Since the onset of Keyshia Cole‘s career, comparisons to Mary J. Blige have been a constant. Indeed, so rife has the chatter been that it birthed rumors of a rift between the R&B staples.
The climate wasn’t altogether helped when Cole said the following about “her idol” in a 2012 interview:
“I’m very happy to have been compared to such a wonderful woman, a strong woman. The only thing that I would’ve changed, that I am now here to do for those that come after me, is to lend a helping hand. I feel that even if it’s not me saying I’m gonna record with you, I’m gonna work with you or let’s go hang out or anything like that; we don’t have to be friends, but at the end of the day, being able to give advice or help somebody that is coming under you is an amazing gift to be able to have. I wish I would have had that from Mary, but I’m not Mary, I’m a different person and if K. Michelle ever call me or anybody for that matter, for advice, I would absolutely give it to them.”
Nonetheless, proving that there’s no bad blood, Keyshia and the Queen of Hip-Hop/Soul caught up backstage at a concert last night.
Clearly touched by the encounter (said to be their first), Cole captioned the snap:
As reported here, ‘Set It Off’ star Vivica A. Fox set off a firestorm of controversy last night when she took to ‘Watch What Happens Live…With Andy Cohen’ and implied former boyfriend, rapper 50 Cent, was gay. Referring to the former hit music star as a “booty snatcher,” the actress set social media alight with her comments – including retaliations from the rapper himself.
But, if you thought his responses last night were enough, you thought wrong. 50 continued his rants early into this morning and, as a result, earned a few clapbacks from Fox. See it all below:
While 2015 has brought with it explosive comebacks for the likes of Adele and Janet Jackson, it also saw a quiet, yet well-received return for Jazmine Sullivan.
The singer’s ‘Reality Show’ album was showered with praise from critics and fans alike, but didn’t impact the charts as perhaps hoped. A point particularly notable given the five year gap between its release and that of its predecessor – 2010’s ‘Love Me Back.’
Still, hoping to build on the buzz of the LP and its accompanying tour, Sullivan is gearing up to return to the studio for what she’s billed as an “intimate” LP.
Mariah Carey isn’t just flexing her vocal chords these days, she’s beefing up her acting resume.
It’s been almost 15 years since the disaster / cult classic that was ‘Glitter’ and, in the time since, Mimi has largely made right the wrongs of the ill-advised flick with critically praised roles in ‘Wise Girls,”Precious,’ and ‘The Butler.’
Christina Aguilera dripped all sorts of diva last night at the 3rd Annual Breakthrough Prize Award Ceremony in California.
The vocal force attended the event with fiance Matt Rutler, with whom she has a new daughter with. As widely reported, the couple welcomed baby Summer Rain last August.
Xtina, who clearly had an agenda to flash and flaunt her fierce curves, is gearing up for a return to the spotlight.
She’s set to resume her role as a coach on The Voice next Spring and is hard at work on her first album in three years.
Pending then, peep more pics of the ‘Your Body’ belter below…
Alicia Keys has found a friend in the soulful duo that is Lion Babe.
Yes, after catching wind of their rising buzz and the music that fuels it the ‘Samsonite Man’ singer/songwriter invited them to join her on stage at her ‘Black Ball.’
Its brand spanking new production style and community-based storylines may see the ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta’ strike ratings gold this season.
So, it’s a shame that fans are to learn that one of its newbies won’t be there to bask in its impending glory.
Does Vivica A. Fox eat the booty like groceries? Let ‘Magic Stick’ emcee 50 Cent tell it, the actress has this and a few other bedroom tricks up her sleeve.
The two are engaged in a social media catfight after Fox took to ‘Watch What Happens Live…with Andy Cohen’ to discuss 50’s comments on ‘Empire’s ratings decline. As fans may remember, the rapper implied the show was losing fans due to “too much gay stuff.”
Viv – never one to mince words – implied his comments were hypocritical and said he looked like a “booty snatcher” on a cover of Vibe magazine he once shared with fellow fallen rapper Soulja Boy (as seen below):
Needless to say, both rappers were quick to clap back;
Coolio’s monumental mid-90’s hit ‘Gangsta’s Paradise’ is this week’s ‘From The Vault’ pick.
Released exactly 20 years ago in 1995, ‘Paradise’ is one of modern music’s renowned efforts and undeniably rapper Coolio’s signature track
The song – which features singer L.V. – tells the tale of an African-American “gangster” and the reasons behind his deviant ways. With his choral background vocals and his infamous Bible-extracted opening line (“As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death”), it is heavily based on a sample from the mighty Stevie Wonder’s ‘Pastime Paradise’ from blueprint album ‘Songs In The Key Of Life’, reprising the melody of said track’s chorus to build its very own impressive one.
It served as the first single from Coolio’s sophomore effort, also titled ‘Gangsta’s Paradise’ but most notably was included in the Michelle Pheiffer-led movie ‘Dangerous Minds.’ The song’s lyrical content fit perfectly with the film’s vision on African-American and Latinos youth in America.
A worldwide smash, ‘Paradise’ reached #1 in over 20 countries including the US, the UK, France and Australia. It is also the first ever rap single to sell over a million copies.
This song earned its banner act a Grammy Award as well as a Billboard Music Award.
Antoine Fuqua helmed the cut’s visual, which features Coolio in a dark room spitting his rhymes in front of an attentive Pheiffer (who reprised her ‘Dangerous Minds’ role). Footage from the movie is juxtaposed to great effect. Adding to the awards haul, the clip for ‘Paradise’ was rewarded with two MTV Video Music Awards.
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Two decades on, ‘Paradise’ remains potent both musically and lyrically. And though Coolio has been absent from the charts this past decade, he will forever be a figure in Pop Culture thanks to this honest take on what it means to be young and discriminated-against in the 20th century.