Whoopi Goldberg: Social Critic, Comedienne, Actress, And, And...You Finish It !.

publisher — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 02:34:00 GMT

Though best known as an outspoken comedienne, Whoopi Goldberg is also a talented dramatic actress. By virtue of her distinctive appearance and a persona that is both no-nonsense and empathic, Goldberg has emerged as one of the most recognizable celebrities of the '80s and '90s.

Born Caryn Johnson on November 13, 1955 in New York City, Goldberg began her long career when she was eight years old, performing with New York's Helena Rubenstein Children's Theater. She then went on to study with the Hudson Guild children's arts program and attended the prestigious High School for the Performing Arts. After graduating, Goldberg occasionally won small parts in Broadway productions such as Hair, Pippin and Jesus Christ Superstar, but also supported herself doing odd jobs like bricklaying and serving as a funeral parlor make-up artist. In 1975, Goldberg moved West and helped found the San Diego Repertory Theater, where she appeared in a number of plays, including Brecht's Mother Courage and Marsha Norman's Getting Out.

After several stints with the Spontaneous Combustion improvisational troupe and work in avant-garde productions at Berkeley's Blake Street Hawkeyes theater, Goldberg devised The Spook Show, a one woman satirical production in which she played several characters. The show, which originated in San Francisco, eventually toured the U.S. and Europe, earning acclaim and the attention of director Mike Nichols. Nichols went on to direct a 1984 Broadway version of the show, which earned Goldberg Drama Desk and Theatre World awards, as well as a Grammy for the album recording.

Goldberg made an auspicious Hollywood debut with her portrayal of Celie, the lead character in Steven Spielberg's controversial 1985 adaptation of Alice Walker's novel. Goldberg's moving performance was rewarded with an Oscar nomination and Best Actress Golden Globe, as well as instant stardom for the actress. Although Goldberg's film career looked promising, the actress unfortunately spent much of the decade's remainder appearing in terrible action comedies such as Fatal Beauty and Burglar (both 1987) that did not do her comic gifts justice. Her one partial success during this period was her first action comedy, Jumpin' Jack Flash (1986), which did relatively well at the box office and gave her a certain cult status.

In 1988, Goldberg took a break from comedy with a memorable turn as a worldly Jamaican nanny in the otherwise unremarkable Clara's Heart. She also made numerous appearances in television specials, most notably as a co-host for the annual Comic Relief benefit for the homeless. Her attempt at sitcoms failed with the short-lived series Bagdad Cafe, but she did find greater television success with a small but crucial recurring role as the sagacious intergalactic bartender Guinan on the syndicated Star Trek: The Next Generation. Around the same time, Goldberg's film career underwent a sharp turn-around. She won acclaim playing a selfless housekeeper opposite Sissy Spacek in the provocative Civil Rights drama The Long Walk Home (1989), and then played an eccentric con artist possessing unexpected psychic powers in the 1990 smash hit Ghost. Goldberg's funny yet moving performance earned her her first Oscar and the widespread opinion that this marked her comeback performance. After a couple of missteps that had a few people rethinking this verdict, Goldberg scored again with the 1992 hit comedy Sister Act. Nominated for Golden Globes and two NAACP awards, the film spawned mass ticket sales and an unsuccessful 1993 sequel, Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit.

Meanwhile, Goldberg also continued her television work with a 1992 late night talk show. A laid back affair that ran for 200 episodes, it was praised by critics but failed to secure high ratings and went on permanent hiatus after only six months. However, Goldberg continued to appear on TV with her recurring role as a Comic Relief co-host and as an MC for the Academy Awards ceremony, a role she reprised multiple times. At the same time, Goldberg continued to work in film, doing both comedy and drama and experiencing the obligatory highs and lows. Some of her more memorable roles included that of a single mother who discovers that Ted Danson, not a black genius, fathered her daughter in Made in America (1993), a *** lounge singer in Boys on the Side (1995), a white-middle-aged corporate executive in The Associate (1996), Angela Bassett's best friend in the 1998 hit How Stella Got Her Groove Back, and a private detective in the drama The Deep End of the Ocean (1999). In addition, Goldberg also appeared in two notable documentaries, The Celluloid Closet (1995), and Get Bruce! a piece about comedy writer Bruce Vilanch that also featured fellow comedians such as Robin Williams, Billy Crystal, Nathan Lane and Bette Midler.

As the new decade dawned, Goldberg could be seen in supporting roles in projects like Rocky and Bullwinkle and the ensemble comedy Rat Race. Then, in 2003, she tried her hand at a starring sitcom role for the first time with Whoopi. The show found Goldberg playing an irreverent hotel owner and was met with mixed reviews before being cancelled mid-season.

In 2004, Goldberg focused her career on voice work with appearances in Doogal, The Lion King 1 1/2, and P3K: Pinocchio3000. She continued this trend in the following years with such films as Racing Stripes and Everyone's Hero. Then, in 2007, Goldberg returned to the small-screen, replacing Rosie O'Donnell on the ABC panel show The View.

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Yolanda Adams...A Gospel Lady!

publisher — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:47:00 GMT

Yolanda Adams (born Yolanda Yvette Adams on August 27, 1961(1961-08-27)) is a American Gospel music singer and radio show host.

Early years

The oldest of six siblings, Adams was raised in Houston, Texas. She graduated from Sterling High School in Houston in 1979. After graduating from Texas Southern University, she began a career as a schoolteacher and part-time model in Houston, Texas. Eventually she gave up teaching to perform full-time as a lead singer.

Beginning

Adams attracted the attention of Thomas Whitfield and Sound of Gospel Records as a lead singer in the Southeast Inspirational Choir. She signed a recording contract with Sound of Gospel which yielded her first album Just As I Am in 1987.In 1990, she signed to Ben Tankard's independent label Tribute Records and released Through The Storm.

Two years later, Adams followed with Save the World, which included her first signature song "The Battle Is The Lord's". Her next release was 1995's More Than A Melody, which featured production work from Ben Tankard, O'Landa Draper, and BeBe Winans. The single "Gotta Have Love," from that album featuring Tony Terry on background vocals, gained mainstream notoriety and was her first single and music video. Yolanda... Live In Washington, released the following year, featured versions of material from her first two albums. The footage from this recording was released as a collection of two videos on VHS initially, and later as a single set on DVD.

Songs from the Heart was her final release for Verity Records and included "Only Believe" which was popular songs on contemporary radio. The album also included "Still I Rise," a dedication to Rosa Parks which was inspired by the Maya Angelou poem of the same name.

Mountain High...Valley Low fame

Adams' first significant attention outside the urban contemporary gospel arena came with the release of Mountain High... Valley Low in 1999 on Elektra Records. Several mainstream artists and producers helped in the production of this album including Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis (Janet Jackson, Boyz II Men), James "Big Jim" Wright (Mariah Carey, Nicole C. Mullen), Warryn Campbell (Mary Mary, Brandy), and Keith Thomas (BeBe & CeCe Winans). The album went Platinum in 2000 and won her a Grammy Award. Notable singles from the album include Yeah", "Fragile Heart", and "Open My Heart".

In 2000, Adams released a Christmas album, and in 2001 she released a live album (The Experience). The Experience netted Adams a second Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album. Believe was released later in 2001, and included the hit "Never Give Up". Believe was certified Gold in 2002.

Back after hiatus

After nearly four years without releasing an album, Adams returned in 2005 with Day By Day. The album featured the singles "Be Blessed," "Someone Watching Over You," "This Too Shall Pass", and "Victory" which was prominently featured in the movie The Gospel.

After ending her long association with Atlantic Records, They released a greatest hits collection entitled The Best of Me in May of 2007.

Adams signed with Columbia Records in 2007. Columbia released What a Wonderful Time, a holiday collection with production including Michael Powell, and Maxx Frank in October of 2007. "Hold On" was released as a radio single.

She has stated in a few interviews that she is currently in the planning stages for a new album which is untitled at the time. Her official website states that it will be a duets project including possible collaborations with Mary J. Blige, Alicia Keys, Natalie Cole, Trin-I-Tee 5:7, and Mary Mary. In a recent interview with Commercial Appeal , Adams stated that Chaka Khan, and Shirley Caesar might be on the new project also.

Personal life

In 1997, Yolanda Adams married former NFL player Tim Crawford. The couple divorced in August 2004. They had one daughter, Taylor Ayanna, in 2001. Adams' served as a spokesperson for the FILA Corporation's Operation Rebound, a program that addressed the concern of inner city schoolchildren.

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Soledad O'Brien....A Mother of 4 and A Rising Star

publisher — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 18:05:00 GMT

María de la Soledad Teresa O'Brien (born September 19, 1966 in St. James, New York) is a television journalist of Irish Australian and Afro-Cuban heritage. She is currently the host of CNN Special Investigations Unit on CNN.

O'Brien is most known for anchoring the CNN marquee morning newscast American Morning from July 2003 to April 3, 2007, with Miles O'Brien; their common surnames are coincidental.

She is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.

O'Brien's parents, both immigrants, met at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland in 1958.

My parents were both immigrants—my mother from Cuba, my father from Australia. Both attended daily Mass at the church near campus. Every day my father would offer my mother a ride. Every day, she declined. Finally she said yes. One year later, the day after Christmas, the two of them were married.

O'Brien's parents married in 1959 in Washington, D.C.. Her father Edward, an Australia (from Toowoomba, Queensland) of Irish descent, was a mechanical engineering professor.Her mother Estella, who is Afro-Cuban was a French and English teacher.O'Brien is the fifth of six children, who all graduated from Harvard University. Her older siblings are law professor Maria (b. 1961); corporate lawyer Cecilia (b. 1962), Tony (b. 1963) who heads a documents company; eye surgeon Estela (b. 1964); and anesthesiologist Orestes (b. 1968).

Interracial marriage in Maryland was illegal back then (O'Brien's mother is a black Cuban), so the couple married in Washington, D.C. The O'Briens then moved to the Long Island community of St. James, on Long Island's affluent North Shore, where O'Brien was born and raised. On the NPR quiz show Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!, O'Brien explained that in Spanish her full name means, "The Blessed Virgin Mary of Solitude." When she started working in TV, many people recommended that she change her name, but she refused.

Despite her partial Latina heritage, O'Brien doesn't speak Spanish fluently. That has resulted in some awkward exchanges with people who assume she does, including former vice-president Al Gore. Since 1995 O'Brien has been married to Bradley Raymond, co-head of investment banking at Thomas Weisel Partners. Together they have two daughters and twin sons: Sofia Elizabeth (born October 23, 2000); Cecilia (born March 20, 2002); and Charlie and Jackson on August 30, 2004.

Broadcasting career

She began her career as an associate producer and news writer at WBZ-TV, then the NBC affiliate in Boston. O'Brien joined NBC News in 1991, and was based in New York as a field producer for the Nightly News and Today. O'Brien then worked for three years as a local reporter and bureau chief for San Francisco NBC affiliate KRON. At KRON she was a reporter on "The Know Zone." The program later moved to CNET without O'Brien.

O'Brien was featured on a regular segment of the Discovery Channel program The Next Step, holding the position of "Sun Microsystems Infogal."

O'Brien then anchored MSNBC's weekend morning show and the cable network's award-winning technology program The Site, which aired weeknights from the Spring of 1996 to November 1997.

O'Brien came to CNN from NBC News, where she had anchored Weekend Today since July 1999. During that time, she contributed reports for the weekday Today Show and for weekend editions of NBC Nightly News, and covered such notable stories as John F. Kennedy Jr.'s plane crash and the 1990s school shootings in Colorado and Oregon. In 2003, she covered the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster and later anchored NBC's weekend coverage of the War in Iraq. In 2005, she covered the Hurricane Katrina aftermath in New Orleans where she interviewed then head of FEMA Michael Brown.

O'Brien began anchoring CNN's flagship morning program American Morning from New York City in July 2003, when she joined the network. On April 3, 2007 O'Brien was replaced by former Fox News anchor Kiran Chetry (her co-anchor was also replaced), reportedly due to lagging ratings. O'Brien has just completed a documentary entitled, "Children of the Storm," directed by acclaimed director Spike Lee. She continues to work as a reporter for CNN, mainly hosting Special Investigations Unit and occasionally filling in for Anderson Cooper on Anderson Cooper 360. She also anchored exit poll coverage during CNN's coverage of the primaries and caucuses in the 2008 United States presidential race. She also has filled in for Paula Zahn on Paula Zahn Now whenever Zahn was unable to make the broadcast (Zahn has since stopped working for CNN as of August 2, 2007).

O'Brien will anchor a year long CNN special, Black in America in July.

Honors and recognitions

O'Brien's work has been honored several times, including a local Emmy for her work co-hosting the Discovery Channel's The Know Zone. She has been named to People's 50 Most Beautiful in 2001 and to People en Español's 50 Most Beautiful in 2004. She was named to Irish American Magazine's "Top 100 Irish Americans" on two occasions. She is also on Black Enterprise magazine's 2005 Hit List. Also in 2005, she was awarded "Groundbreaking Latina of the Year" award by Catalina magazine. Most recently she was awarded the 2007 NAACP President's Award.

She is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. She serves on the board of directors of The Harlem School of the Arts.

In May 2007, O’Brien gave the keynote address at the undergraduate commencement at Bryant University and was presented with a Doctor of Humane Letters honorary degree.^[1 She was also the convocation speaker at Cornell University's Commencement on May 26, 2007.

O'Brien was also invited to Stony Brook University to speak as part of the university's School of Journalism's 'My Life as...' series. Her section is titled, 'My Life As a CNN Anchor'.

O'Brien also spoke at the Binghamton University commencement in December 2007 and received a standing ovation after her speech detailing her disbelief in advice.

O'Brien served as the keynote speaker for the 2008 annual National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) Conference in Boston, MA in March 2008.

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Toni Braxton...ALL BUSINESS

publisher — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:58:00 GMT

Toni Braxton was one of the most popular and commercially successful female R&B singers of the '90s, thanks to her ability to straddle seemingly opposite worlds. Braxton was soulful enough for R&B audiences, but smooth enough for adult contemporary; sophisticated enough for adults, but sultry enough for younger listeners; strong enough in the face of heartbreak to appeal to women, but ravishing enough to nab the fellas. Wielding such broad appeal, Braxton managed to score not one, but two albums that sold over eight million copies; naturally, they were accompanied by a long string of hit singles on the pop and R&B charts, one of which -- "Un-break My Heart" -- ranks among the longest-running number one pop hits of the rock era.

Braxton was born in Severn, MD, on October 7, 1968. The daughter of a minister, she was raised mostly in the strict Apostolic faith, which prohibited not only all popular culture, but also pants in women's wardrobes. Encouraged by their mother, an operatically trained vocalist, Braxton and her four sisters began singing in church as girls; although gospel was the only music permitted in the household, the girls often watched Soul Train when their parents went shopping. Braxton's parents later converted to a different faith, and eased their restrictions on secular music somewhat, allowing Braxton more leeway to develop her vocal style; because of her husky voice, she often used male singers like Luther Vandross, Stevie Wonder, and Michael McDonald as models, as well as Chaka Khan. Braxton had some success on the local talent-show circuit, continuing to sing with her sisters, and after high school studied to become a music teacher. However, Braxton soon dropped out of college after she was discovered singing to herself at a gas station by songwriter Bill Pettaway (who co-authored Milli Vanilli's "Girl You Know It's True"). With Pettaway's help, Braxton and her sisters signed with Arista Records in 1990 as a group dubbed simply the Braxtons.

The Braxtons released a single in 1990 called "The Good Life," and while it wasn't a hit, it caught the attention of L.A. Reid and Babyface, the red-hot songwriting/production team who had just formed their own label, LaFace (which was associated with Arista). Braxton became the first female artist signed to LaFace in 1991, and the following year she was introduced to the listening public with a high-profile appearance on the soundtrack of Eddie Murphy's Boomerang. Not only did her solo cut "Love Shoulda Brought You Home" become a substantial pop and R&B hit, but she also dueted with Babyface himself on "Give U My Heart." Anticipation for Braxton's first album ran high, and when her eponymous solo debut was released in 1993, it was an across-the-board smash, climbing to number one on both the pop and R&B charts. It spun off hit after hit, including three more Top Ten singles in "Another Sad Love Song," "Breathe Again," and "You Mean the World to Me," plus the double-sided R&B hit "I Belong to You"/"How Many Ways." With eventual sales of over eight million copies, Toni Braxton's run of popularity lasted well into 1995. By that time, Braxton had scored Grammys for Best New Artist and Best Female R&B Vocal ("Another Sad Love Song") in 1994, and tacked on another win in the latter category for "Breathe Again" in 1995.

To tide fans over until her next album was released, Braxton contributed "Let It Flow" to the Whitney Houston-centered soundtrack of Waiting to Exhale in 1995. Again working heavily with L.A. Reid and Babyface, Braxton released her second album, Secrets, in the summer of 1996, and predictably, it was another enormous hit. The first single, "You're Makin' Me High," was Braxton's most overtly sexual yet, and it became her biggest pop hit to date; however, its success was soon eclipsed by the follow-up single, the Diane Warren-penned ballad "Un-break My Heart." "Un-break My Heart" was an inescapable juggernaut, spending an amazing 11 weeks on top of the pop charts (and even longer on the adult contemporary charts). Further singles "I Don't Want To" and "How Could an Angel Break My Heart" weren't quite as successful (not that that's an indictment), but that didn't really matter; by then Secrets was well on its way to becoming Braxton's second straight eight-million-seller. In 1997, she picked up Grammy awards for Best Female Pop Vocal and Best Female R&B Vocal (for "Un-break My Heart" and "You're Makin' Me High," respectively).

Toward the end of 1997, Braxton filed a lawsuit against LaFace Records, attempting to gain release from a contract she felt was no longer fair or commensurate with her status. When LaFace countersued, Braxton filed for bankruptcy, a move that shocked many fans (who wondered how that could be possible, given her massive sales figures) but actually afforded her protection from further legal action. Braxton spent most of 1998 in legal limbo, and passed the time by signing on to portray Belle in the Broadway production of Disney's +Beauty and the Beast (a role originally held by erstwhile teen queen Deborah Gibson). Braxton and LaFace finally reached a settlement in early 1999, and the singer soon began work on her third album. Heat was released in the spring of 2000, and entered the charts at number two, matching the highest position held by Secrets. Lead single "He Wasn't Man Enough" was a Top Ten hit (and an R&B chart-topper), although the follow-ups "Just Be a Man About It" (a duet with Dr. Dre) and "Spanish Guitar" didn't sustain the album's momentum as well as one might have expected. A brisk seller out of the box, The Heat eventually cooled off around the two-million mark; a disappointing showing compared to her previous efforts, despite yet another Grammy win for Best Female R&B Vocal ("He Wasn't Man Enough").

In 2001, Braxton made her feature film debut in the ensemble comedy Kingdom Come, and married Mint Condition keyboardist Keri Lewis; by the end of the year, they had a baby boy. Braxton also released her first holiday album, Snowflakes. In early 2002, Braxton appeared in the VH1 movie Play'd, and recorded More Than a Woman for release later that year. The singles "Please" and "That's the Way Love Works (Trippin')" announced Braxton's 2005 return with the full-length Libra. Steve Huey, All Music Guide

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K.D.Aubert...Much To Come From This Young Lady!

publisher — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 17:41:00 GMT

Karen Denise Aubert (born December 6, 1978) who usually goes by K.D. Aubert is an American actress and former fashion model, sometimes referred to as "The Black Angelina Jolie."

Aubert was born in Shreveport, Louisiana and is partly of Cajun descent. She grew up in California and attended San Diego State University, where she played on the Aztec softball team.

She was discovered working behind the make-up counter at Macy's. She has modeled for Victoria's Secret, Noxzema, Frederick's of Hollywood, Escada and many more. She co-hosted MTV's Kidnapped and has gone on to star in several films and music videos.

Aubert is also one of the four original Fantanas, a female group of spokesmodels appearing in TV commercials for the soft drink Fanta. She is featured with her fellow Fantanas in the Maxim magazine online girl gallery. She was ranked #91 and #97 on the Maxim Hot 100 Women of 2003 and 2004, respectively. She has also been in a commercial for Bacardi and Cola.

She is also the voice of Platinum in EA's Def Jam: Icon.

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Jill Scott...Three Grammys, Great Actress, Poet and Much More !

publisher — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 01:33:00 GMT

Jill Scott (born April 4, 1972) is an American R&B, soul, and jazz singer, songwriter, actress and poet. In 2007, Scott made her theatrical debut in the films Hounddo (as Big Mama Thornton) and in Tyler Perry's feature film, Why Did I Get Married? That same year her third studio album, The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3, was released on September 25, 2007. She has won three Grammy Awards.

Early life

Scott grew up an only child in the North Philadelphia neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and was raised by her mother, Joyce Scott, and her grandmother. She indicated in an interview with Jet Magazine that she had a happy childhood and was "very much a loved child". Scott attended the Philadelphia High School for Girls and after graduating, attended Temple University while simultaneously working two jobs. She studied secondary education for three years and had planned on becoming a high school English teacher, but after spending time as a teacher's aide, Scott became disillusioned with the teaching profession and dropped out of school.

Prior to her breakthrough in the music industry, Scott worked at a variety of jobs, including a number of retail positions and stints at a construction site and an ice cream parlor. She remains close to her mother and grandmother, nicknamed "Blue Babe", and currently resides in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey.

Personal life

Scott recently divorced her husband Lyzel Williams who is a graphic artist and DJ, after five years. (Scott wrote and recorded the song "He Loves Me (Lyzel in E Flat)" about Williams.) Scott has said they were together for twelve years, seven of those they dated.

Music career

Scott began her performing career as a spoken word artist, appearing at live poetry readings to perform her work. She was eventually discovered by Amir "QuestLove" Thompson of The Roots. QuestLove invited her to join the band in the studio, and the collaboration resulted in a co-writing credit for Scott for the song, "You Got Me." In 2000, Erykah Badu and The Roots won the Grammy for best rap performance by a duo or group for "You Got Me". Subsequently, Scott collaborated with Eric Benet, Will Smith, and Common, and broadened her performing experience by touring Canada in a production of the Broadway musical Rent.

Scott was the first artist signed to Steve McKeever's 'Hidden Beach Recordings' label. Her debut album, Who Is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1 was released in 2000. She experienced some chart success and notice with the single "A Long Walk", which eventually earned her a Grammy nomination in early 2003 for Best Female Vocal Performance. Scott lost that award, but won a 2005 Grammy for Best Urban/Alternative R&B Performance for "Cross My Mind." The live album, Experience: Jill Scott 826+, was released November 2001. Scott's second full-length album, Beautifully Human: Words and Sounds Vol. 2, followed in 2004.

Scott continues to write poetry; a compilation volume of her poems, The Moments, The Minutes, The Hours, was published and released by St. Martin's Press in April 2005. In early 2007 Scott was featured on the George Benson & Al Jarreau collaboration "God Bless The Child", which earned Scott her second Grammy award, Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance, at the 2007 Grammy Awards ceremony. Scott shared the win with Benson & Jarreau. Recently, Scott was prominently featured on hip-hop artist Lupe Fiascos 2006 single "Daydreaming" which won a 2008 Grammy for Best Urban/Alternative Performance and also appeared on a new Scott collection called Collaborations on January 30, 2007.

The Collaborations collection served as "an appetizer" for her next studio album, The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3 released September 25, 2007. A clip of the title track was released on a bonus disc from Hidden Beach Records and included with Collaborations. The lead single "Hate on Me", gained airplay in May 2007 with a video released in mid-July. In advance of the album's release, Hidden Beach released a 17-minute album sampler through their forums. Interspersed between the dozen songs previewed on the sampler was a personal explanation from Jill for the inspiration behind some of her songs.

Other appearances and song-writing

Her live performance in 2004 with members of The Roots, which also included backing a performance by Erykah Badu, is featured in Dave Chappelle's 2006 concert film, Dave Chappelle's Block Party. UK dance duo Goldtrix covered Scott's song "It's Love", re-naming it "It's Love (Trippin')" with singer Andrea Brown taking over vocal duties. The song became a top ten hit in the UK, peaking at number six.

Vocal profile

Scott is a vocalist who infused jazz, R&B, spoken word, and hip hop among other genres to create a distinct style that many refer to as neo soul. Her vocal capabilities are so rich that a reviewer on Pop Matter, referring to Scott's vocal ability stated, 'Scott draws on her upper register recalling the artistry of the late "songbird" Minnie Riperton and Deniece Williams'. The same reviewer in another article stated, 'The song evokes the artistry of Minnie Riperton as Scott sings in the upper register that makes its only appearances on Who is Jill Scott? on the teasing "I Think It's Better" and "Show Me". Scott has "a very rare facility to hit notes in the sixth and seventh octave, as displayed on songs such as 'Gimme' where she hits a D6 with full vibrato, and on 'Spring Summer Feeling' where she hits a C7 in the background".

Film and television

On advice of her good friend, director Ozzie Jones, she began pursuing a career in acting in 2000.She joined a fellowship at a theater company in Philadelphia. For two years, she took small, menial, jobs in exchange for acting lessons.

In 2004, Scott expanded her resume by appearing in several episodes of season four of UPN's "Girlfriends", playing Donna, a love interest to main character, William Dent. She also appeared in the Showtime movie Cavedwellers, starring Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick,She stars as Precious Ramotswe in The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, a 13-episode television series co-funded by HBO and the BBC.

In 2007, Scott appeared in Hounddog (as Big Mama Thornton) and in Tyler Perry's movie, Why Did I Get Married?.

Charity work and advocacy

Scott has established the Blues Babe Foundation, a program founded to help young minority students pay for university expenses. The Blues Babe Foundation offers financial assistance to students between the ages of sixteen to twenty-one, and targets students residing in Philadelphia, Camden, and the greater Delaware Valley. Scott donated USD$100,000 to help start the foundation. The foundation was named after Scott's grandmother, known as "Blue Babe" because of the bluish tint in her brown complexion.

On the foundation's website, it defines its mission statement as one where it "seeks to provide financial support and mentoring for those students who have shown the aptitude and commitment to their education, but whose families may not have the resources to ensure completion of their undergraduate degrees".

In the spring of 2003, the Blues Babe Foundation made a donation of more than $60,000 to the graduating class of the Creative Arts School in Camden, New Jersey. Any student who maintained a 3.2 GPA received a yearly stipend for the next three years that was put toward his or her college education.

At the Essence Music Festival in July 2006, Scott spoke out about how women of color are portrayed in the lyrics of rap songs, and in rap music videos. Scott criticized the content for being "dirty, inappropriate, inadequate, unhealthy, and polluted" and urged the listening audience to "demand more".

On Sunday 23rd March 2008 Jill Scott appeared in the BBC Drama "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency", directed by Anthony Minghella, a television adaptation from the novel by Alexander McCall Smith.

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Tatyana ALi : Harvard Educated...And Oh So Talented !

publisher — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 22:20:00 GMT

Tatyana Marisol Ali (born January 24, 1979) is an American actress and R&B singer, best known for her role as Ashley Banks in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

Early life

Ali was born in Long Island, New York, daughter of Sonia, a nurse, and Sheriff Ali, a police detective.Her mother is a Afro-Panamanian and her father is of East Indian descent from Trinidad and Tobago. She has two younger sisters, Anastasia and Kimberly. She is fluent in both English and Spanish.

She attended Marymount High School in West Los Angeles, Los Angele, California, and The Buckley School in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, California. In 2002, she graduated with a bachelor's degree in anthropology from Harvard University.

Career

By the age of seven, Ali had begun her singing career. She also appeared with Herbie Hancock on an episode of Sesame Street. By age five, she won the Star Search television contest two times. Her breakthrough came when she was cast as Ashley Banks for the popular television sitcom Fresh Prince. She sang on various episodes of the show. On one of the shows Ali sings Aretha Franklin's "Respect" and the original song "Make Up Your Mind", Will Smith asked her if she seriously considered pursuing a musical career. Despite her singing ability, she concentrated on her acting career on Fresh Prince the next few years. Ali was said to be closest to her co-star Janet Hubert-Whitten.

In the penultimate season of Fresh Prince, Ali began preparing herself for her musical debut. The result was the album Kiss The Sky, which was certified gold in early 1999. The album spawned the hit song Daydreamin', produced by Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, which peaked at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and on the UK Singles Chart. The album spawned two further UK hits, "Boy You Knock Me Out", featuring Will Smith, which peaked at #3 and is her biggest hit to date there; and "Everytime", which was her third top 20 hit in the UK, peaking at #20. Also with Will Smith, she made an appearance in his album Willennium for the track "Who Am I" with MC Lyte.

As of 2005, she completed work on the film Glory Road and starred in the music video for Nick Cannon and Anthony Hamilton's "Can I Live?" as Cannon's mother.

In 2007, she appeared in the short films Wilted, How To Have A Girl, The Malibu Myth, and First Sight which were made during the reality show On the Lot. She appeared in 2 episodes of the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless as Roxanne.

She is currently preparing to release her second album, which she describes as "an independent effort".

She ranked #74 on VH1's 100 Greatest Kid Stars.

In early 2008, she lent her vocal talents to the song “Yes We Can,” a Will.i.am project supporting Barack Obama’s presidential campaign. She also appeared in the subsequent music video which gained coverage on ABC’s News Now’s What the Buzz.

Personal life

Ali once dated American actor Jonathan Brandis, with whom she co-starred in the TV movie Fall into Darkness. A fan of the Boston Red Sox, she attended their victorious final game in the 2004 World Series.

Ali is traveling the United States as a spokesperson for Barack Obama's 2008 Presidential Campaign. Ali is heading voter registration drives at college campuses including many historically black colleges and universities.

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Mariah Carey....Out Of Circulation For Now !

publisher — Wed, 21 May 2008 09:01:00 GMT

The best-selling female performer of the 1990s, Mariah Carey rose to superstardom on the strength of her stunning five-octave voice; an elastic talent who moved easily from glossy ballads to hip-hop-inspired dance-pop, she earned frequent comparison to rivals Whitney Houston and Celine Dion, but did them both one better by composing all of her own material. Born in Long Island, NY, on March 27, 1970, Carey moved to New York City at the age of 17 -- just one day after graduating high school -- to pursue a music career; there she befriended keyboardist Ben Margulies, with whom she began writing songs. Her big break came as a backing vocalist on a studio session with dance-pop singer Brenda K. Starr, who handed Carey's demo tape to Columbia Records head Tommy Mottola at a party. According to legend, Mottola listened to the tape in his limo while driving home that same evening, and was so immediately struck by Carey's talent that he doubled back to the party to track her down.

After signing to Columbia, Carey entered the studio to begin work on her 1990 self-titled debut LP; the heavily promoted album was a chart-topping smash, launching no less than four number one singles: "Vision of Love," "Love Takes Time," "Someday," and "I Don't Wanna Cry." Her overnight success earned Grammy awards as Best New Artist and Best Female Vocalist, and expectations were high for Carey's follow-up, 1991's Emotions. The album did not disappoint, as the title track reached number one -- a record fifth consecutive chart-topper -- while both "Can't Let Go" and "Make It Happen" landed in the Top Five. Carey's next release was 1992's MTV Unplugged EP, which generated a number one cover of the Jackson 5's "I'll Be There." Featured on the track was backup singer Trey Lorenz, whose appearance immediately helped him land a recording contract of his own.

In June 1993, Carey wed Mottola -- some two decades her senior -- in a headline-grabbing ceremony; months later she released her third full-length effort, Music Box, her best-selling record to date. Two more singles, "Dreamlover" and "Hero," reached the top spot on the charts. Carey's first tour followed and was widely panned by critics; undaunted, she resurfaced in 1994 with a holiday release titled Merry Christmas, scoring a seasonal smash with "All I Want for Christmas Is You." 1995's Daydream reflected a new artistic maturity; the first single, "Fantasy," debuted at number one, making Carey the first female artist and just the second performer ever to accomplish the feat. The follow-up, "One Sweet Day" -- a collaboration with Boyz II Men -- repeated the trick, and remained lodged at the top of the charts for a record 16 weeks.

After separating from Mottola, Carey returned in 1997 with Butterfly, another staggering success and her most hip-hop-flavored recording to date. 1's -- a collection featuring her 13 previous chart-topping singles as well as "The Prince of Egypt (When You Believe)," a duet with Whitney Houston effectively pairing the two most successful female recording artists in pop history -- followed late the next year. With "Heartbreaker," the first single from her 1999 album Rainbow, Carey became the first artist to top the charts in each year of the 1990s; the record also pushed her ahead of the Beatles as the artist with the most cumulative weeks spent atop the Hot 100 singles chart.

However, the early 2000s weren't as kind to Carey. After signing an 80-million-dollar deal in 2001 with Virgin -- the biggest record contract ever -- she experienced a very public personal and professional meltdown that included rambling; suicidal messages on her website; an appearance on TRL where, clad only in a T-shirt, she handed out Popsicles to the audience; and last but not least, the poorly received movie Glitter and its attendant soundtrack (which was also her Virgin Records debut). Both the film and the album did poorly critically as well as commercially, with Glitter making just under four million dollars in its total U.S. gross and the soundtrack struggling to make gold sales. Following these setbacks, Virgin and Carey parted ways early in 2002, with the label paying her 28 million dollars. That spring, she found a new home with Island/Def Jam, where she set up her own label, MonarC Music. In December, she released her ninth album, Charmbracelet, which failed to become a success. Although she took nearly three years for a follow-up, Carey found a hit with 2005's chart-topping The Emancipation of Mimi, her most successful record in years. Released by Island Records, the album climbed to multi-platinum status and earned Carey a Grammy Award, thus restoring her status as a megastar in the R&B arena. Two weeks before the release of her subsequent album, E=MC?, Carey scored her eighteenth number-one hit with "Touch My Body", a feat that pushed her into second place (past Elvis, no less) amongst all aritsts with the most chart-topping singles. The well-timed accomplished also increased the public's appetite for E=MC?, which arrived in April 2008.

Mariah married Nick Cannon in the Bahamas in April.

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Nick Cannon...Sorry Ladies, He Is Taken !

publisher — Mon, 12 May 2008 10:59:00 GMT

Multi-talented teen star Nick Cannon was born in San Diego, CA, in 1980. He was introduced to the entertainment industry as a dancer on Soul Train and as a standup comedian in Los Angeles. Like many of his teen-star brethren, Cannon quickly found a home on the Nickelodeon cable channel. During the 1998 season, he joined the cast of the teen sketch comedy show All That. During this time, he could be seen all over the channel, from Snick show host to series writer on Cousin Skeeter and Kenan & Kel. Also a songwriter and rapper, Cannon's cover of "Parents Just Don't Understand" (originally recorded by DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince) appeared on the soundtrack to the Nickelodeon animated feature Jimmy Neutron: Boy Geniu. After a few bit parts in the feature films Whatever It Takes and Men in Black II, he got ready to make his media breakthrough in film, television, and music.

Cannon's first starring role came in the 2002 musical drama Drumline. He played Devon, a percussionist from Harlem who joins the competitive show-style marching band at Atlanta A & T University. His song "I'm Scared of You" appeared on the soundtrack. The same year, he created The Nick Cannon Show (along the same lines as The Amanda Show for his All That co-star Amanda Bynes). He then gained a lot of exposure with the romantic comedy Love Don't Cost a Thing (with a story borrowed from the '80s romantic comedy Can't Buy Me Love). On the soundtrack, he performs with Busta Rhymes, Fat Joe, and Chingy for the song "Shorty (Put It on the Floor)." In December of 2003, he released his self-titled debut album on Jive Records. He collaborated with several big names, including R. Kelly on the hit single "Gigolo." Film projects for 2004 include the feature films Shall We Dance? and The Underclassman. In 2006 Cannon would strap on his rollerskates for the retro-minded comedy drama Roll Bounce, and after appearing alongside an impressive cast of players that included Forest Whitaker, Kelsey Grammer, and Danny DeVito in the gambling drama Even Money, the fast-maturing actor would earn his first voice credit as the titular hopper in The Adventures of Brer Rabbit. His voice well-suited to the world of animation, Cannon would step back into the recording booth to provide the voice for trigger-happy Office Lister in the computer animated family comedy Monster House.

Nick married Mariah Carey on April 30, 2008. Sorry ladies....he is taken !

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Solange Knowles...A Little Sister? I Don't think So!

publisher — Sun, 04 May 2008 21:28:00 GMT

Solange Knowles was born in Houston, Texas, to Mathew and Tina Knowles. Her father is African-American and her mother is a african american and Louisiana Creole. She is also sister to singer Beyonce Knowles, who was a member of former R&B group Destiny's Child. She is the cousin to Angela Beyincé (song co-writer) and her maternal grandparents are Lumis Beyincé and Agnéz Deréon, (a seamstress).

Music career

2002-2006: Solo Star

Knowles' music career is managed by her father, Mathew Knowles. In 2000, Knowles appeared in " true love" with Lil'Romeo. In 2002, Knowles released her debut single, "Feelin' You", from her debut album, Solo Star, which was released on 21 January, 2003. Solo Star debuted at #49 on the Billboard 200 and #23 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Solo Star was re-released on 14 November 2006.

Knowles was also featured on the Destiny's Child holiday album 8 Days of Christmas (released on 29 October 2001) along with her cousin Tré Gordon, on the tracks "The Little Drummer Boy" and "Proud Family" (included on the special edition and later on the The Proud Family soundtrack album). She is also featured on the Disney Party Mix of "Jumpin' Jumpin'" , and has duetted with Kelly Rowland on the title track of her album, Simply Deep.

She has recently appeared in Beyoncé's video for "Get Me Bodied", which featured Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Solange also appeared in Destiny's Child's "Soldier" music video when she was pregnant with her son Daniel.

Solange Knowles has written and co-written songs for Destiny's Child , Kelly Rowland, Michelle Williams, Trin-I-Tee 5:7, and Beyoncé. Her most recent lyrical hits include Beyoncé's "Get Me Bodied," "Upgrade U," and "Flaws and All" from the multi-platinum selling album, B'Dayand "We Break the Dawn" from Michelle Williams upcoming album Unexpected. Additionally, she wrote "Home For The Holidays" for Wal-Mart's national holiday commercial campaign.Solange is currently in the studio recording her forthcoming album.

2007-Present:2nd album Sol-Angel And The Hadley St. Dreams

Knowles recently confirmed on her MySpace page that she will be releasing a second album, August 26,2008. No details of producers, release dates, titles except the first single "I Decided" to be released from Sol-Angel And The Hadley St. Dreams, have been confirmed at present. Four of Solange's new songs: "ChampagneChronicNightcap", "White Picket Dreams", "God Given Name", and more recently "Sandcastle Disco" have been leaked to the internet and she also co wrote on Teairra Maris second album.^[5] It is unknown if these songs will be included on Sol-Angel And The Hadley St. Dreams. From Columbia Records, Solange moved to Geffen Records Solange's first single, the Neptunes-produced "I Decided", was posted on her Myspace page recently.

Soundtracks

She appears alongside Murphy Lee on the soundtrack to Scooby-Doo with the song, "Thinking About You," which was recycled and put on Solo Star. "Dance With You", featuring B2K, also appeared on the Like Mike soundtrack. She also appears on the Proud Family soundtrack The Proud Family, featuring Destiny's Child. A remix to "Crush" titled "Don't Fight Feeling," featuring Papa Reu, appears on The Fighting Temptations soundtrack. "Freedom" appears on Johnson Family Vacation. On Bring It On: All or Nothing, she sang "Bring it On Home."

Modeling career

She models for her mother's clothing line, House of Deréon, named after her grandmother, Agnéz Deréon. Knowles also helped to launch a sister line to House of Deréon, named Deréon, for younger customers. She and Beyoncé model for Deréon, and feature in most of its marketing campaigns. Solange and Beyoncé were featured in a "Got Milk?" campaign ad, while still wearing House of Deréon.

Entrepreneur

Knowles has been promoting Baby Jamz, a hip-hop/rhythm inspired toy line for preschoolers. She is executive producer of the CD, updated hip-hop inspired nursery rhymes, and the music featured in all of the toys. Knowles' son, Julez, is the face of Baby Jamz.^[2]

She is currently working with a Private Equity firm to help finance special projects in distribution, promotions and marketing music with Music World Entertainment and Interscope. The Private Eqiuty firm is focusing on buying and selling music licensing rights to the movie industry and consumer products like Coca-Cola, Alcohol beverages and Proctor & Gamble Company products. The music for commercials will be the first deal of its kind for a female R&B singer.

Personal life

Knowles was married to football player Daniel Smith in February 2004 and by October 2004, the couple had their first son, Daniel Julez Smith Jr. who was born on October 18, 2004 in Los Angeles, California weighing 9lbs 4oz.

In October 2007, Solange confirmed in an interview with Essence magazine that she and husband Daniel Smith had divorced. She has been featured on Queen Latifah, Rosie O'Donnell and MTV's Mandy Moore Show and has graced the pages of Teen People, Seventeen, YM, Honey, and J-14.

She is currently rumored to be in a relationship with Carolina Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers.

Acting career

Knowles appeared in Johnson Family Vacation. She also appeared on the TV show One on One, as well as in The Brothers Garcia, in a special guest role. She then starred in Bring It On: All or Nothing alongside Heroes star Hayden Panettiere, which was released on August 8, 2006.

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Tina Turner At 68.....I'm Back !

publisher — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:25:00 GMT

The most dynamic female soul singer in the history of the music, Tina Turner oozed sexuality from every pore in a performing career that began the moment she stepped onstage as lead singer of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue in the late '50s. Her gritty and growling performances beat down doors everywhere, looking back to the double-barreled attack of gospel fervor and sexual abandon that had originally formed soul in the early '50s. Divorced from Ike in the mid-'70s, she recorded only occasionally later in the decade but resurfaced in the mid-'80s with a series of hit singles and movie appearances; her high-profile status was assured well into the '90s.

Born Annie Mae Bullock near Brownsville, TN, she began singing as a teen, and joined Ike Turner's touring show as an 18-year-old backup vocalist. Just two years later, Tina was the star of the show, the attention-grabbing focal point for an incredibly smooth-running soul revue headed by Ike and his Kings of Rhythm. The couple began hitting the charts in 1960 with "A Fool in Love," and notched charting singles throughout the '60s, though the disappointing position of "River Deep-Mountain High" -- cited by Phil Spector as one of his best productions -- was very hard to take. All expectations were filled in 1971 with "Proud Mary," a number four hit which became the capstone of Ike & Tina's Revue. Frustrated by Ike's increasingly irrational behavior, though, Tina walked out just three years later.

She celebrated her new-found freedom in 1975 with a role in the film version of The Who's Tommy. Playing the Acid Queen, she delivered an outrageous, all-too-brief performance in an otherwise forgettable mistake of a movie. Several albums were recorded for United Artists during the late '70s, but she appeared to be washed up by the turn of the decade. Surprisingly, Tina returned in 1983, first teaming with a Heaven 17 project named BEF on a remake of the Temptations' "Ball of Confusion." Tina's vocal offering was understandably apocalyptic, and she gained a solo deal with Capitol that same year. Her first single, a cover of Al Green's "Let's Stay Together," hit the Top 30 early in 1984. Second single "What's Love Got to Do With It" became one of the year's biggest hits, spending three weeks at number one. Her album Private Dancer included two more Top Ten singles, the title track and "Better Be Good to Me." With another movie role in 1985 (Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome), she found a number two hit with its theme, "We Don't Need Another Hero." Her next big hit followed in 1986 ("Typical Male"), after which Tina began to decline, still charting occasionally and selling respectably with albums including 1989's Foreign Affair, 1996's Wildest Dreams, and 2000's Twenty Four Seven.

Tina Announced she is coming out of retirement for a new tour.
Eight years after quitting life on the road, the 68-year-old revealed she will kick off a new series of dates in Kansas City, Missouri on 1 October (08).
The announcement came during a special taping of Oprah Winfrey's talk show in Las Vegas on Saturday (26Apr08).

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Jada Pinkett Smith...Beauty, Class, Style

publisher — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 01:47:00 GMT

Jada Koren Pinkett Smith (born September 18, 1971) is an American actress and singer. She is married to actor/rapper Will Smith.

Early life

Pinkett Smith was born Jada Koren Pinkett in Baltimore, Maryland, the daughter of Adrienne Banfield, the head nurse of an inner-city clinic in Baltimore, and Robsol Pinkett, Jr., who runs a construction company. Her parents divorced after only a few months of marriage and her mother has since re-married twice; Her mother became pregnant with her while still in high school. Pinkett Smith majored in theatre at the Baltimore School for the Arts, where she met classmate Tupac Shakur with whom she developed a close friendship. In the documentary Tupac: Resurrection, Shakur says, "Jada is my heart. She will be my friend for my whole life." Also in this documentary, Pinkett Smith calls Shakur "one of my best friends. He was like a brother. It was beyond friendship for us. The type of relationship we had, you only get that once in a lifetime." The two remained close friends until Shakur's death in 1996. After graduating from the Baltimore School for the Arts, Pinkett Smith then spent a year at the North Carolina School of the Arts before dropping out to pursue her career in acting. Pinkett Smith is an honorary member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.

Career

Pinkett Smith's big break came in 1991 when she was cast in the part of college freshman Lena James on the NBC television sitcom A Different World, a spin-off of The Cosby Show. She made her feature film debut two years later in Menace II Societ (1993). She did not gain widespread recognition, however, until her role opposite Eddie Murphy in the remake of The Nutty Professor (1996). In 2001 she co-starred with her husband Will in the Academy Award nominated film Ali as the first wife of Cassius Clay. In 2003, she starred as Niobe in the Matrix series (Will Smith was originally considered for the role of Neo). In addition to being in front of the camera, she has spent time behind it, directing music videos. She has also created "Maja," a line of women's T-shirts and dresses that are mostly sold through small catalogs. In 2007, she starred in the Mike Binder film, Reign Over Me, also starring Adam Sandler and Don Cheadle.

Pinkett Smith is the vocalist for the metal band Wicked Wisdom, which released a self-titled debut album on February 21, 2006. The band also toured Ozzfest in the summer of 2005 as part of the second stage lineup. In 2006 the band played the Download Festival in Castle Donington, UK as one of the first bands on the Friday.

Personal life

Pinkett Smith married rapper/actor Will Smith on December 31, 1997, and together they had a son, Jaden Christopher Syre Smith (b. July 8, 1998); and a daughter, Willow Camille Reign Smith (b. October 31, 2000). She is also a stepmother to Smith's son from a former marriage with Sheree Zampino, named Willard Christopher Smith III. Jada Pinkett Smith co-founded the Will and Jada Foundation with her husband Will Smith. The foundation gives money towards youth educational projects and helps deprived children from inner cities and their families. In December 2006, Jada donated $1 million to the Baltimore School for the Arts, in memory of her friend and late rapper Tupac Shakur.

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Crystle Stewart...A Dream Accomplished

publisher — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:50:00 GMT

Crystle Stewart (born September 20, 1981) is a beauty queen from Houston, Texas who is Miss USA 2008.

Stewart won the Miss Texas USA 2008 title in a state pageant held in Laredo, Texas on July 1, 2007, after competing against 121 other contestants. She represented Texas in the Miss USA 2008 pageant held in April 2008.

This was Stewart's fifth attempt at the Miss Texas USA title, as she had placed first runner-up in both the 2006 and 2007 events, third runner-up in 2005 and made the semi-finals in 2003. Her first appearance in the state pageant was in 2002, when she made the semi-finals of the Miss Texas USA 2003 pageant competing as Miss Fort Bend County. In 2004 she again competed as Miss Fort Bend County and placed third runner-up to Tyler Willis at Miss Texas USA 2005.^[4] The following year she competed in the Miss Houston local pageant and placed first runner-up to Lauren Lanning. She competed at Miss Texas USA 2006 as Miss Harris County, and placed first runner-up to Lanning for the second time.^[5] In 2006 she placed first runner-up to Miss Houston for a second time, and in a double repetition placed first runner-up to Miss Houston, Magen Ellis, in the 2007 state pageant (competing as Miss Southeast Texas).

In 2007 she did not compete for a local title, and instead entered as an at large delegate for Miss Texas USA 2008, again holding the Miss Fort Bend County title. She made the final two in the state-televised pageant, alongside Miss Houston Brooke Daniels, who was also a runner-up at Miss Texas USA 2007. This time Stewart won the title, and was crowned Miss Texas USA 2008. She also won the Everything but Water Swimsuit award, announced during the preliminary competition. Stewart is the second African American to win the crown at Miss Texas USA; Chelsi Smith was crowned Miss Texas USA 1995 (and later Miss USA and Miss Universe).

On April 11, 2008 Stewart represented Texas in the Miss USA 2008 pageant where she became the ninth Texan to win the Miss USA title.

Stewart holds a degree in consumer science and merchandising from the University of Houston.Stewart is represented as a model by Neal Hamil Agency in Houston.

She will represent the USA at the Miss Universe pageant set to be held on July 14, 2008 in Nha Trang, Vietnam.

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Mya..My My !!!!!

publisher — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 16:30:00 GMT

Biography
Mya Marie Harrison was born October 10, 1979, in Washington, D.C, and is the daughter of an African-American father and Italian mother. Her father performed in R&B bands, and must have passed his musical tendency to young Mya. Although she always knew that she would work in the music industry, she started out as a dancer.

Her love of dance shone through when a 2-year-old Mya danced in the pool between the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial. She began to take dance lessons soon after, specializing mostly in ballet, jazz and tap. While she lost interest in dance at the age of 8, she still showed passion for music with violin lessons in the fourth grade.

Mya took a brief hiatus from dance, but she returned to her hobby in 1992, piqued by her watching videos of herself dancing. She them studied tapes of Savion Glover, known for his work in the Broadway sensation Bring In Da Noise, Bring In Da Funk. With the help of Glover's tapes and practice on Mya's part, she eventually joined the group T.W.A. (Tappers With Attitude).

Mya then headed for New York to study with Glover himself, at the legendary Dance Theater of Harlem. Thanks to her fantastic ability to improvise, not to mention the fact that Glover was impressed with her tapping talent, Glover gave Mya a solo spot at a Kennedy Center performance. Almost giving back what she learned from the incomparable Savion Glover, Mya has been teaching children dance ever since the age of 14.

But it was when Mya's father heard her sing that he became dedicated to helping her pursue a career as a singer. Under his guidance, Mya recorded some demo tapes and perfected her vocals. He brought her demo tapes to a club where he was performing, where as luck would have it, the President and CEO of University Music, Haqq Islam was present.

Islam came to the Harrison residence to see if Mya's voice was as good in person as it was in her demos, and after a living room audition, where Mya performed songs from En Vogue, she was signed to a record deal. Thanks to a strict upbringing emphasizing the importance of education, Mya had already finished high school by the time she had a record contract.

The budding starlet intended on studying speech communications at the University of Maryland, but the intense schedule associated with working on a debut album were too stringent and Mya opted to focus on her true passions. So, she ventured into communication of another sort; singing to millions of fans.

Mya's self-entitled debut album was released in 1998, and featured collaborations with such R&B hard hitters as Babyface, Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott and Dru Hill. The critically acclaimed album went platinum and spawned hits such as "It's All About Me" (a duet with Sisqo) and "Movin' On".

While her album was becoming a commercial success, Mya's collaboration with Pras and Ol' Dirty *** for "Ghetto Supastar" (off the Bulworth soundtrack) and her work with Blackstreet for "Take Me There" (off the Rugrats soundtrack) only spread her fame and success even thicker. Mya also contributed a track to the Life soundtrack.

Mya's latest release, Fear of Flying, includes the producing efforts of Wyclef Jean and Jerry Duplessis, and features the collaborations of She'kspere & Kandi and Soulshock & Karlin. The album, which also highlights Mya's songwriting abilities, emphasizes her professional and personal growth, but still may not differentiate her from fellow R&B young divas such as Aaliyah, Brandy or Monica.

Known for her moves, voice and presence while performing on her popular tours, Mya also lent her vocals on the Lilith Fair, sharing the bill with artists such as Jewel, Lisa Loeb, and Sarah McLachlan. With her eye on producing, Mya also designs clothes, is a former spokesperson for Bongo jeans, and is involved in the Secret to Self Esteem program, focusing on teen issues.

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Martin Lawrence....Been There, Done That !

publisher — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 17:44:00 GMT

Martin Fitzgerald Lawrence (born April 16, 1965) is an American actor, comedian, director and producer. He came to fame during the 1990s, establishing a Hollywood career as a leading actor.

Early life

Lawrence was given his first name after Martin Luther King Jr. and his middle name after that of John F. Kennedy. He was born in Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany, where his father, John Lawrence, served in the US military.He has three siblings, Robert, Rae and Ursula. When Lawrence was seven, his father left the military and the family moved from Germany back to the United States, settling in Landover, Maryland, in the Washington, D.C. area. After his parents divorced in 1973, Lawrence rarely saw his father, who worked as a police officer. His mother, Chlora, worked several jobs, including as a sales representative and cashier at various department stores, to support her family. During his teen years, Lawrence excelled at boxing. While living in Maryland, he attended Thomas G. Pullen School of Creative and Performing Arts (Landover, Maryland),Eleanor Roosevelt High School and also Friendly High School in Fort Washington, Maryland, becoming a Mid-Atlantic Golden Gloves boxing contender.

Career

Lawrence moved to California and found his way to the legendary Kings Wood comedy club. Shortly after appearing at the Wood, he won a performance spot on Star Search, a popular show in the United States. He did well on the show and made it to the final round before ultimately losing. However, executives at Columbia TriStar Television saw Martin's performance and offered him an appearance on the television sitcom What's Happening Now!!; this was his first acting job.^[1] Following What's Happening Now!!, Lawrence had bit parts in various films and television roles before entertainment mogul Russell Simmons personally selected him to host the groundbreaking series Def Comedy Jam on HBO. Def Comedy Jam gave many comedians (including Chris Tucker, Steve Harvey and Cedric The Entertainer) mainstream exposure.

Around the same time he was cast in the Def Comedy Jam role, Lawrence appeared in his own hit series, Martin, which aired on Fox. The show ran from 1992 to 1997 and was considered a success. He also hosted Saturday Night Live on February 19, 1994, where he made crude remarks on women's genitalia and personal hygiene. The monologue was later completely edited out of reruns and syndicated versions. As a result, Lawrence was banned from the show for life. After Martin ended its run, Lawrence worked on many film projects. He has starred or co-starred in many movies alongside Eddie Murphy, Will Smith, and Tim Robbins.Many of his films were blockbusters, including Bad Boys (1995) and Bad Boys 2 (2003), Martin Lawrence Live Runteldat (2002), Boomerang, and Big Momma's House (2000). His salary increased dramatically to over $10 million per role. He continues to work in film, with his recent films including Big Momma's House 2, which opened #1 at the North American box office and grossed almost $28 million its first weekend, and Wild Hogs (2007), where he played a bored suburbanite looking for adventure on the open road in a biker comedy alongside John Travolta, Tim Allen and William H. Macy.

In 2006, Lawrence appeared on Inside the Actors Studio where he was requested by the studio audience to act out his famous characters he played on his Martin television show. To a great deal of excitement and cheering from the studio audience, Lawrence performed most of his characters again, out of wardrobe and with no lines. The audience became particularly excited when Lawrence acted out his Momma Payne, Sheneneh Jenkins, and Jerome characters. During the interview, when yet another character was named off for him to act out, Lawrence mentioned how he was surprised at how many characters he used to perform on the show. There were a couple more funny characters of Lawrence's that he didn't act out, such as the abrasive security guard, Otis. Once his Martin show ended, Lawrence never brought back any of his characters for another TV series or movie.

Personal life

He married Patricia Southall, a former Miss Virginia winner in January of 1995. They divorced in September 1997. Lawrence has a daughter with Patricia named Jasmine Page, born on January 15, 1996. Lawrence also has two other daughters, Iyanna and Amara, born in 2001 and 2003. Lawrence also has 2 nieces Sadie and Diaviahn Bowden who now live in Voorheeseville, New York.

While filming A Thin Line Between Love and Hate, Lawrence had a violent outburst on the set and began taking drugs. He became increasingly erratic and was arrested after he reportedly brandished a pistol and screamed at tourists on Ventura Boulevard in Los Angeles. He was also arrested at Burbank Airport for carrying a loaded gun in his suitcase. In March 1997, Lawrence was arrested again after allegedly assaulting a man in a Hollywood nightclub.^[1] After several other arrests, he checked into drug rehab and divorced his wife.

In late 1996, Lawrence's Martin co-star Tisha Campbell filed a lawsuit against Lawrence and the show's producers, claiming that Lawrence sexually harassed her to the point where she feared for her life. HBO Studios eventually settled the case with Campbell so they could complete what would be the show's final season.

During August 1999, Lawrence went into a three-day coma after collapsing from heat exhaustion while jogging in 100-degree heat with several layers of heavy clothing.^[1] He recovered in the hospital from near death and running a body temperature of a seemingly impossible 107 °F (41.7 °C), his breathing assisted by a respirator.

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