Tameka Foster's BFF Says "Tameka Didn't Even Know"

Essence magazine caught up with Tameka Fosters best friend of 20 years Nyeisha DeWitt and lets her clear the air about a few things regarding her friends impending messy divorce. Like any best friend, Nyeisha says that she doesn't like to see Tameka hurting this way and being portrayed in a bad light in the media. She says that despite going through this ordeal, it's only obvious that Tameka still loves Usher. She also tells Essence that this whole divorce thing was a big surprise to Tameka *side eyein bff hella hard on that one*!!! C'mon now... we know when our relationships/marriages are on their last leg. Check out the interview below:

ESSENCE.COM: Many are probably wondering why you're choosing to speak now after Tameka endured a hailstorm of criticism for years.

NYEISHA DEWITT: Let me first say that I hope Tameka and Usher can salvage things as a couple. I've known Tameka since I was in middle school and she was in high school, and we've been friends since. It's not that I have to defend her or speak on her behalf as if she's done something wrong, but I simply want people to know everything they read about her isn't true. It hurts me to read the lies that people write and say about her.

ESSENCE.COM: Is it true she first learned that Usher filed for divorce after reading about it?

DEWITT: She didn't know that he was going to file. Of course, she knew that there were challenges in their relationship and had been some discord since March and was aware there were some things that needed to be worked through. But did she know that divorce was imminent? No. It was a total surprise.

ESSENCE.COM: Was Tameka also caught off guard by the images of Usher and Def Jam's Grace Miguel?

DEWITT: I don't know what it is or isn't. What I admire about Tameka is that, despite all the gossip, she isn't bitter or hardened by it. I don't know how she does it especially with children [from a previous relationship] old enough to read the lies that are written. It's like having to keep your hands at your side while someone repeatedly punches you in your face.

For the entire interview, click here

Jill Scott Reveals No Longer With Fiance

R&B songstress and Diiiiiiiiiiva (my ode to 'Why Did I Get Married') ,JILL SCOTT, recently sat down with Essence magazine to talk about being a new mommy, possibly being in the bowl for winning an Emmy for the hit HBO series that she stars in "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" and her recent split from her fiance and father of her 2 month old son Jett Hamilton.

ESSENCE.COM: Congrats on the possibility of an Emmy nod for Best TV Drama Actress! If you win you will be the first African-American woman to do so. Did you expect such acclaim or pressure?

Jill Scott: No pressure, but I'm excited. It's definitely something I dreamt about, and if it comes to fruition then that's wonderful. In regards to expecting the acclaim, I wish I was that forward thinking. We were just there doing a good job, and after the show was done we thought, Well, maybe. I am proud of the work that we did.

ESSENCE.COM: Congrats to you on your new bundle of joy, Jett Hamilton. How has motherhood been treating you?

SCOTT: Wonderful. I named him after a black gemstone that my makeup artist in Africa had; it was simply called Jet, and I fell in love with it and the name because I thought my beautiful baby is a gem. I truly loved being pregnant and feeling what was going on inside my body and watching it change. It's difficult to recoup but still amazing nonetheless. I would have another one.

ESSENCE.COM: So does that mean you had an easy labor of love?

SCOTT: Not at all. I was in labor for 36 hours. After that experience, anytime I have reservations and think I can't do anything I remind myself that I survived the birth of my child (Laughs). Although I didn't scream my baby into this world, the pain continued after he was born for at least three weeks. During labor I felt like I needed to put the fire out. Everybody kept telling me the pain wasn't going to last forever but after 20 hours of it I left the building. I felt like I was on the ceiling looking down at myself like, Dag, girl, you still in labor? I know my experience isn't everyone's but I believe people need to be realistic when sharing their stories about their pregnancies and birth. When he arrived I held him in my arms for about an hour and then went to sleep because I was simply exhausted.

ESSENCE.COM: Well, at least your hubby-to-be was there to support. How has he been adjusting to Jett?

SCOTT: Yes, he was there and for a couple of days afterwards while I stayed in hospital, but John and I are no longer together. When you have a baby you're dealing with a lot of emotions and I don't know how much of it had to do with us breaking up, but it happens. We definitely love our son and we are co-parenting and working on being friends. It is what it is. I have a lot of support, so I want for nothing as far as that's concerned. I know some might criticize me or the fact that my son is being raised in a single-parent home, but I wasn't raised in a two-parent home and I had a good relationship with my dad. I have hopes for him and I'm sure his father will do his part as well.

For the entire article, click here

Beyonce On Oprah

For all of you that missed it, check out Mrs. Carter on the Oprah Winfrey show during her interview with O. She talks about being married to Jay-Z, the pregnancy rumors and much more! Check out her performance of "If I Were A Boy" on the show too!

Oprah Winfrey Opens Up Her Life To The World

We finally get to see the entire story of Oprah Winfrey, one of entertainments most prolific figures to date. She has received eighteen Emmy Awards, been chosen as one of Time magazine's "Most Influential People in the World" five times over and been at the top of Forbes "Richest Americans List" numerous times.

We know her net worth is currently at two and a half billion dollars and would like to think that we know Oprah Winfrey's life story inside and out.

A little black girl from rural Mississippi is abused. She grows up promiscuous and gets pregnant. After a miscarriage, she is shipped to live with her father who provides strict discipline, which results in the teenager excelling in school. She wins beauty pageants and transitions to working as a television news reporter and anchor in Baltimore. She gets her own morning talk show in Chicago and competes with Phil Donahue. Soon thereafter she effortlessly catapults to become the most successful talk show host of all-time and the first African-American woman billionaire.

There seems to be more to learn about the reserved media mogul -- and some of it is shared for the first time on 'Oprah: The E! True Hollywood Story,' debuting this Oct. 17, 2008 at 9 PM on E!.

Dawn Give Her Opinion On Why Aubrey And D. Woods Were Booted From Danity Kane

As you all know by now, Danity Kane members Aubrey O'Day and D. Woods got the boot last night on the season three finale of Making the Band. One of the reasons why Aubrey and D. Woods were so salty was because of Diddy somewhat "favoring" group member Dawn Richard and her "special voice". Dawn talked exclusively to Us Magazine and let them know why Diddy did what he did.

"Puff did not like Aubrey's image...where her image was going for the group," Dawn said. "It wasn't a personal thing," she continues, saying her sexy look (remember when she did that Complex mag photo spread?) was alienating young fans.

"We had just did a signing with Dollhouse Teen, which is for 13, 14-year-old young girls," Richard says. "So we can't do that one day and then the next day do an obnoxious cover.... Diddy wants the fans, and he says he can't do that if we can continue to go in the direction that we were going."

In last nights finale, Diddy put Aubrey in check about her attitude, saying that was one of the reasons why he let her go.

"I just want to work with the young lady that I signed, not the person that fame has made her," he said via satellite on Tuesday's show. Richard says she's "still kind of shocked still...you never know with Puff." As for D. Woods getting tossed? Diddy said she got "caught up in the wrath" of O'Day.

Will Danity Kane still go on? Of course they will, just without "Ebony & Ivory" D. Woods and Aubrey so coyly referred to themselves as.

"Well Puff told me specifically that Aubrey is no longer in Danity Kane and Danity Kane will move forward without her," Richard says. In regards to finding the groups two new members, Dawn adds, "He has not said anything per that, but I think in my heart that he is gonna do another show."

DJ Drama Speaks On T.I. Being A Changed Man

DJ Drama recently did an interview, and he had some pretty astonishing words to say about how T.I. has changed his life for the better.

“Man, I don’t really know how to explain it,” said DJ Drama, Tip’s resident turntablist. “Blessings are coming — rightfully so. Even Sunday night, Tip said to me, ‘If M.I.A. doesn’t do the song tonight, we can’t do that song. The song is too big. It’s an event.’ To have that song on your roster, to come out with an album and the shows we’ve been doing, it’s powerful. It’s a lot of statements. It shows where he is in his career. DJ Drama goes on to say that Paper Trail is to T.I. what The Blueprint was to Jay-Z. “Clearly, I think it’s good management, and everybody is playing their part for Tip to be able to work on a movie 'Bone Deep', put the album out and do these shows and still finish up his other obligations,” Dram said. “On the other aspect, on the off day we had in New York, he spent it with his kids, taking them to the movies and to the pier. We also been doing ‘The Tyra Banks Show‘ and ‘The View.’ He’s steady showing his place. Showing the hats he wears. If he’s tired, I can’t tell. But he’s still a pretty young guy. He can handle it. It’ll be fine.”

Ne-Yo Talks Slick About Some Folks In The Industry

Ne-Yo is a lil dirty son of a .... According to reports, Ne-Yo was caught acting ‘un-gentlemanly’ at Big Boy and Luscious Liz’s ‘Big Boy’s Neighborhood Morning Show’ the other day. The singer was asked to answer questions from the "Hat of forbidden questions" which is a series of questions that have to be answered with no hesitation on Big Boy's Neighborhood Morning show.

Ne-Yo was asked, "if you could slap one person, who would it be?" His response, Young Berg. I can’t respect anyone who’s not trying to do anything original. That song that he has out, The Bizness, it very much like what Lil Wayne is doing, and what T-Pain is doing right now. And it upsets me. That’s what wrong with music business today, everyone is copycatting everyone

Also, Ne-Yo was asked saying "Chris Brown gave me a hug and he was musty and I immediately let him know". He also goes on to say that he lost his virginity at 9, and that he's been with more than his fair share of the groupies... if you know what I mean *wink*

Funk Master Flex Responds To R Kelly Interview

Well it's about damn time somebody from the industry finally spoke out about that b.s. that R.Kelly did/does/still doing! Funk Master Flex took his gripe to YouTube and check what he has to say about it!

R. Kelly Interview With BET

Ya'll know how much I despise this dude with every fiber of my being. And I know I said that he would get no post time from me, but ya'll missed him being a pure-d-fool last night on the interview he did with BET's Toure'. Here's a bit of what you missed.

Queen Pen Wants Plies

Why am I so disgusted by Queen Pen's mouth. How old are you again? And don't you have small children out there? Check out this interview that she did talking about how she wants to get Plies. *SIGH*... so repulsive in the manor that she speaks.

Was Vibe Mag Being Racist Against Robin Thicke?

I think myself, along with a lot of other people are hoping that this isn't true, but what does Robin Thicke have to gain by lying about something such as this? Robin Thicke claims that he did an interview for Vibe and asked if he could get the cover. Their answer? Read below to find out.

“When I did a recent interview with Vibe magazine I asked, “Why can’t I get the cover? This is a magazine I love. If there’s one magazine that I’d want to be on the cover of, it’s Vibe.” Their response was they don’t have white artists on the cover; that the only white artist they’ve had on the cover was Eminem. I guess if that’s what it is, it is what it is. And I respect that because I live in a house with a black woman.

I won’t use the word “racism.” I will say it’s a tough — but rewarding —fight. I look at Mary J. Blige, somebody who has had only a few pop hits and yet has changed culture, generated new sounds and inspired leagues of artists. She’s now a worldwide phenomenon. And it’s because of what she stood for; she never gave up. She kept making great music, pouring her heart out to people.

You can’t always expect people to be as color-blind or open-minded as you want. What you can do is keep giving your heart and soul, like Bob Marley did. His music became so overwhelmingly loving; it was a relentless love in a sense. Keep beating them down with love and they can’t stop you.”

Damn Vibe! Soooooo does Eminem not count as being white? I mean geesh. Robin is married to a black woman. But I guess that's still no consolation huh?

Jeezy Says Phelps The Snowman of Swimming

It's been a long time comin now that the rap game has infultrated the pre-dominately white swim world. You can credit 8 time gold metalist Michael Phelps for that. But let Phelps tell it... it couldn't have been so successful without the help of the "Snowman", Young Jeezy.

Phelps typically listened to the Jeezy/R. Kelly collaboration “Go Getta” before hitting the pool, which Jeezy himself doesn’t find surprising. “All my music is inspirational,” he told Rolling Stone magazine. “You just gotta listen to the words and get what you can get out of it.”

I'm sure you can gather from what I'm saying that Michael Phelps is not only a fan of Young Jeezy, but a fan of the hip hop community itself. "I’m a big fan of Michael Phelps! He’s a great success. I like what he’s doing. He’s like the Young Jeezy of the swim world. I love it!" Jeezy stated in the interview.

During the interview, Jeezy revealed that he's been in touch with Michael Phelps' people and they definitely plan on doing something together. Jeezy hopes to maybe put on a concert of some sort for the folks of Phelps' hometown of Baltimore, Maryland. "We're definitely very proud of him back over here, real talk. You don’t go over there and win that many medals, man. Maybe he can lend me one for a video or something."

When asked if the "Snowman" himself goes swimming, "No, man. Somebody threw me in a pool once when I was younger and I had to work it out, but other than that, no."

Gayle King Gets First Dibs On Michelle Obama

Gayle King has nabbed a coveted interview with potential first lady Michelle Obama on Monday, August 25, just hours before Michelle takes the stage to appear with her husband and presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama at the Democratic National Convention. Michelle will kick off Gayle's week-long live radio broadcasts from the DNC on "The Gayle King Show" on XM's "Oprah & Friends" channel.

Omarion Tells Why He Cut His Hair and How He Likes Working For Timbaland

Omarion has a new look and a new boss. A month or so back, I posted pics of Omarion with his new haircut, but those weren't that great, and we have yet to see a clear picture with the new do. I'm wondering if he's regretting that decision. Even in the photo that you have seen, he has on a hat. So why all the secrecy about this hair cut O?

It's looking like life is getting a lot happier for the one time front man for boy band B2K. He's left an unhappy record-label situation and he's finally trying to put the troubles of B2k behind him.

"I feel negativity is not to be paid attention to," he said a couple of days ago while at a photo shoot. "Unless it's something that happened with Chris. When it gets that serious, it's time to speak out." What Omarion is talking about the recent allegations made against his family member and manager Chris Stokes by former B2K member Raz-B and his brother Rickie Romance. Even though Raz B later recanted his statements (I wonder why?), O says the initial thoughts of it all still hurts.

"Really, my thing is, I talked to the cats, and it's sad what people will do when they're in the position of 'don't have,' " he stated in reference to all of his former bandmates Raz B, J-Boog, and Lil Fizz. "People will say, 'Omarion is still out there and in the pubic. Omarion is still successful.' But they don't sit back and think, 'Why is Omarion able to get this opportunity? Why are they not getting this opportunity?' Fizz put a single out. They are a product of their karma. I can't talk in detail about what was done on their parts, but a lot of wrongdoing was done. A lot of false statements — off-the-wall, disrespectful things. Not even on a dislike level. On a hurtful level.

O just put footage on the Internet of his mother cutting his hair. His female fans may have shed a few tears, but he said it wasn't as painful for him as it was for his following. "I'm gonna be 24 this year. It's a progressive age, 21," he said. "I was finding myself and finding out the things that needed to be done as far as my career, what needed to be done. Certain moves. I feel like now I'm in a really great place. Cutting my hair, I feel like I'm going to another level. Cutting my hair was a step for me. Anybody that has had hair for so long, when you're used to something, it's like reforming your life."

For the rest of the article, click here

Hoopz Covers Smooth Magazine

A little eye candy for my male readers. Our favorite FOL girl and Season One winner Nikki "Hoopz" Alexander is on the September Issue of King Magazine for their Pretty Young Thing issue. The issue will hit the stands on September 2nd. In the mag, Hoopz dishes about the press, addresses rumors and talks real love.

Evin Cosby Doesn't Identify With Us Po' Black Folk!

Bill Cosby's youngest daughter, Evin Cosby says that she can empathize with what Sen. Barack Obama has been dealing with in regards to be considered a member of the African-American elite.

In an interview with The New York Daily News, the F.I.T. graduate and new boutique owner of PB & Caviar in New Yorks Tribeca district had this to say about growing up priviledged. "My own people used to say to me, 'You speak like a white woman,"

I can see where she's coming from with that, I've gotten it too as I've come up in the world. But then, chick goes on even further to dismantle her own credibility in the black community bay saying, "What does that even mean, anyway? Everyone has their way of speaking and living their life. No one should be judging and assuming that because I'm black, I have to speak in that hip-hop way. That's something I prefer not to do."

The youngest Cosby goes on to compare herself to Barack Obama by saying how Obama graduated from Harvard Law School and that alone is the excuse that people are using to say that the Senator is out of touch with the black community but he's done community organization in the black community for years. Really Evin?. So that's why folks are talking slick about Barack? Because he went to Harvard? C'mon now.

"I always went to private schools - Bank Street elementary, Columbia Prep - so I was surrounded by people like me. Not so much African-American, but privileged. I don't really have a connection to other people who didn't have my lifestyle. But my dad is very into helping people from his own community in Philadelphia."

In her new show located at 88 Thomas St, Cosby carries such labels as Vanita Rose, Anna Sui, Sestra Moja and Interluid for women, as well as clothing for children - thus the "peanut butter & caviar" name. Her comedian father encouraged her to open her own business, and it must be working. She opened the doors Thursday night and says she's already sold 36 pairs of Heelarius high-heels for babies.

I've always been told, "It's not what you say... but how you say it". I see that the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree though does it?

Eric Benet Is Happy For Halle

The sex-fiend himself has spoken! Eric Benet only has nice things to say when it comes to Halle Berry and her happiness.

"From the pictures, she looks great," Benet, 41, tells Usmagazine.com. "I haven't spoken to her – it's been a few years now – but I'm happy for her." Dang... ya'll haven't spoken in years? Was the break-up/divorce that bad? Halle and Eric divorced back in 2004 after only being married for three years. Even though he hasn't seen little miss Hahla, Eric says, "How could the baby not look good?"

The singer has been focusing on his new album, which will feature the woman with whom he has "an amazing relationship”: 16-year-old daughter, India. "There's a song on my record called, 'Still I believe,' where India sings background," Benet says. "India is quite the producer and songwriter herself. She has a beautiful voice and she plays guitar."

Love & Life (Warner Bros.) hits stores September 9.

50 Cent Finally Speaks About Vivica Fox Split

50 Cent is finally opening up about the break up between him and actress Vivica Fox. The couple dated briefly back in 2003, and broke up and no one knew exactly why. In a recent interview with Sister 2 Sister mag 50 tells how he felt that Vivica tried to steal his shine on the red carpet at an event in Monaco at the World Music Awards that year.

50 claims he invited Fox to the awards show as his date and made huge demands to make sure she could be a part of the show - but then she took over and became the event's host.He says, "She asked me would I mind if she did something on the show, and I said no. I got on the phone and I told people that was around me to make her able to present awards or do something. They made her the host."The event made the rapper realize Fox was all about business: "It turned into a business opportunity and it wasn't beneficial for me, so I moved away from it."And he insists his brief romance with the actress wasn't quite as torrid as the media reported - because he was too busy focusing on his own film career: "There was not a lot of action between me and Vivica at that point."

Soooooo basically, ol' girl got her grind on, but asked you... but because it wasn't beneficial to you, you dropped her? Dude, can you be anymore selfish. Hell... as far as I'm concerned, she didn't have to ask yo punk ass!

The Obamas On Raising Their Girls In The Public Eye

I, for one, do not see any problem what-so-ever about Barack and Michelle Obama being laid back and God forbid *sarcasm blazing*, just like everybody else... pure d regular folks. Seeing this side of the couple lets you know that they are real and genuine, not fake and pretentious. The people of America need to see this in their next candidate. They want to know that they have a real human being who is going through the same motions in their family as we are in ours. What else is another greath characteristic about this couple is that Barack and Michelle aren't afraid to let it all hang out. Barack tells People mag in a recent interview about one of Michelle's secret talents, he says, "She is the best Hula-Hooper I know. Once she gets the rhythm going, she can drop to her knees!" I know that's right. We all know that most black women can hoola-hoop the draws off anybody! Oooook! But hoola-hooping is something we'll never get the chance to see the democratic presidential nominee doing. Damn! LOL!!!

The senator also says that even on the campaign trail, things still remain the same with set routines, i.e., chores, boundaries ($1 allowance!) and playtimes (movie nights!). The Obamas opened up to People about raising their beautiful two daughters, Sasha and Malia, in the public eye.

PEOPLE: Someone told me today that you don't do birthday presents.

Michelle: No, because we spend hundreds of dollars on a birthday party and movie tickets and pizza and popcorn ...

Barack: That sleepover is enough. We want to teach some limits to them. And their friends bring over presents.

Michelle: They get so much stuff that it just becomes numbing. Malia believes there is still a Santa Claus even though she's a little wary because some of her friends are non-believers. But Malia says, "Ma, I know there is a Santa because there's no way you'd buy me all that stuff." [Laughing] So what does a slumber party at the Obama house look like?

Barack: They're pretty noisy.

Michelle: The older they get, they just talk a lot. But they're at the age where they're pretty self-sufficient. [For Malia's birthday] we're going to go swimming, see Wall-E, make pizzas, have sundaes.

Barack: I usually go for the swim but this time I want to go to the movie just because Wall-E has gotten great reviews. I find actually that children's movies are the best movies these days. But I'll probably, after that, peel off until the cake. Michelle: [Laughs] "Peel off." Obama People Interview

Bow Wow Talks About His Album, J.D., and Acting

Bow Wow has been in the studio hard for the last few months. Currently, he's working on album number seven, and this time, he's in control. Bow Wow is doin him! He recently did an interview and touched on his relationship with his mentor Jermaine Dupri, who used to be the one who made the decisions when it came to what Bow put out and what went on his albums. Those days are over.

Bow Wow says that he and J.D. are back tight. "He's my father," Bow Wow explained of their musical bond. The two have butted heads over creative direction while working on Bow's past few projects. "He's the dude when you in the crib and have your arguments, you move out the crib. ... But me and J.D. are back tight again. We hanging out every day. I'm putting him on this song Swizz Beatz did for me called 'Big Bank Take Little Bank.' I'm trying to throw him on there right now. Y'all gonna see JD on the album even if he just gets on there and says, 'Y'all know what this is!' He's gonna be a part of it even if I have to drag him."

Bow Wow also talked about his role on the upcoming season of HBO's Entourage. "I'm playing a character named Charlie who is an up-and-coming comedian, which is different for me, because I'm not really a comedian. But I can be a clown when I want to," he said. "I'm actually E's new client, and I signed on to their agency. I'm having fun this year. A lot of opportunities are being thrown my way." Bow, whose cameo got extended while shooting, will be shown telling jokes. "The dope thing about it, I've never liked to mix my acting stuff with the music," he said. "I've always been like that forever. Now, being that acting is my first love and I still love music with a passion, I wanted to find a way for me not to be stressed out and have fun with it. I wanted to bring the acting side to my music. When you see Bow Wow the musician, you see Bow Wow the actor. You'll be like, 'He's an entertaining little dude right here.' "

*YAWN*... oh is it over?