over the stage they named for me.” Previously, Ellen has said the following to Winfrey: “So many times over the past 15 years, people have come up to me and say to me that when they're going through a tough time this show gets them through it. “Today, I need you because there's a lot going on in my life right now.” Our thoughts are with Ellen's family at this time. Watch her tribute below:
It may be the job of Ellen DeGeneres to make people laugh on a daily basis, but the talk show host was sadly forced to turn serious on Thursday. For the saddest of reasons: Because her father passed away at the age of 92. Ellen broke this news to her viewers in a moving tribute to her dad, Elliott, which followed a long talk with Oprah Winfrey about the fatal mudslides in their home town. “In addition to what’s going on in Monetico, I lost my dad this week,” DeGeneres said, fighting back tears as she spoke. “He was 92 years old. He had a good, long life. And he lived his life exactly how he wanted. He was Christian science his entire life. He never had medicine his whole life. “He never went to a doctor. We never had a vaccination. We never had medicine growing up and he lived to be 92.” Continued the comedian: “He was very proud of me. He loved this show. He was a kind man, very accepting man. “There was not one bone of judgment in his body. He was very funny … Before he passed away I got to talk to him, so I got to say goodbye to him.” We don't know the exact cause of death in this case. But the man was 92 years old. As you can see immediately above and below, Ellen also paid tribute to her father on Twitter yesterday. “It wasn't unexpected,” Ellen added on Instagram. “I was able to say goodbye. When I was a kid, my dad took us on one vacation to Warner Bros. Studios. He loved this business. He loved that I was in it. “When he died, I saw this rainbow over the stage they named for me.” Previously, Ellen has said the following to Winfrey: “So many times over the past 15 years, people have come up to me and say to me that when they're going through a tough time this show gets them through it. “Today, I need you because there's a lot going on in my life right now.” Our thoughts are with Ellen's family at this time. Watch her tribute below:
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