The Young, Black, and Fabulous

AGREE OR DISAGREE: DJ Khaled Defends Using The "N" Word
Wanda Sykes REVEALS She Had Breast Cancer AND Underwent A Double Mastectomy
Will Smith PRESENTS An Hour-Long Tribute Video To Jada At Her 40th Birthday Party
Matt Barnes And Gloria Govan OPEN UP About Their Relationship, Their Kids, And Drama On "BBW"
MELLOW YELLOW: Rihanna Plays Tourist In Brazil
Will LeBron James' New McDonald's Commercial Make Him Lovable Again? + Tyler Perry Bringing "The Marriage Counselor" To The Big Screen
PICS: Beyoncé & Her 16 Grammys Launch PULSE At Macy's Herald Square
TV GUIDE To TARAJI: We Never Planned On Including You!
FRESH MEAT: Mateo's "Say Its So" Ft. Alicia Keys
Common Breaks Out His BEST SELLING Book & Moet Back In Chicago
Beyonce Ready To Start Her Own Record Label And...A Boy Band?
ENGAGED MUCH? Jessica White Flaunts Diamond Ring At PULSE Launch

AGREE OR DISAGREE: DJ Khaled Defends Using The "N" Word

Posted: 23 Sep 2011 09:47 AM PDT

DJ Khaled can be heard all over urban radio as he's dropped some hip hop classics, including "All I Do Is Win." But now a debate has arisen about his use of the "N" word, especially since he is of Palestinian descent. Listen to DJ Khaled defend his using of the "N" word and decide if you buy his argument.....

All lot of rappers and comedians use the "N" word in their music and their standup....but usually they are of African American descent.

And while most folks have a problem with the use of the word in general, what happens when people who aren't Black or African American claim the word?

That's the debate going on now as DJ Khaled has felt compelled to defend his use of the "N" word.

During a recent interview he said,

“I grew up like that. [N--ga] is slang. It’s actually a positive word, the way I use it."

DJ Khaled went on to reveal to DJ Green Lantern that while growing up in Florida he was even called a “sand n—ga.” So does that give him a right to claim the word as a part of his struggles too?

Listen to the interview and speak on it.....

Wanda Sykes REVEALS She Had Breast Cancer AND Underwent A Double Mastectomy

Posted: 23 Sep 2011 09:12 AM PDT

In a shockingly candid interview with Ellen DeGeneres (airing on Monday), funnywoman Wanda Sykes (shown above with wife Alex) reveals that earlier this year she discovered she had breast cancer and underwent a double mastectomy. Get the deets inside....

Leave it to comedienne Wanda Sykes to find the humor in her cancer diagnosis. In an interview that airs on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" on Monday, the 47-year-old revealed "I had breast cancer. Yeah, I know it's scary."

Wanda says she discovered the cancer after going in for a breast reduction.

"I had real big boobs and I just got tired of knocking over stuff. Every time I eat — oh lord. I'd carry a Tide stick everywhere I go. My back was sore so it was time to have a reduction."

She continued,

"It wasn't until after the reduction that in the lab work, the pathology, that they found that I had DCIS [ductal carcinoma in situ] in my left breast. I was very, very lucky because DCIS is basically stage-zero cancer. So I was very lucky."

So faced with a hard decision, Wanda opted for a double mastectomy.

"I had both breasts removed, because now I have zero chance of having breast cancer."

She then explained how she arrived at the hard decision....

"I had the choice of, you can go back every three months and get it checked. Have a mammogram, MRI every three months just to see what it's doing," she explained. "But, I'm not good at keeping on top of stuff. I'm sure I’m overdue for an oil change and a teeth cleaning already."

It's good to know that Wanda is doing well now. And we will be seeing a lot more of her. She added that she's taken on cancer as one of her charitable causes.

"I was real hesitant about doing this, because I hate walking. I got a lot of [cancer] walks coming up."

Thanks for helping spread awareness Wanda!

Will Smith PRESENTS An Hour-Long Tribute Video To Jada At Her 40th Birthday Party

Posted: 23 Sep 2011 07:17 AM PDT

We told you earlier about the lovely actress Jada Pinkett Smith turning 40, and now we can reveal deets about the special 40th birthday party thrown by her husband, actor Will Smith. Find out about his special tribute to his wife inside.....

By all accounts, the marriage of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith seems to be doing quite fine. In addition to moving into one of the most fabulous mansions in America, Will threw his beloved a fabulously intimate birthday bash on Sept. 17 with one of the most thoughtful presents ever!

According to Us Weekly, Will presented Jada with an hourlong tribute video documenting her entire life.

An insider told the mag,

"Will treated it like a Hollywood production and had the best people work on it for months. He even had his wife's childhood pals from Baltimore supply pictures and anecdotes about his wife. "Jada was shocked!"

Cute!

Matt Barnes And Gloria Govan OPEN UP About Their Relationship, Their Kids, And Drama On "BBW"

Posted: 23 Sep 2011 06:35 AM PDT

They are one of the most controversial couples in the NBA. From rumors of infidelity and domestic violence, to when or will they get married, everyone has an opinion about Matt Barnes and Gloria Govan.

And now the couple has spoken out in a recent interview about their relationship and the drama "BBW" adds to it. Deets inside.....

NBA baller Matt Barnes and fiancee' Gloria Govan gave a revealing interview to "ESSENCE" recently that dished on how Glo's involvement on "BBW" impacts Matt's NBA career, if actual marriage will happen, and what people should know about the "real" Gloria. Here are the highlights:

ESSENCE.COM:Gloria, what’s your response to the comments you hear about your relationship with Matt and the show?

GLORIA GOVAN: We’re comfortable with where we are in our relationship. We’re really solid and we’re happy. That’s why we canceled our wedding in the first place, because we realized it wasn’t for us -- it was for everyone else. It was for friends, family, viewers, everyone. That was probably the best thing we could have done. I think Matt is at a different place in his life right now. He’s 31 and he’s been in the league for ten years, which is a really long time, and he’s more ready. But I’m just, like, still not there yet. The last thing I want to do is put him in a headlock and drag him down the aisle. If the wheel’s not broke… why fix it?

ESSENCE.COM: Gloria, how do you and Matt keep things exciting? Do you have date nights?
GLORIA: We’re super sappy. We’re into the rose petals and candles and balloons. He leaves me notes everywhere -- like in my car, my purse, and places I would never think to look in, like my sunglasses case -- and then I just find them throughout the day. They’re really brilliant notes. He’s always encouraging and supportive. He’s so cute.

We used to have date night a lot, but now that the boys are older, we stay up later, so it’s hard. We have this really cool balcony that overlooks the water that’s very romantic and chill and we end up there just talking. We catch each other up. We get up and we’re like, wow, it’s 1 o’clock in the morning. We try to chill. We used to go on walks all the time, but with my schedule and his schedule it’s hard. Plus, I’m trying to do "Dancing with the Stars" next season so it’s just going to get even worse. I’m excited. I love to dance… I love to cut rug. It’s fun just to let it loose.

ESSENCE.COM: How do you handle the criticism the show receives?

GLORIA: It’s tough to kind of handle because people are cruel on Twitter. It’s black and white. The people who love you hate you and the people who tweet you are also the people who are driving your success, so it’s hard. You kind of want to slap them and you also want to be like, “Thank you." I don’t read the blogs. Twitter’s brutal. People on Twitter can be very hateful. People will tweet me something so cruel at like 8 o’clock in the morning. I try not to read it at all. I feel bad because there are some really cool fans and stuff, but you know, by the time I get to reading them I’m already upset and have a bad attitude. I’m always in trouble about that. Sometimes I say I can take it and then I read something and I’m just in a bad mood. People are funny. Occasionally it will get to me.

Read more over at ESSENCE.com

EXTRAS

1. Singer Vesta Williams Found Dead In Her California Hotel Room. Story.

MELLOW YELLOW: Rihanna Plays Tourist In Brazil

Posted: 22 Sep 2011 05:51 PM PDT

Rihanna chilled out on her day off in Brazil today. She threw on her yellow button down and cut-off shorts and visited the Capital's biggest tourist attraction....and played around with her fans while she kicked it on her hotel balcony.

Lots of pics inside...

The "Cheers' singer had a big day of releasing her brand new track "We Found Love," and chillin' with friends during a break between cities on her world tour. She was spotted laughing it up and giving back some love to the her fans who have been waiting for her outside the Fasano Hotel in Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro, night and day all week:

Then later on she hit the world-famous Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro with her homie Melissa and her usual entourage. And didn't let the cloudy day and hoards of fans interrupt:

Tomorrow she's headlining the opening day for the huge Rock in Rio festival.

Pics via SPLASH

Will LeBron James' New McDonald's Commercial Make Him Lovable Again? + Tyler Perry Bringing "The Marriage Counselor" To The Big Screen

Posted: 22 Sep 2011 04:49 PM PDT

LeBron James wants you to like him again (in case you still have a bad taste in your mouth after his move to Miami). So he's starring in a new McDonald's ad that shows off his comedic skills. Watch the ad inside and find out about Tyler Perry's next big screen project.....

Hoping to make basketball fans love him again, LeBron James is staring in a new McDonald's commercial promoting its Monopoly game. The basic premise of the commercial is to make fun of Bron Bron's basketball career and um....team choices.

The take home message? You are more likely to win a pair of large fries playing McDonald's Monopoly than he is to win a championship. Ouch!

Check out LeBron's playful side here:

And at the movies....

Tyler Perry and Lionsgate have announced The Marriage Counselor as their next film project.

Based on Tyler's 2008 stage play of the same name, the movie will deal with a married couple whose lives are uprooted once their displaced parents move in.

Although production is set to start on Oct. 25, no further details about the casting or the film's release date have been announced. You feelin' this?

The Randomness:

1. NBA baller Marcus Camby arrested for weed. Story

PICS: Beyoncé & Her 16 Grammys Launch PULSE At Macy's Herald Square

Posted: 22 Sep 2011 03:38 PM PDT

Beyoncé donned an all white halter Lanvin gown with beaded trim around the next and feather detail on the bottom half at yet another fragrance launch today. And the mom-to-be sashayed her way into Macy's Herald Square in Manhattan to push her PULSE products.

Pics of Bey, plus Macy's decor of the "1+1" singer's 16 Grammys, inside...

Well that's one way to catch people's attention in Macy's. The department store laid out the red carpet for Mrs. Knowles Carter and set up all 16 of her Grammys in showcase cubes inside the store today.

And Beyoncé showed off her new PULSE fragrance for the fans:

Not loving the dress, but she looks fab nonetheless.

Fans caught a glimpse of the bump a few times:

By the way, her mom Tina Knowles is selling off her Houston mansion....for $3.5 million. I guess it's time to officially move on from Mathew Knowles. Check out the listing and pics over at Real Estalker.

TV GUIDE To TARAJI: We Never Planned On Including You!

Posted: 22 Sep 2011 02:43 PM PDT

Annie get ya gun! TV Guide just responded to Taraji P. Henson's complaint about being excluded from the cover story and promos for her new CBS show "Person of Interest."

Peep how TV Guide basically played Taraji after the cut....

Taraji took to her Facebook page yesterday to rant about being purposely left out of TV Guide's cover shot, as she is the leading lady in her new show. Now, TV Guide just popped back.

Debra Birnbaum, the Editor-in-Chief of TV Guide Magazine and TVGuideMagazine.com, told TooFab.com that they never intended on focusing on Taraji's storyline for their cover story. Ever.

"I made an editorial decision to do a story about the relationship between the two male characters on 'Person of Interest' and that's who I was going to put on the cover. That has been my decision all along, ever since I saw the pilot. We're certainly fans of Taraji Henson and her storyline on the show was never intended to be the focus of our cover story. I don't know where there was a misunderstanding about this, but it's been clear to everyone from the start. I don't make decisions on who is put and not put on the cover based on race or gender.

"This week's cover September 26 issue features the three stars of 'Charlie's Angels' -- Minka Kelly, Annie Illonzeh and Rachael Taylor. We are not pursuing a cover of 'Person of Interest' at this time."

This was in response to Taraji's now erased Facebook message that read:

WOW!!!! TV Guide is NOT including me on the cover with my cast members….....I am the female lead of a 3 member cast and I’m not included on the cover!!!!!! Do you see the shit I have to deal with in this business…..I cram to understand!!!!

So TV Guide has decided to drop the "Person of Interest" cover all together--which orginally only featured Taraji's co-stars Jim Caviezel and Michael Emerson. They'll now be releasing a new cover story featuring "Charlie's Angels." And all three of the Angel ladies will be on the cover shot.

WOMP. Was TV Guide's response justified? Or was it an underhanded slap to Taraji?

FRESH MEAT: Mateo's "Say Its So" Ft. Alicia Keys

Posted: 22 Sep 2011 01:20 PM PDT

Newcomer singer Mateo hooked up with two of the biggest hitmakers in the industry recently for his "Say Its So" single that just dropped. Find out the power duo behind the new track inside....

Mateo is a 26-year-old Cincinatti native now signed to Krucial Noise, label imprint of Alicia Keys' producer Kerry "Krucial" Brothers. And after 4 mixtapes, here's his first studio single:

From his forthcoming LP Love & Stadiums II, Mateo's recent offering "Say It's So" is a bluesy-R&B tune where he seeks confirmation and validation from his lover.

Produced by Swizz Beatz, with Alicia Keys providing the hook, the song is perfect for a long drive.....or elevator trip.

Listen to "Say Its So" ft. Alicia Keys here:

You feelin' him?

Common Breaks Out His BEST SELLING Book & Moet Back In Chicago

Posted: 22 Sep 2011 12:30 PM PDT

Ahead of today's African American Literary Awards in Harlem, Common went back to his hometown of Chicago last night to party it up. Pics and video inside of the sexy rapper signing his new BEST SELLING book and toasting it up...

Common's new memoir One Day It'll All Make Sense hit shelves last week. And he's already a New York Times Best Seller. He tweeted last night:

OS! Just found out that I'm a NY times best selling author! Thanx 2 all who supported! Much Love!

So of course, he had to celebrate. He hosted the Moet Lounge 200 person fete at Chicago’s ROOF at theWit Hotel last night. And performed and signed books for the crowd:

Nice! During the night, Common also talked about his upcoming album, The Dreamer, The Believer on November 22nd and his voice-over role in the upcoming movie Happy Feet 2.

The memoir is Common's first book. And it's a no-holds-barred coming-of-age memoir, providing the reader with a window seat into the life and world of an artist who is not only unafraid to tell the truth, but he faces his truths in all of its guys and glory.

Here's video from last night's event:

Congrats to Common!

Beyonce Ready To Start Her Own Record Label And...A Boy Band?

Posted: 22 Sep 2011 11:34 AM PDT

In addition to launching her new fragrance "Pulse" at the Dream Hotel last night, and talking about the empowering effects of pregnancy, Beyonce shows no signs of slowing down and her even annouced plans to start a new record label. Get the deets on what's next for the mommy-to-be inside.........

At the introduction of her latest fragrance, "Pulse," Beyonce revealed that she'll soon be introducing her own record label and several artists she hopes to develop. Even a boy band.

And while praising her mother and sister as wonderful moms and businesswomen, Bey admitted that she has no plans to slow down and will likely take her little Carter with her everywhere she goes. Here are some highlights from her interview last night with the Associated Press....

AP: Your recent fashion show in London (with mother Tina Knowles for House of Dereon) was about empowerment. This scent is about empowerment. Why is that important to you?

Beyonce: I just enjoy being a woman and especially right now, I just feel so empowered. I think that is sort of my place in the world, for people to see that you can be an entrepreneur. You can have goals and dreams and you can grow and be strong and have your strong opinions, and all of these things bring that out in you.

AP: Does pregnancy make you feel more empowered?

Beyonce: Absolutely. It is the most powerful creation for you to be able to have life growing inside of you. There is no bigger gift, nothing more empowering.

AP: You have the fragrance, the clothing line, a husband, career and a baby on the way. What is next on your bucket list?

Beyonce: Balance. I am still working on balance and still growing. I am starting my company, my label. I want to create a boy band. I want to continue to produce and do documentaries and music videos. I eventually want to start directing for other artists. Once I know that I have my stuff together and I trust that, I can do it for other artists. I see so many male artists building these empires and passing their knowledge on to other artists and development. I see myself doing the same thing and hopefully other younger artists when they grow up and they have been around for 15, 20 years, they can do the same thing.

AP: What advice have you gotten from your mother and sister on motherhood?

Beyonce: I have the best examples around me because my sister is the most incredible mother. My mother, I am so proud of her. I see her and I could cry every time I think about her because she is such an incredible woman, so I just pray that I have the same bond with my children, child.

AP: Will the baby go everywhere with you?

Beyonce: Yes, I will probably be that way. I am sure I will. I think that it shouldn't stop you. I think of course my life is going to change, and I definitely will make sacrifices, but you know, I think I will be able to bring hopefully my little rider with me.

AP: You are pregnant but work nonstop. How do you keep your energy up?

Beyonce: I think it is just passion. When you are excited about something, you don't have to think about your energy. It is natural and comes from adrenaline. It is important that I don't look at this as like an illness. I am not sick. I am the same woman and I have the same passions.

AP: What is your pregnancy style?

Beyonce: I think I have been trying to find things that of course are flattering to the silhouette. I think a woman's curves when she is pregnant are so beautiful. I don't want to get matronly, and I still find things that are sensual and feminine and funky. I have been mixing different textures and suit jackets and blazers. I don't want to be in the same dress every day.