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A$AP Rocky, Justin Beiber, Kylie Jenner, Ming Lee, Marliesia Ortiz, Idris Elba, and more | What's The 411 | Ep. 146

VIDEO: Will Tanisha Foster prevail over Nipsey Hussle's family? What will be next for Ming Lee and Swae Lee? Cats, the movie, receiving mixed reviews so far

Celebrities including Kanye West and his wife, Kim Kardashian, have been applauded for urging Donald Trump to work with Swedish officials to release rapper, A$AP Rocky, who is in a Swedish jail for suspicion of assault. However, when Justin Beiber offered:

I want my friend out…I appreciate you trying to help him. But while you're at it @realDonaldTrump can you also let those kids out of cages?

The Twitterati quickly turned on the “Beib,” here’s a taste of some the responses:

‘He only doing this for black votes and to redeem himself from his racist remarks. While I appreciate it, I also see this as an act of selfishness.’

‘His publicist told him it’d be a good look to address it. You not fooling nobody. You really don’t care.’

‘I wish these fake justice advocates felt this way about all the American children we have in cages called juvenile detention centers.’


Q. What do you think about the reactions to Justin Beiber? Also, reports state that the Swedish prime minister, Stefan Löfven, was polite to Trump. Do you think that in the back of the Swedish Prime Minister’s mind, he was saying, this man has babies in cages, and he has the audacity to ask me to release a millionaire!?

Nipsey Hussle’s ex, Tanisha Asghedom, Up Against late rapper’s family 

Onika: The late, Nipsey Hussle’s, ex, Tanisha Asghedom, you've heard about her before? So, she claims that the late rapper's family is trying to kick her out of her home. According to TMZ, Nipsey Hussle paid for her house and now the late rapper's family is trying to get her out and trying to deem her as an unfit mother so that the estate won't have to pay her bills. Isn't that crazy?

Kizzy: That is, that is terrible. That's greed. They want to keep all of his money for themselves. And, then you're doing that, and you're harming a child, his daughter. So it's like, you know, the granddaughter, what have you.

Onika: Why would you do that to her mom?

Kizzy: Exactly. It doesn't make any sense. It's, it's, it's greed. Yeah.

Onika: I know Nipsey Hussle wouldn't approve of that. Like, oh, he was paying for, well, when he was alive. So just stop. Just keep, keep that energy. Cause this is similar to XXXTentacion. Same thing. Like, come on guys, stop it. We know you guys have an opinion. You drag them, drag them, drag them in the comments. You know y'all like to do that.

Keisha: Terrible because the only person that suffers is the daughter. You know, from what I read, she was taken from the home the day that they buried her father. So, imagine, she lost her father; she's going through that and now she's not able to see her mom the way she used to. And of course, I don't know if I should say, of course. However, Nipsey's family is claiming Tanisha to be an unfit mother and they're trying to go to court. And this is according to TMZ. They feel as though, given her legal battles, past and current,…

Kizzy: What were her legal battles about? Why would that make her an unfit mother?

Keisha: Well, I, I think she might've been doing drugs. I don't (know), I don't want to speculate, but she does have some legal issues that she's battling. And then they also claim, Nipsey’s family that is, they claimed that based on what's happening with her other two children, she has two older children,…they're not, they, she's not fit.

She has a daughter, I read according to TMZ is incarcerated right now and has been in and out of jail, since she's…

Onika: Her older daughter?

Keisha: Yes.

Onika: So, what's that got to do with anything?

Keisha: Well, they're saying because that daughter has been in out of jail, that, you know, the mom is not fit. And then she has an older son, who's younger than the daughter who's been bounced around from home to home, that there's not been provided a stable environment.

Kizzy: So, they want to take away the stable environment from this last little child and do the very same thing.

Keisha: It doesn't make sense because clearly, she and Nipsey had an agreement. And from what I was able to ascertain, he never felt the need to go to court to get custody or stop the child support arrangement. So, if he felt comfortable enough with this woman and her skills as a parent to keep the child there and you know, had their own arrangement and paid for her, the mom, which also meant supporting his child. Now, you want to take all of that away and that just seems to be anti-Nipsey Hussle.

Kizzy: Right, exactly, exactly, and not what he would have wanted. He would've wanted his child to be taken care of. And so yeah, it’s just what I said, greed, and that’s bad. It's very bad.

Keisha: And, it seems like they were almost waiting for this moment to pounce because I would imagine that they probably had some kind of feelings about the mother, Tanisha, to begin with, but Nipsey may have kept them at bay.

Kizzy: Right, and now that now he has passed, they're like, ah, I never liked you anyway, that kind of thing.

Keisha: Right. Not that, of course, they wished him dead, but they're seizing this opportunity and unfortunately to carry out their deeds.

Kizzy: Sad. Very Sad. Yeah, but hit us up in the comments. Let us know what you think.

Kylie Jenner’s Friendship Dynamics | Relationships

Keisha: So, we're going to move from one child to another and we're going to talk about Kylie Jenner. She recently posted an emotional Instagram message where she talked about experiencing the loss of self and the loss of friends.

Onika: And, the loss of her appearance because that’s not even on her face.

Keisha: Yeah, that's a part of the loss of self because she's got a whole new face and body. But you know, she talked about losing friends and although she did not mention Jordyn Woods by name, we can assume that Jordan would be in that category. But Kylie has since struck up a really close relationship with Sofia Richie, who is the girlfriend of Scott Disick who is the father of her sister Kourtney's (Kardashian) three children. Kylie recently organized a girls' trip to Turks and Caicos and extended the invite to Sofia, and she, accepted.

Kizzy: That’s weird.

Onika: No, it's not, she has to be on the Kardashians. She needs to be on Keeping Up With The Kardashians. They need to have Scott written in a little bit more. And then Scott's girlfriend and, and, um, what's that other one's name…

Kizzy: Black Chyna?

Onika: No, not, Black Chyna. What’s that other one’s name?

Kizzy: Kourtney.

Onika: It's Kourtney, Kourtney and, Kourtney. They have to, have like some kind of conflict. So that works. What are you talking about?

Kizzy: So cynical.

Onika: It's not cynical. That's just the handwriting on all the walls.

Kizzy: You think it is all very orchestrated.

Onika: That's what it is. Okay. I'm going to say two words, Kris Jenner.

Kizzy: Okay. I think it's weird. I think it's really, weird. I think it's very almost, it's almost one, cause not really, cause think about things that. Go back to when Kylie was dating Tyga even though Black Chyna at the time she was engaged to Tyga. So, then it was weird because Black Chyna went on to date Kylie's brother, Rob, right?

Onika: But didn't he have a show? It was a show.

Kizzy: Okay. So, okay, so my thing is, so had Kylie and Tyga got married; so, then she'd have been stepmother to Chyna's kid and Auntie to Rob's, weird. All of that is just very weird.

Keisha: But you know. But you know, their weird is normal. This isn't, this is normal.

Onika: You know what’s really weird? We watch it.

Keisha: For some, it may…but this is, as weird as it is for us, it's normal to them. This is like for better or for worse, Kardashians are really big into family…it’s bizarre …because they have a fascination, the girls have fascinations with rappers and athletes, minus Kourtney, she doesn't seem to follow in that, that mold.

Onika: She just likes Scott.

Keisha: Scott. And you know, she was dating some billionaire who did something. I don't know if he inherited his money or whatever, but she seems in, in terms of her dating patterns, she seems to go a little to the right…

Onika: Is she still wearing deodorant? Cause remember she had stopped.

Keisha: Maybe so, I don’t know, I haven’t smelled her armpits

Onika: Remember, everything was all-natural.

Keisha: It’s possible.

Onika: That was many, many seasons when I used to keep up with the Kardashians until I figured out, they were just keeping up with black ladies. And then, I was like, oh well shit, that's me. Bye.

Keisha: And, I guess it's also interesting to know, that Sofia Richie is the daughter of famous singer Lionel Richie. And so, I'm thinking that maybe Kylie has found some kind of connection in her as someone who's grown up in the spotlight. Lionel Richie had his own little scandal in the past. So maybe, you know, in addition to Kylie feeling that Sophie, Sofia is kind of like family cause Scott is still very, you know, affluent.

Onika: She used to be with um, the Hilton girl.

Keisha: Yeah. Paris Hilton.

Kizzy: Yeah, the something life. What is it, Simple…

Keisha: The Simple Life. Yeah. Yeah.

Kizzy: The early 2000s, taking us back.

Onika: So, so that's the first Kardashians, right, The Hiltons.

Keisha: They have started, all of this stuff, and The Osbourne's I think they might've been the first family on.

Kizzy: Yeah, I think so. I think they were. The first big, the first really big reality show where people were like, we can make money off of that family

Keisha: You know, the very first…I remember was The Real World. But they, The Osbournes were the first family and very, very,

Onika: You guys are old.


Family Disowns Bride and Groom Over an Adult-Only Wedding

Who should decide who can attend a wedding? Should, children be at an event where there is an open bar?

Kizzy: Last week, we were talking about bridezillas and crazy stuff. So now we're, we're talking about weddings again. Now, this couple, for financial reasons, decided to host an adults-only wedding. And, so that meant no kids allowed, which eliminated 14 kids from their wedding. Thirteen from the groom’s side and one from the bride’s side. So, the result of this was there was a massive argument among the families. The bride’s stepmother ex-communicated her because she couldn't bring her one-year-old grandson, even though the bride offered to pay for a babysitter. So, my question is were the bride and groom, correct and sticking to their guns and insisting upon an adults-only wedding? What do you guys think?

Keisha: Well, there's a saying Kizzy and Onika, whoever carries the purse makes the rules?

So, the couple was paying for the wedding themselves and they decided what happens at their wedding. So, if they decided for financial reasons or even if they just didn't like kids, and didn't want them at the wedding, that is their choice. Right. And you abide by it or don't come. And if I'm not mistaken that the bride even offered to hire a babysitter so that the one-year-old grandbaby could go. Well, grandma didn't want that baby there that badly then.

Kizzy: It just made no sense. It made no sense. It's like why are you trying to control what people do for their wedding. You are not, like you said, not paying for it. They're paying for it all on their own. You don't know their pockets. That's all these kids, you got all this extra food, nine oh kids don't really eat everything. You, know what I mean? So, it's kind of like a waste. You know what I mean, I get it, you know, in an ideal world, you want everybody to be there. You want the kids to be there and everything too. But if those people were getting married and it's, remember, it's about them and they cannot afford it, I think you should understand that. And I don't think you should make an issue.

Onika: I don't think that children should be at weddings. It’s an open bar. People are drinking, getting drunk, acting up, nobody's watching the doggone kids who are sliding… I don't think that that's the place. I feel like it's an adult event and I think the only children that should be at the wedding are the children that are in the wedding. That's what I think.

You see all those kids and stuff if I’m drinking. I don't want to be, you can't get in the bar. The children can't be in a bar. And you have an open bar, at a wedding or you know, alcohol, children shouldn’t be around adults drinking. Maybe if you’re at a home or house party or something like that, but for the most part…

Kizzy: But everybody's not going to be drinking though. And I think again if you're a parent, obviously, you're not going to be over-drinking…

Keisha: You hope, you hope.

Kizzy: Of course, of course, you hope because…

Keisha: Sometimes parents don't get out much. So, a wedding is a perfect occasion to let down their hair down and get loose, you got free food, free booze…

Kizzy: Keep the kid home if that's the case. But if you want your kid there, and again, this woman wanted her grandson there. I'm assuming you're not going to be drinking all that much anyway. But again, I think it’s their day, it's their money, they decide who can come. I think. Yeah.

Are Ming Lee and Swae Lee a Couple in the Making?

Keisha: So, we're going to move from bridezillas and "familyzillas" and we're going to talk about hip hop royalty. Microphone check one, two. I don’t know why I said that.

Kizzy: You are on today. Bring it home, Keisha, bring it home.

Keisha: I’m just going to reel it back in. We're going to talk about Russell Simmons and Kimora Lee Simmons, child, children, Ming Lee, who appears to be dating rapper Swae Lee, which has set off his on-again, off-again, girlfriendMarliesia Ortiz  to the point that Ming’s little sister, Aoki Lee, came through with the clap backs on social media letting people know Marliesia, in particular, that she does not want to tangle with her or her mother. Oh yes.

Onika: The mother’s getting involved too? Come on.

Keisha: I mean she can, she can jump in.

Kizzy: Yeah, she can.

Onika: I don’t think I’d jump in, I’d just let the sisters handle it, those girls got it.

Kizzy: Yeah, I think it's kind of, yeah, whatever. Um, I don't know. I don't know. I mean I think when you grow up rich and famous as they have, you will find yourself in these types of situations. I mean, even though I haven't …

Onika: They all gotta like to mess with each other. The pool is small. Yeah, because there’s a bunch of broke dudes.

Kizzy: And, you don't, you don't need that. You don't because they just might want to be with you because they want to get put on, they want your money. They want to be around that.

Onika: People in this circle have money.

Kizzy: That's what I'm saying. So you don't, again, you only have a few people that you can actually date and so it would make sense if she's in a circle and Swae Lee is there. We know their eyes meet, their hearts touch, there they go.

Onika: Their last names are Lee, right? That’s a bunch of Lees, right? Bruce Lee, I don't know.

Keisha: Do you think that because Ming comes from hip-hop royalty, legendary, her dad is Russell Simmons. Her uncle is Reverend Run of Run DMC. Do you think that dating someone like Swae Lee is above her status (meant below her status)? Why would she want to date someone like Swae Lee that has this history of volatile…?

Onika: Because he’s cute?

Kizzy: Did you or did you see that Bobby Brown documentary where he talked about his life, or it might've been, no, it was New Edition. Back in the day, Bobby Brown, you know, was the bad boy. Janet Jackson was the good girl and they had a thing going on. And when…I remember when, I remember when I watched it, I was like, wow, what, Bobby Brown got Janet Jackson! It was crazy. But that's the thing like you come from, you’re supposed to be a good girl. You got Reverend Run as your uncle or whatever. You’re supposed to be like this good girl, but you got this little edgy guy and there's, there's a pull there. So, I'm not surprised. I don't think it's really, beneath her. I just think caught up…

Onika: And, Russell Simmons was a hood dude, so she probably likes hood dudes. You, know what I mean? Now, he's all yogi. But he wasn't always like that.

Kizzy: Yeah, Vegan. I don't think it's surprising. I don't think it's surprising at all. And hopefully she, they're not gonna start throwing hands ‘cause that would be like a mess. Please don't do that.

Onika: Nobody throwing hands.

Keisha: Well, Ming (Aoki) is about to go to Harvard. So soon she'll have her head in the books, hopefully in and not a dropout after the first…

Onika: Look how we’re smiling, we’re like, Onika don’t say it. Onika, don’t say it. I'm not.

Keisha: Well, they say, good girls like bad boys.

Onika: Why do good girls like bad guys? Okay.

Cats The Movie: Can Jennifer Hudson, Idris Elba Get a Do-over

Onika: Jennifer Hudson, Idris Elba, uh, and Jason Derulo, all looked a hot damn mess! I'm like, what the "F" is happening here?! Hmmm! I think they need a do-over! If I was Idris (Elba), I'd be like, hmmm, you played me.

Keisha: What accent is that!?

Onika: I'm doing Margaret Mag, you played me.

Kizzy: Girl, no. Is that the Jamaican an accent that you used to do?

Keisha: You know he’s (Idris Elba) British, right?

Onika: This is my British accent! First of all, don't judge me. Played me, you played me. Can I have a spot of tea?

Laughter

Kizzy: Awful, awful.

Onika: I want to know if they can get a do-over?

Kizzy: But, that was really weird, really weird. It was just, it was just weird. It was like the CGI, I think with the CGI I'm thinking maybe even if they just went with fur instead. white on the far and actors and act looking crazy I think. I think, well you know, Cats is hard because you know just the idea of humans being cats, it's like a weird concept, anyway.

Keisha: That's what the Broadway show was, it was a bunch of human actors playing cats, plus dancing and singing.

Onika: You know we understand that.

Keisha: So, what do you expect.

Onika: But they should look good. They shouldn’t look crazy.

Kizzy: The CGI, but then they have fur over them.

Keisha: The fur coats kinda got me.

Kizzy: Yeah, why they have fur coats when they’re already cats.

Onika: Because you know how you have dumb people like take dogs and put coats on the dog and they already have a fur on them. What’s different, the same shit. PETA was like enough. Poor PETA.

Keisha: It was a little weird with the human faces and the bodies. Yeah. I just, I know I didn't get an uproar over, it's a movie about cats that sing and dance. It’s not real in any sense of fashion.

Onika: We have social media, so anything that happens, there will be dialogue. There will be dialogue. T

Kizzy: And, there will be dragging.

Onika: The revolution will be televised.

Keisha: You know what I didn't like, and this may be blasphemous. I did not like Jennifer Hudson's rendition of Memories. I did not like it. I was like, who is this cat-scratching, and dying singing this song.
And, I think Jennifer Hudson has a wonderful voice. But what I heard, from what I heard on that trailer, it did not put her in the best light. I didn't like it. They can do that over.

Kizzy: Really!?

Keisha: Yes. Yes.

Kizzy: I liked it. I liked it. I like the way she sang.

Onika: She sounds like a dog? Are you barking?

Keisha: Yes, (barking sounds)

Kizzy: Well, on that note, that will do it.

Keisha: ruff.

 

 

Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and Brett Kavanaugh: Gender Politics on Full Blast [VIDEO]

VIDEO DISCUSSION: Nelly settles sexual assault case; plus Katt Williams, Bill Cosby, Tyler Perry, Kanye, Lil’ Wayne, and more!

 

WHAT’S THE 411’s QUICK TAKES

In this episode of What's The 411 recorded on October 2, 2018, journalist Kizzy Cox, and comedian Onika McLean start off the episode with birthday wishes for Onika, and the acknowledgment of the death of Onika's cat, Glitter.

In this Quick Takes segment, Kizzy and Onika are talking about news stories related to film and TV producer Tyler Perry gifting a house to the mother of an actress who used to work for him; Lil’ Wayne’s new album, Tha Carter V; rapper Kanye West’s antics and strange performance on Saturday Night Live, The rapper known as Nelly, settles a sexual assault civil case with Monique Green, who accused Nelly of forcing her to have sex with him on his tour bus; an Ohio police chief orders an FBI investigation into the arrest of porn star, Stormy Daniels, and; to end this Quick Takes segment on a high note, actor Geoffrey Owens, who was shamed by people on Twitter for working at Trader Joe’s, is taking producer Tyler Perry up on his offer. Owens is going to appear on 10 episodes of Perry's hit, "The Haves and the Have Nots" on OWN.

WHAT’S POPPIN' – CULTURE & THE LAW: BILL COSBY

Actor, comedian, and philanthropist, Bill Cosby, who was once America’s TV dad in the 1980s, has fallen from grace. A Pennsylvania jury convicted Cosby of three counts of aggravated indecent assault. The judge agreed with the prosecutors that Cosby is a "sexually violent predator," which carries a sentence that will last at least three years and no more than 10 years.

WHAT’S POPPIN' – CULTURE: KATT WILLIAMS’ FEUD WITH OTHER BLACK COMEDIANS

It all started with comedian Katt Williams going after Tiffany Haddish’s edges during a guest appearance on the Atlanta radio show, Frank and Wanda in the Morning. Williams also had a lot to say about Mo’Nique and Kevin Hart. Although Williams and Haddish made up at The Emmy Awards, Katt Williams checks Kevin Hart after Hart stood up for Tiffany Haddish. And now, the feud between Williams and Hart is amped.

WHAT’S POPPIN' – CULTURE & THE LAW: DR. CHRISTINE BLASEY FORD HEARING

Dr. Christine Blasey Ford takes center stage as the US Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing to “afford” Ms. Blasey Ford with an opportunity to tell her story of an alleged sexual assault when she was a teenager by Judge Brett Kavanaugh, who is up for Senate confirmation to ascend to the U.S. Supreme Court. There were a number of takeaways from the hearing, but most people are shaking their heads over was a clash of gender politics.

Janet Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Kim Kardashian, Omarosa, Nicki Minaj and more! | Episode 131

Janet Jackson and Daddy Yankee perform for 30,000 people in Harlem; LisaRaye criticize for ending engagement | VIDEO

 

QUICK TAKES

 

It’s official. Tamar Braxton has confirmed she’s NO LONGER with her ex, Vincent Hubert. Also, they quietly sold their L.A. property for $9.25 million, much less than the original asking price and even less than the $10.5 million they paid to buy it in 2012. They also paid their former nanny $213,431.37 from a judgment she won relating to unpaid wages.

 

The beef between Nicki Minaj and her ex-boo, Safaree, has gotten so loud that MTV beefed up its Video Music Awards security.

 

ESPN has decided to not televise the National Anthem during NFL Games.

 

Jesse Williams went before a judge to get his child support payments lowered, but the Judge in the case said no way. So, thus far, the Grey’s Anatomy actor will continue to pay his ex-wife Aryn Drake-Lee the court-ordered $50K for his two children. OUCH!

 

Bossip is reporting that Lauryn Hill’s NJ mansion is in foreclosure because a nearly $1 million tax bill has gone unpaid.

 

Pop star Janet Jackson performed before 30,000 adoring fans in front of the State Office Building in Harlem for Harlem Week.

 

And, we end this Quick Takes segment with condolences to the family and friends of two icons, Kofi Annan and Aretha Franklin. Annan was the first Black person to serve as UN Secretary-General, and the first officeholder to be elected from the UN staff itself. Annan and the UN were the co-recipients of the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize.

 

Aretha Franklin, The Queen of Soul, was not only a pop singer but a cultural icon that helped to bridge the racial divide with her music. Franklin’s first hit, “Respect,” immediately became an anthem of the African-American civil rights movement and later other movements. In addition to Franklin’s 20 Grammy Awards, she was the first woman to receive a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame award. She performed at the White House for several presidents and received a Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George Bush in 2005. Thank you, Aretha, for your life-long contributions to the world.

 

WHAT’S POPPIN – CULTURE

The culture of taping everything. In the last few weeks, we have learned that Omarosa Manigault Newman has perhaps, hours of tape from her time in the White House. And, we already know that Trump’s former attorney, Michael Cohen, has hours of recorded telephone conversations with Donald Trump.

 

WHAT’S POPPIN –RELATIONSHIPS

Recently, LisaRaye McCoy got engaged to Anthony B. on the television show, The Proposal. A month after a 2nd proposal at her home with family and friends, LisaRaye has called off the wedding. During a Facebook Live, LisaRaye said she's glad she did the show, and that she did the show because she was "lonely" and wanted to find a companion. LisaRaye then went on to say that she wants a man that's "equally yoked."

Soon after that comment, some on the Facebook Live started calling her a gold-digger because in effect, she considered Anthony B’s net worth to be too low.

Q. Is it fair to call LisaRaye a gold digger?

 

WHAT’S POPPIN – HEALTH

Southwest Airlines has joined the list of airlines to crack down on “Emotional Support Animals” flying with passengers.

The airline is limiting the ESAs to dogs and cats, so no, you can’t bring your pet peacock or kangaroo, and claim they are emotional support animals.

Q. As one who travels by plane often, do you welcome this announcement? Do wish the NYC Transit would do the same?

 

WHAT’S POPPIN – RELATIONSHIPS

Refinery29 posted an article, What Happened When I Moved in With A Casual Fling. A woman’s roommate unexpectedly moved from their rent-stabilized NYC SoHo apartment, so she now had to find a new roommate or a new apartment, and a guy she had been dating for six weeks became her new roommate. They broke up for financial reasons and both moved on with their lives. Lo and behold, a few years later they are both financially stable, living in L.A. and married with children.

Q. This story went well, rather fairytale like. Do you think this happens more than we know?

  

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

Our Quote of the Week is:

“Kindness comes back like a boomerang by those who are kind. Perhaps its return takes years. Perhaps the kindness returns from a different direction. But, it will return. It is never lost.”

This is a quote attributed to John Marks Templeton and was posted by Denise Hurley.

If you would like for us to shine a light on a quote, hit us up on our Facebook page or on LinkedIn.

 

 PHOTO OF THE WEEK:

Our Photo of the Week is a photo of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West at the wedding of 2Chainz and Kesha Ward this past weekend in Miami.

How digital music streaming has helped and hurt new album releases

Digital Album Streaming: a beautiful boost or plummeting pitfall? Well it depends on how you use it

The first half of 2018 has seen album releases from the likes of J. Cole, Nipsey Hussle, Tory Lanez, Nas, Kanye West, Beyoncé, and Jay-Z; all with various rollout plans to the lack thereof. Nicki Minaj announced her album, Queen, in May for a June release. Beyoncé and Jay-Z released Everything is Love seemingly out of nowhere, and then there were albums that dropped under an executive producer who didn't seem to give much notification to the artists themselves, cough. (I'm talking about... yes, you guessed it! Kanye West.)

Digital streaming of music has given both the artist and consumer a one-stop shop. Artists no longer need to advertise on billboards, bus signs or conjure up elaborate marketing plans. Music executives no longer have to announce albums and songs months in advanced and retail stores are not stocked to capacity with copies of physical CDs needed to match shopper consumption. Depending on the caliber of artist that you are, you don't even need to bait your audience into wanting your album with pre-released singles. All you have to do is make sure it's available on all streaming platforms on the day that you say it will be. Or, you don't even need to say a day.

I'm guilty of crediting Queen Bey for bringing the art of the hasty release into the genre of R&B and Hip Hop. Many people, like me, forget that it was actually her husband, Sean Carter, who started the trend. Released on July 4, 2013, Magna Carta Holy Grail took to listeners ears after only being announced two weeks prior in a subtle commercial for Samsung that premiered during the NBA Finals.

VIDEO featuring Jay-Z promoting Magna Carta Holy Grail

"All these other things have been introduced to the world -- the internet and all this technology, and all these things. How do we operate within all that? We don't have any rules; everyone's trying to figure it out... that's why the internet's like the wild, Wild West. We need to write the new rules for what's going on right now... The one thing I wanted to do was have that fireplace or radio moment... I wanted everyone to hear the album at one time."

Unfortunately, Samsung lost out on the ordeal when the app they paid for to stream Jay's album crashed and the project was almost instantaneously available on other digital streaming platforms. Nonetheless, the attempt was seen.

What we'd call an L, Beyoncé followed suit with and turned into a W, a surprise release of her self-titled visual album that took the world by complete force. Beyoncé was exclusively available on iTunes for its first week, was accompanied by visuals for each track, earning Yonce' over 80,000 copies sold in the first three hours and ultimately a number one album debut. (Queen Bey also saw similar success with her release of Lemonade, accompanied by a full-length film where Hov's, iced tea, 4:44, debuted at number one with various short films to accompany each track. The most successful of which, "The Story of O.J.", reached over 70 million views.

But the ability of Beyonce and Jay-Z to make us look is due largely to the equity and caliber of artistry they've come to be known for, not just in the exclusivity of their work alone. As listeners and consumers, we have a solid expectation of the quality of work they'll deliver and therefore have no problem rushing to whatever medium they decide to release from.

However, many artists are not so privileged. Even prior to Beyonce's self-titled visual album release, Kanye West tested the waters with My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy's 34-minute film, Runaway, amassing over 22 million views to this date, and decided to take that same triumphant energy and innovation into his February 14, 2016, release of The Life of Pablo. The result was not so great. The rollout of the album was plagued by constant title changes, routine Kanye twitter rants, and revised track lists. The only thing that seemed to be happening right was that West had a Yeezy Season 3 fashion show planned at Madison Square Garden where he would premiere the project for all those in attendance, right? Wrong. The album premiered three days later on Tidal, with alterations unheard of by the crowd in attendance at Madison Square Garden. Even months after the release, the album was still undergoing changes with its finalized version coming on April 1, 2016.

And now here we are. The Carters’ surprise release, Everything is Love, and Kanye West announcing and embarking on his executive delivery of five albums in five weeks. The results have been everywhere from successful to... not so much. Pusha T's Daytona soared in the midst of rap beef between himself and Drake. Ye was welcomed by a lukewarm reception, but still managing to debut at number one, while Kids See Ghosts featuring Ye and Kid Cudi was quietly released and debuted at number two while NASIR featuring Nas peaked at number five.

However, the rockiest rollout yet was Teyana Taylor's K.T.S.E. The singer took to Big Boy's Neighborhood on Power 106 to explain that the album will be re-released due to label miscommunication and samples not being cleared in time. Acknowledging that songs on the album were literally cut short, as well as the label's mistake in setting a release date and listening experience all before the album samples were even cleared.

VIDEO: Teyana Taylor on Big Boy’s Neighborhood

Teyana has taken the public misstep like a champ, acknowledging the helpful critiques she's received from those who have listened thus far. A similar attitude is now generally required of artists in the digital age of album streaming, its boundless limits should remind artists to propel themselves into a new realm of creativity and innovation. Ultimately instilling in them the ability to embrace the body of work that they have while remembering, it’s not fully what you do but how you do it.

 

- Jadriena "Jade" Solomon

@24Jaded

  • Published in Music

Why I had to swallow my pride (and discomfort) and listen to Kanye West's "ye"

I'll be real honest. I didn't want to give Kanye West my .089 cents for streaming his new album, Ye, via Tidal. Nope. Not the same man who said slavery was a choice. Not the same man who practically made a martyr of himself through songs that detailed the African American experience, like "Jesus Walks", or whose word vomit included simple yet contentious statements like "George Bush doesn't care about black people," not the same man who then turned around and endorsed the warped Trump-developed slogan "make America great again."

But because I am a student of the culture, and because West has been the public figure to fearlessly declare statements that many have dared not, I had to delve deeper and well... decide. And when I say decide, I mean decide on a lot of things...

Nine years after the passing of his beloved mother, Donda West, and a month after his wife Kim Kardashian was robbed at gunpoint in Paris, Kanye West was admitted into the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center for stress and exhaustion. Today, West refers to that period of his life as the "breakthrough" rather than the "breakdown." This is not surprising. The man we've come to know as Ye' has always exhibited the personality traits that he endears the most: pride, confidence, and egocentrism. Seldom have we seen an insecure or vulnerable Kanye West. And frankly, that is why many have come to love him.

KANYE WEST VIDEO: The Codes Of Self Esteem 2016 - The Life of Pablo


For someone like myself, who's known Kanye West more largely through his televised rants and candid moments rather than musical accolades (i.e.: The College Dropout, Graduation, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, etc.), it’s safe to say that Kanye West lives for and basks in his ability to create shock value, his access to publicity, and most of all the security of his ego. Therefore, I don't believe that anyone can really say they're surprised when Ye' vents his mind.

VIDEO: Kanye West's Craziest Moments


However, being surprised and deeply hurt or dispositioned by Ye's comments are two completely different calibers of reactions. With statements like slavery "sounds like a choice," consecutively implying that blacks have presently perpetuated their own oppression, and publicly proclaiming his admiration for President Donald Trump because he managed to accomplish what many said he couldn't, Kanye has successfully infiltrated and divided his own fan-base, leaving the giant question of: are we canceling Ye' or nay?

Through press runs to promote his album, Kanye has done two major sit down interviews, one where he flew out The Breakfast Club's own Charlemagne tha God during the creation of his album Ye, and another with Los Angeles' own Big Boy at his album listening and release party. Initially, I was not highly intrigued to listen to either interview. And the album? Well, that wasn't even a thought. Why should I give my streaming money/viewership to someone who said slavery was a choice? However, as much as I was infuriated and displaced by his statements, actively perpetuating ignorance wasn't the solution to take either.

Of those who actively became turned off by his statements, were fans who had fallen in love with the ideology West had entered the game with and created a following from; pro-black rhetoric that marked albums like The College Dropout and Graduation. His recent abandonment of such led many to ask, was Kanye ever really black-enlightened? Were these ever really his true feelings? Or were they the rhetoric of writers, and/or the marketing plans of the team behind him?

VIDEO: Is Kanye West's ‘ye’ Good or Bad? | For The Record


In his sit down with @CThaGod, Kanye acknowledges that he did begin his career with an authentic voice, one that veered off due to the pressures of the industry; acknowledging that what inspired “Ye” was his heavy desire to go against mass opinion and proclaim his rediscovery.

VIDEO: Kanye West / Charlamagne Tha God Interview

Ironically enough, after the interview with Charlemagne was taped, Kanye made the decision to go back into the studio... and totally scrapped the entire album to start again from scratch. Leaving many to wonder, was Ye beginning to understand the extent of the feelings he had hurt with his rhetoric? Or was this simply a cleanup plan for the mess that he had created?

However, there are many on the other side of the fence that would agree with Ye. They agree he should have the freedom to speak his mind, believe what he wishes to believe, and not be held to the unholy standard of a role model (This is ironic from someone who calls himself Yeezus, but okay, let's go with it.).

What Ye values more than what he is saying, is his freedom to be able to say it. However, many miss this facet because the shock value of what he is saying becomes more compelling and distracting than his love for just wanting to speak his mind (and have us all listen of course). West prides himself on his ability to remain vocally honest while holding a position of privilege as a celebrity, and having publicly divulged his diagnosis with bipolar disorder. He simply basks in his ability to operate within that realm.

Though we'll never really know West's true feelings on Trump and the actions of his presidency thus far, when asked about the President and his campaign, Kanye stated, "when he was running, I felt something... the fact that he won, it proved something... it showed me that anything was possible." One thing that we do know for sure is Kanye's admiration for Donald trump stems from the fact that he sees something in him that resonates, connects with, and mirrors himself.

However, although we've reached this conclusion, there are still many questions that remain unanswered: will we ever really know for sure if Kanye was once genuine to the African American plight? Can we actively judge a man who's openly declared his battle with mental illness? Are we canceling Kanye? And if not, does this come down to a larger discussion of the African American community's inability to reprimand one of their own ala Bill Cosby and R. Kelly, a very large question at this time?

At the end of Charlemagne's interview with West, he asked, "What would College Dropout Kanye--if he was looking at pictures of Kanye now, what would he say?" To which Ye replied, "I think he'd be happy, satisfied, and he would believe it... This is a version of a College Dropout Ye'."

- Jadriena "Jade" Solomon

@24Jaded

  • Published in Music

Janelle Monae says she is pansexual; and more! | What’s The 411 | Ep. 126

R. Kelly Gets Muted; Bill Cosby found guilty on sexual assault charges; Kerry Coddette gets her turn to pen stories for Wyatt Cenac's Problem Areas on HBO

In this episode of What's The 411, journalist Kizzy Cox and comedian Onika McLean are listing QUICK TAKES of topical news and discussing Kanye West, Bill Cosby, R. Kelly, Cardi B., Janelle Monae, Madonna, Steph Curry, Halsey, the ladies of The Real, Kerry Coddett, and a whole lot more.

 

 

 

QUICK TAKES: Black Panther, Halle Berry, Gabby The Kid CEO, Kim & Kanye

VIDEO DISCUSSION: Ryan Coogler could not start directing Panther until he visited Africa; Halle Berry turns heads on the NAACP Image Awards red carpet; Ava DuVernay wins big

What's The 411 hosts Kizzy Cox and Onika McLean are talking about Halle Berry at the NAACP Image Awards; the name of Kim and Kanye West's new baby; kid CEO, Gabby Goodwin; Black Panther director Ryan Coogler; Ava DuVernay winning Entertainer of the Year at the NAACP Image AwardsJordan Peele's Academy Award nomination for Best Director, Best Picture, and Best Original Screenplay; Daniel Kaluuya's Academy Award nomination for Best Actor, and the upcoming Lifetime movie about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

Shameless Beg 2018 for posting on website 800x450

What's The 411 Episode 96: Beyonce's Lemonade Now a College Level Course

Alicia Keys' "No Makeup" gets push back, Mary J. Blige goes off on Twitter, Janet Jackson Pregnancy Update and more

In this episode of What's The 411 recorded on October 4, 2016, the panel of Kizzy Cox, Onika McLean, and Sydney Wayman talked about:

Students at The University of Texas at San Antonio can sign up for a class called Black Women, Beyoncé & Popular Culture.

The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem is celebrating a year-long exhibit and events to commemorate the Black Power movement. The Black Power 50 exhibit and programs run through June 2017.

Maven, a car sharing service offered by General Motors, has begun rolling out one-way car sharing for its members in Ann Arbor and Detroit, letting users pick up vehicles and use them to get between Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan, and between Detroit and the Detroit Metro airport.

So, for all you naysayers out there, pop star Janet Jackson really looks pregnant. Janet Jackson is 50-years-old and is expecting her first child with husband Wissam Al Mana.

WHAT'S POPPIN

Kim Kardashian was robbed in Paris. She "was held up at gunpoint...by two armed masked men dressed as police officers," as she stayed in the apartment Kanye owns in Paris, her rep told E! News.

Singer Alicia Keys who is a coach on NBC's The Voice, is getting some pushback from viewers about her stand on no make-up?

Snapchat changed its name to Snap, Inc. and it is calling itself a camera company. Snap just introduced Spectacles, $130 eyeglasses designed to let you record 10 seconds of video at a time and sync it to your phone to post on Snapchat.

Singer Mary J. Blige recorded a commercial to promote her interview with Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton for a new Apple Music segment "The 411". The promo showed the Grammy-winner awkwardly serenading Hillary Clinton with a song about police violence. The Twitterverse went berserk with all kinds of jokes and memes.

The 411 Social Media Team of Nicole Okeke and Jasmine Blake talked about the comments acknowledging the birthdays of LisaRaye, Will Smith, and Kevin Durant. They also congratulated comedian Kevin Hart on his status as the highest paid comedian.

Interviews:

What's The 411 Art and Culture editor, Luvon Roberson, interviewed actors Sean C. Turner and Douglas Wade, who will be performing in the Black Spectrum Theatre's production of August Wilson's play, Two Trains Running on November 4 - 20, 2016.

Kizzy Cox interviewed apparel and jewelry designer, Lisette Ffolkes, regarding her first Jam and Rico jewelry collection.

 

 

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