Gil Scott Heron, who died at age 62 this past Friday, was set to work with so many Hip Hop artists who discovered his talent as a poetical activist. He talked about the world around him, his battle with drugs and alcoholism.

This was his life, his addiction, his pain and his struggle. His was revered as “the Godfather of Poetry. ” One of his most profound works was ”The Revolution will not be Televised.” Many of his songs were banned from the radio waves in fear it would repel listeners as too militant. Yet, many artists sampled his work out of sheer respect and tribute to the great one, thus becoming some of the greatest rappers of all time like Common, in his hit, The People” and Kanye West. This is why I respect Hip Hop artists as lyricists and poets. You know who has studied their music and respects the history of music.

He was even set to work with Public Enemy’s Chuck D. Gils Scott Herons’ voice commanded audiences. You hear him on a track with Jay Z for the movie American Gangster. His voice calls you as he unleashes his personal struggles onto the world. He draws you in with his candor, his sunken in eyes and face resonate tears from fans of his work all around the world now that he is gone. His last album, I’m New Here, has already acquired critical acclaim and expected to set off new fans.

Basketball Wives  Evelyn Lozado Designs a T-Shirt that Infuriates Tami

Tami Roman and Evelyn Lozado threw punches Season 2 over Evelyn revealing she slept with her ex-husband way back when Tami was was married to NBA player Kenny Anderson. Tami refuted that there wasn’t a woman in the world who did not know Kenny Anderson was married. The ladies were talking things through, but then Evelyn came out and mentioned, “It is what it is,” and said “Do you think I researched dude.” Tami got more and more testy and cursed at Evelyn, but then lost it when Evelyn in the heat of the moment said, “You motherf—n non revelant factor b@tch.”

There was hair pulling, scratches and bumps and bruises left on both in seconds. Now Season 3 returns with more chaos as Evelyn takes on a venture to release t-shirts designed under her infamous words to Tami. Of course, Tami and Evelyn got a chance to meet up again. This time. Tami wants to sue Evelyn for defamation, but Evelyn is not concerned as she tears up her legal counsel letter requesting her to stop manufacturing of the t-shirt. Evelyn offers to share proceeds for her charity. It seems like venture worth letting go of the egos, but Tami becomes even more infuriated and insulted as she makes pop shots over the name of her Miami shoe store called Dulces.

The shop looked non-busy when Tami entered, but more than likely it will be packed thanks to this show.

“MIAMI — Authorities say hip-hop singer Sean Kingston is hospitalized after crashing a personal watercraft into a Miami Beach bridge.Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesman Jorge Pino says Kingston and a female passenger were injured when the watercraft hit the Palm Island Bridge around 6 p.m. Sunday.Pino says both were hospitalized early Monday at Ryder Trauma Center, but he didn’t know their conditions.

Read the rest of this entry »

RnB Singer Monica releases pics of marriage life with Laker’s star, Shannon Brown. Here is a video from BOSSIP.com on how he feels about being married to one of the most talented singers out there.

Lashawna Threatt, an aspiring model and video dancer, who had just celebrated her 30th birthday among 30 friends was overwhelmed with joy upon return to the W Hotel in Atlanta. Suddenly, the young woman pranced on her friend, Ciara Williams, and challenged her to a playful wrestling fight, but fell upon a window that immediately shattered sending the two friends plunging out the window. Lashawna fell 5 stories, but landed on a glass roof top and died, while her friend also landed on the obstruction which only broke her fall temporarily before she plunged 5 more stories.

Read the rest of this entry »

Featured left to right: Traci, Tamar, Evelyn, Toni, Towanda, Trina of Braxton Family Values

by Heather Haliah

The Braxton sisters,featured left to right: Traci, Tamar, Evelyn, Toni, Towanda, Trina of Braxton Family Values arrive for “Braxton Family Values” Reunion Special Hosted By Wendy Williams at Occidental Studios on May 28, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. I absolutely enjoy watching this show which has been renewed for a second season. The reality tv series honestly depicts a family’s struggle to stay together and survive.

Evelyn Braxton

Before Toni Braxton and the Braxton sisters made their way to reality tv, I expressed empathy for Toni Braxton whom has had an eventful streak of misfortune, but many blessings through it all as a mother who discovered her child has autism. I know first hand what mother’s endure as a educator who volunteered time to learn more about autism so that I could be a better teacher to so many children, and who unfortunately go undiagnosed due to very mild signs that do not stand out as compared to children with severe autism.

One mother of an autistic youth at a program I volunteered for years ago repeatedly shared how her school did not cater to her child’s needs, help her walk better, develop her comprehension and communication and improve her reading scores.She was frustrated nonetheless and sort of took out every frustration on me one day in a rampage as she broke down outside after picking up her child from the center. At one point, I had to hold her child’s hand and let her release her emotions in the street. She then screamed at me and said, “You don’t have a child with autism, you don’t have to deal with what I have to deal with for the rest of my life.” It as overwhelming for me because I did nothing but bring her child’s reading level up by 4 levels.

Tamar Braxton

I found out she had been sitting in listening to me teach her child, taped my conversation which was not much at all because listening skills were more deficient  and so I focused on the child’s strengths and other modalities like pointing to each letter of a word, sounding it out and blending the sounds together on her own so she could become more independent and less dependent on “sound” and “vocal” directives. Her ability to develop sign language to better articulate herself made her a stronger reader, but the parent felt otherwise despite her child’s  test scores.

Towanda Braxton

She wanted to bring me down, make me lose a job  I volunteered for to be a better an educator, but was unaware of this. At the time I was also, looking for children to give scholarships to that I was able to witness improvement. It was my need back then to help everyone.

Her demeanor turned to severe hate. There were no other words to describe her behavior. I restrained myself from lashing back at her even though my entire morale as an educator was wounded. = I quit and walked away from a second profession that I was really good at and later gave away my secrets for teaching autistic youth to another program. I no longer work one to one with autistic kids even though it was truly my life calling. It takes a resilient teacher to overlook the “bad teacher” stereotypes from parents. It cuts you like  a knife and another  gifted teacher walks away.

I let the parent displace her anger and weight of her emotions onto me and she was able to move on while I bared the psychological scar of being type casted at a program I loved as a “bad teacher.” Nevertheless, I never put all parents in a box.

Wendy Williams -TV HOST

Toni Braxton has remained resilient throughout her tribulations and somewhat like a silent hero whose commercial on autism has helped more parents face their pain and struggles and understand the world does understand what all are going through.

She also, endured severe heart problems, several bankruptcies and bad management deals. It is never your fault the hand of fate deals you. It all makes you stronger. Her recent break up with her husband seemed inevitable as for most men who cannot get through the ups and downs of relationships. This was a singer who had it all and seemed to lose it all, but has truly gained all and a rebirth at life with her sisters all helping to make her new show possible. Despite the fact, that she tries to help all of her sisters one seems to be the evil step sister who wants to shine like Toni, but her husband is supporting every other act but her, makes for a show worth watching. I don’t think any of her sisters are evil. By all means, all talent in a family deserves to shine.

Traci Braxton

All of Toni’s sisters are stunning and have what it takes to branch off in directions they may find as a solid  cast on this show gaining much more attention lately, but one still stands out and I hope she revives her career in some way that doesn’t require her to perform at optimal level, but just sing. Don’t we all remember the voice that everyone questioned along with Anita Baker’s voice  to only prove that singers like this only come a dime a dozen in this lifetime? 

Toni Braxton

This one damn good song! Click on art work to listen over at Complex Mag.

Beyonce’ received the Entertainer of the Millennium Award for the 2011 Billboard Awards. Lady Gaga, the First Lady and many stars gave props before her performance of Girls Rule the World. It is as if the release of her video a week before came out just in time, so people really have become familiar with Beyonce’s dance moves just as her phenomenal choreography for Single Ladies. She truly deserved the honor as an all round entertainer and even came out in the audience and said, “Pay me!” I just loved how she thanked everyone including Destiny Child former members Letoya Luckett and Latavia which I am sure were shocked.

Her sister, Solange was overjoyed for her sister and own son who spends time with Aunt Bey and Uncle Jay all the time was right there on stage to see it all go down like never before. Now he really knows who his aunt is. What I truly liked is how she thanked her mother and father and for the first time said something ghetto for a change. Did you hear Beyonce’ say, ” I love me some Jay Z.” I bet Jay is back in the studio soaking that up with a track. They are both lucky to have each other, but Beyonce’s comeback was truly phenomenon and you simply can’t define her. Not even 30 years old yet she has accomplished more than most people will ever dream in this lifetime. I am almost sure now that her album June 28th will be Beyonce’s biggest selling album.

Not sure if Rihanna reads my posts quite yet, but she wore the outfit I suggested the other day for Keri Hilson’s new Lose Control video and it worked for her on stage. In fact, she got a standing ovation. Even though the outfit was revealing she didn’t over wind to put it bluntly with the dance moves, so the whole performance was tasteful enough for a prime time a audience , but of course people will talk about her attire all week. It’s okay, Rihanna rocked yet another top red hairdo and took home a Billboard Award.