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What's The 411 Episode 63: Rihanna's NY Fashion Week Party Brings Out Everyone Looking for a Good Party

Plus French Montana losing no sleep over Khloe Kardashian; London street artist, Pegasus, brings Kanye West's 2020 Bid for US President to the UK; Brooklyn's first ever soca flash mob; and more!

In What's The 411 Episode 63, the panel of host Kizzy Cox and correspondents Courtney Rashon and Onika McLean are talking about ballerina Misty Copeland; Bravo's The Single Project wins an EMMY; Black-owned Restaurant Month; Tracee Ellis Ross and Jessica Simpson hanging out together; tennis star James Blake assaulted by NY police officer; actress Viola Davis joins actor Denzel Washington on August Wilson journey; Chrissy Teigen's ''No Hot Nannies'' Comment Causes an Uproar; K. Milele's New York Fashion Week show; and so much more!

QUICK TAKES

KIZZY: Ballerina Misty Copeland reveals she is engaged to her longtime boyfriend of 10 years, corporate attorney, Olu Evans, who is also a cousin to actor, Taye Diggs. Describing the turn of events in her life, Misty told Essence magazine, 'I can't believe my life right now!'

ONIKA: Of course, I am happy to report, Bravo's, The Singles Project, which followed six New York City singles on their quest to find romance, has officially won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Creative Achievement in Interactive Media - Multiplatform Storytelling.

COURTNEY: Pop star Rihanna is always on the scene during New York Fashion Week and this year was no different. Rihanna held her New York Fashion Week Party at the New York EDITION hotel, which was attended by Chris Rock, Timbaland, Pharrell, Wiz Khalifa and others.

Onika: Black-owned restaurants Month kicked off in Brooklyn and Manhattan on September 9. Thirteen restaurants are participating in the event started by blogger Genese Jamilah. She created the event once seeing her I Don't Do Clubs blog post listing 100 black-owned restaurants had become very popular.

KIZZY: London street artist, Pegasus, brings Kanye West's 2020 Bid for US President to the UK with street art featuring the lovely Kim Kardashian in her "break the Internet" photo.

Courtney: It looks like rapper French Montana is not brooding over Khloe Kardashian's new romance with NBA basketball player, James Harden. It's reported that Rich Kids' Dorothy Wang will be joining French Montana on tour.

KIZZY: It is kind of strange putting the names Jessica Simpson and Tracee Ellis Ross in the same sentence, let alone in the same location. Yet the two are joined by the holy matrimony of their siblings Ashlee Simpson and Evan Ross and Jessica and Tracee were on hand for a big family celebration, Evan's birthday bash.

WHAT'S POPPIN'

 

Former Tennis Star Assaulted by NY Police Officer

COURTNEY: You have to have been under a rock to miss this item; retired tennis star James Blake experienced a violent assault by the NYPD outside the Hyatt Regency Hotel near Grand Central Station. Blake stated that he was waiting outside his hotel, and five white undercover officers allegedly threw him down to the ground, causing Blake to suffer minor injuries. The police officers never apologized after the incident. Mayor de Blasio stated there will be a full investigation regarding the attack by the officers.

Actress Viola Davis Joins Actor Denzel Washington on August Wilson Journey

ONIKA: Actress Viola Davis is going to work with Academy Award-winning actor Denzel Washington in a film adaptation of August Wilson's play "Fences." Denzel Washington is directing and Viola will be starring in the film, according to The New York Times. Both Denzel Washington and Viola Davis starred in the Broadway version of Fences in 2010 and Viola also won a Tony award for her role in the play.

Chrissy Teigen's ''No Hot Nannies'' Comment Causes an Uproar

KIZZY: The Twittersphere has exploded over this comment Chrissy Teigen made during an interview at Lauren Conrad's New York Fashion Week show:

"No hot nannies, drivers, or maids," she quipped last week. "It's an ongoing joke in my house. I do want to have kids one day, so it's something that I have to think about. But the rule is no hot nannies. I trust John, but you never know with these men."

Some responses were: "Chrissy Teigen Just Said Something Lame About Hiring Women"

Of course, Chrissy is wondering why does she have to defend a running joke?

ONIKA: For years, New York Fashion Week has been the who's who in the hip-hop and all the other fabulous industries. I had the pleasure of attending the K Milele line- please Google her- she has been the brains and beauty behind all the fabulous urban brands. She is currently working on Nikki Minaj's line and working on her own fashion line. It was a fabulous event and what was so special, she had all of her stylist friends styled one swimsuit several different ways.

FAB411

 

New York Fashion Week Hair and Makeup Trends

COURTNEY: During NY Fashion Week, the runways were heating up with fresh and sexy hair and makeup trends for the spring looks. The make-up trends included barely-there makeup, bold lines made with eye shadows and eyeliner and lips stained with natural flesh-like rosy tones and face embellishment, such as piercing and decals were also seen on the runway. Thicker, more natural looking eyebrows are also popular this season.

For hair, twists and knots were a huge trend on the runway and the wet sleek hair look either pinned up or in a pompadour style was also a major trend for fashion week.

UNDER THE RADAR

 

The City of Baltimore Settles with Family of Freddie Gray

KIZZY: Baltimore has reached a settlement with the family of Freddie Gray for $6.4 million. Freddie Gray was the young black man who was fatally injured while in police custody, his death incited protests and riots back in the spring. The criminal trials of the six police officers will continue however and Baltimore's mayor, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake is saying that the settlement isn't an admission of liability just a way to avoid a long drawn-out litigation in a civil case. The settlement is more than the payout for 120 lawsuits against the Baltimore Police Department combined since 2011, reports the Baltimore Sun. The police union president called the deal "obscene", but what I think is obscene is that a young man who was in police custody was handled so roughly his spine was critically injured and he was denied medical attention while being transported to jail. What do you think about the settlement?

LeBron James Partners with Project Learn to create I Promise, Too

COURTNEY: Recently we reported that LeBron James' Foundation, "I Promise," has pledged 1100 college scholarships for students to attend The University of Akron in Ohio. According to the Huffington Post, LeBron has expanded his scholarship program by partnering with the adult educational organization, Project Learn of Summit County. The new initiative is called "I Promise Too," which will help parents earn their GED's and prepare them to enter the workforce.

CARIBBEAN COOK-UP!

 

Oba Stephens Bring First Soca Flash Mob to Brooklyn

KIZZY: BROOKLYN recently made history with its first ever soca flash mob! While dancing to Angela Hunte and Machel Montano's song Party Done, soca lovers locked down the plaza in front of the Barclay's Center with some wicked waistline moves, choreographed by dance instructor Kiara Ross. The event was organized by Oba Stephens, a Trinidadian but was an opportunity for people from all over the West Indies to show their national pride and unite for Caribbean pride. Hundreds of people participated and some put the estimates anywhere from 900 to nearly 2000 people. Oba plans to do another soca flash mob in Houston, Texas next month.

Brooklyn's Pre-West Indian Day Parade Festivities Brings Out Good and Bad

KIZZY: Brooklyn was also the site of the annual West Indian Labor Day parade which routinely draws about 2 million people to Crown Heights each year. It's a wonderful display of Caribbean culture with parties and performances by soca artists and steel pan drummers leading up to the parade and beautiful mas costumes and trucks playing high-energy soca music the day of, participants can also sample all types of Caribbean cuisine from fish cakes to jerk chicken from the many vendors who line the parade route along Eastern Parkway.

Unfortunately, the huge crowds also occasionally draw the wrong crowd. And this year at the Jouvert celebration, which takes place in the early morning before the parade, thugs brought violence to the festivities. One person was stabbed to death and 4 others were injured including Carey Gabay, a lawyer for Governor Cuomo's office. Mr. Gabay was shot in the head by a stray bullet around 3am Monday morning and, as of this taping, is in a coma still fighting for his life. Now in the wake of this violence some officials are calling for changes to Jouvert, including marking off the Jouvert route and checking all those who pass through it much like they do during New Year's Eve in Times Square. I was talking about this issue on the Brian Lehrer show and thought that wouldn't be a good idea because there's too many people and more importantly Jouvert takes place in a residential area, who knows who residing in the surrounding apartments might choose to settle a beef at that time--completely getting around those security checks. What do you think we can do to stop the violence?

ON THE CARPET:

 

George Zimmerman Gets Called on the Carpet, yet again

KIZZY: I don't know how many times we can drag this man on the carpet but here we go or rather here he goes again: George Zimmerman! Zimmerman has been selling paintings of the confederate flag in collaboration with a Florida gun store owner who recently declared his business a Muslim-free zone. Zimmerman tweeted his reason for painting the flags,

"I painted the confederate flag backed by the American flag because I believe that anything can stand with the American flag behind it. "He added: "My confederate flag painting also represents the hypocrisy of political correctness that is plaguing this nation."

A post on the store's website also said Mr. Zimmerman painted it "in honor" of Andy Hallinan, the gun store owner "for being a true patriot and leading the country into a better, safer America." As though being anti-Muslim is a sign of true patriotism! Zimmerman is selling his paintings for $50 a-piece to help with his and Hallinan's legal fees (who's being sued by the Council for American-Islamic relations). It's unclear how many he's sold so far but a painting of the American flag he did sold on eBay for more than $100,000! There is so much wrong with this story: the racism, the profiting off of racism, George Zimmerman is just a mess--he's been in legal issue after legal issue since he killed Trayvon Martin and I really don't understand how he's not in jail by now. For this and everything else, George Zimmerman I'm calling you on the carpet.

REALITY TV RECAP

 

Caitlyn Jenner Expresses Feelings about "I am Cait" Halloween Costumes

COURTNEY: In a recent episode of I am Cait, Caitlyn Jenner expressed her feelings toward the controversial Halloween costumes inspired by her Vanity Fair cover to Matt Lauer. Jenner states that "she" doesn't care and is not offended. The costumes are already appearing online.

 

Threesome Talk on Love and Hip

ONIKA: In Love and Hip Hop news. Is it cheating when you agree to a threesome? Ladies, I'm telling you don't open Pandora's Box and I'm not talking about the bracelet company! When you agree to have another woman in your bed, there is no guarantee she will want to leave! In some cases, she could be the Puerto Rican Princess and marry your man!

PIPELINE

KIZZY: Actress Vivica A. Fox will play the big sister to Taraji P. Henson's character, Cookie Lyon, in EMPIRE.

ONIKA: The 50 Cent produced drama series, POWER, is shooting its new season all over Brooklyn!

  • Published in Episodes

Valentino Carlotti and Gilda Squire: The Team Behind-The-Scenes Making Things Happen for Ballerina Misty Copeland

Misty Copeland's Rise to ABT's First African-American Principal Dancer is a Merger of Readiness and Opportunity

Valentino Carlotti, Head, Securities Division, Institutional Clients Group, Goldman Sachs; and Gilda Squire, Squire Media and Management; sat down with What's The 411TV host, Glenn Gilliam, for a wide-ranging interview about their career trajectories; the power of networks; their behind the scenes influences that helped American Ballet Theater's Principal Dancer, Misty Copeland, rise to celebrity status; and how they have grown along the way.

Misty Copeland Le Corsaire Photo Marty-Sohl 600x672Misty Copeland, Principal Dancer, American Ballet Theater, in Le Corsaire. Photo Credit: Marty Sohl

Carlotti and Squire's Path to Forging an Alliance to Champion Misty Copeland

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Gilda Squire spent her formative years in Virginia, Gilda's mom passed away while she was young and her father didn't have the money to send her to her dream college, George Mason University. Even though Virginia Union University gave Gilda a full scholarship, she decided to go to work and save money to attend her dream school. Gilda started her career at the FBI at age 16. Although she didn't appreciate it at the time, it was pretty cool having a top secret clearance at 18 years-old.

Gilda later worked on Capitol Hill and after completing her degree at George Mason University, she decided to move to New York to work in entertainment public relations. However, things got interesting, as she discovered that the jobs she interviewed for didn't pay enough to allow her to live on her own. As fate would have it, a recruiter sent Gilda on an interview at Goldman Sachs where she landed a job in the Investment Banking Division. At the outset, Gilda wasn't sure she made the right the decision to work at Goldman Sachs. However, upon reflection, this "amazing miraculous professional detour" set Gilda up for the career that she enjoys today, the opportunity to manage Misty Copeland and to have managed Sara Mearns, Principal Dancer, New York City Ballet; and to have provided media training to then 8 year-old Quvenzhane Wallis, the youngest actress ever to receive a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress.

Initially, Valentino Carlotti, who was born and raised in Manhattan, wanted to be an astrophysicist or a doctor. While Valentino was a pre-med major at Yale University, he became intrigued with finance in his junior or senior in college and subsequently, changed his focus to finance. Valentino landed on Wall Street at Goldman Sachs after finishing an MBA at Harvard Business School. As Valentino rose through the ranks at Goldman Sachs from associate to vice president, it is at this point that Valentino and Gilda's paths crossed at Goldman Sachs.

Today, as Partner and Head of Securities Division, Institutional Clients Group, Valentino Carlotti is not surprised that Gilda is as successful as she is even though she is no longer in the finance arena. Valentino touts Goldman Sachs' working environment from recruiting talented people with good potential; the company's structure that provides a platform, resources, and encouragement to its employees, along with the breadth and depth of what employees learn at Goldman Sachs, translates into an environment for success wherever Goldman Sachs' employees land.

Gilda and Valentino reconnected when Misty Copeland was giving a talk at an Apple Store. Valentino offered to be helpful to Gilda, and two weeks later the pair was strategizing about Misty's future.

If you didn't watch the interview, I encourage you to watch and listen carefully to the interview to learn how Misty Copeland became Gilda Squire's client, how Misty's deal with Under Amour came together, the rigors and demands of being a professional ballerina; how Misty overcame a potentially career-ending injury; what NBA Basketball MVP Stephen Curry said about Misty's work ethic; Misty's book tour and documentary, a Ballerina's tale, directed by Brooklyn's Nelson George; and more.

Misty Copeland Takes Her Place in History at the American Ballet Theatre

Stella Abrera is also elevated to Principal Dancer

In this segment of What's The 411, the panel led by host Kizzy Cox, is discussing the significance of Misty Copeland's rise to principal ballerina at the American Ballet Theatre. Stella Abrera was also promoted to Principal Dancer at the American Ballet Theatre, making her the first American of Philippine descent in this role.

What's The 411: President Obama Eulogizes Clementa Pinckney; U.S. Supreme Court Upholds Obamacare; and more

In this episode of What's The 411, the panel consisting of hosts Glenn Gilliam and Kizzy Cox; correspondent, Onika McLean; beauty expert, Courtney Rashon; and fashion and beauty expert, Essence Semaj Henley are discussing President Obama's eulogy of State Senator and Pastor, Clementa Pinckney, one of nine people killed by Dylan Roof at Emanuel AME Church in South Carolina; the U.S. Supreme Court upholding the Obamacare legislation; Lester Holt is the new anchor of NBC's Nightly News; Misty Copeland becomes the first African-American ballerina to dance the role of Odette in Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake; PBS has decided to put Henry Louis Gates' Finding Your Roots on hold amid the Ben Affleck family slavery controversy and more.

Additionally, Courtney Rashon talks about Balayage, the newest trend in hair color and Essence Semaj Henley gives tips on summer hairstyles for curly-haired women

NOW SEE What's The 411 VIDEO Episode 55: President Obama Eulogizing Clementa Pinckney; Supreme Court Upholds Obamacare; Misty Copeland; Lester Holt; Henry Louis Gates and More! 

  • Published in Videos

Ebony Magazine Celebrates the 2014 Ebony Power 100

Music Legend, Quincy Jones to Receive the EBONY Achievement Award;
Wendy Williams, Audra McDonald, Viola Davis, Shonda Rhimes, Pharrell and Others to be Honored

EBONY® Magazine's EBONY Power 100 Gala is scheduled for November 19 and will be held at the historic AVALON Hollywood in Los Angeles. For a third consecutive year, Nationwide will proudly present the prestigious affair to celebrate honorees on the 2014 EBONY Power 100 list.

The EBONY Power 100 list salutes the achievements of the most influential African-Americans in the country. Among the game changers honored this year are television producer, Shonda Rhimes; actresses Audra McDonald, Viola Davis, Laverne Cox, and Gabrielle Union; radio personality Rickey Smiley, NBA stars LeBron James and Kevin Durant, singer Usher Raymond, talk show host Wendy Williams, producer Pharrell Williams comedian Kevin Hart, ballerina Misty Copeland and Bishop T.D. Jakes.

"This event pays tribute to those who have made it their mission to make a positive impact on their industries and in their communities," said Matt Jauchius, Chief Marketing Officer at Nationwide. "Nationwide is honored to once again present the EBONY Power 100 Gala and celebrate the achievements of these amazing men and women."

Hosting the star-studded evening will be comedian and actor Wayne Brady. Brady is known for his television work on Whose Line Is It Anyhow, The Wayne Brady Show and Don't Forget the Lyrics.

Legendary icon Quincy Jones, will befittingly receive this year's coveted EBONY Achievement Award. Known for his groundbreaking strides in music and film, Jones is arguably considered one of the most innovative pioneers in entertainment.

Paying tribute to Quincy Jones will Queen of Funk Chaka Khan, Grammy-award winning vocalists Patti Austin and James Ingram, hip-hop pioneers Slick Rick and Doug E. Fresh, soul singer KEM, dance performer Savion Glover and jazz musician Terence Blanchard. At the helm of the evening's musical tribute to Jones will be renowned music director, producer and musician Ricky Minor whose band will serve as the house band.

The 2014 Power 100 list will appear in the December issue of EBONY on newsstands the week of November 17. The full list of the EBONY Power 100 can be found here

Comcast will also broadcast the event on CelebrateBlackTV.com and Xfinity On Demand during the month of December.

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