Last night, during the final show of a three-night run at Revel's Ovation Hall in Atlantic City, Kanye West stopped a song, auto-tune still ringing in the mic, and asked the audience Can we make some noise for my baby momma? And just like that, the world knew Kanye West and Kim Kardashian were having a baby. For the doubtful, it was this video clip that cemented it. more..

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In this week's video address, Barack and Michelle Obama sent a special message for the holidays. Last year's theme was "Shine, Give, Share." This year it's "Joy to All." As they describe: it's the joy of giving service to others; the joy of sharing blessings with one another; and, the joy of mixing it up with friends and families over the next two weeks. The Republican side of the house and senate could demonstrate that Joy for All spirit by agreeing to legislation that will prevent us from sliding off the fiscal cliff. more..

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This picture of Trinidad James' teeth is circulating the web. The focus is on the one tooth in the middle and the one missing. Just one — of both. On Thursday in New York, Trinidad James stopped at Power 105 to speak with The Breakfast Club. He explained the situation.

"First of all, I just had the bad grill in the beginning (like from birth.) And actually we did a show in Athens at UGA and turnt up… tooth came out. In a couple of weeks I'm going to get my joint turnt up.” You know, fixed.

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A couple of weeks ago, I stumbled on Trinidad James "All Gold Everything" video, grabbed the mixtape, watched the behind the scenes Gold Chronicles series. You see where this is going? Dude grabbed my attention. Despite that, honestly, I still don't know much about him on a personal level, like what his story is. But his music is entertaining and the over the top outfits and fashion sense is making him into a bit of a character — a key ingredient for success more..

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In 2010, Ryan Leslie lost a laptop which had unreleased music on it. As an artist, producer and songwriter it meant a lot of money and creations, swept away in the wind; so Ryan Leslie posted a video on YouTube offering $20,000 for the return of his laptop. Nobody came forward, so he pumped the offer to $1 million. Surprise, someone said, "I'll take that"and he got his laptop back. Ryan Leslie didn't pay the reward though, he said he couldn't recover the music from the hard drive. The man, Armin Augstein took Ryan Leslie to court and on Thursday, Nov. 30 a jury returned the judgement: Ryan Leslie has to pay the $1 million that he said he would. more..

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Yesterday, Alicia Keys debuted the video for her hot as fire single, "Girl on Fire" on 106 and Park. Asked for some background on the song, an excited Alicia Keys said, "The evolution of "Girl on Fire" came from me wanting to always be able to declare that I'm a Girl on Fire. Sometimes we don't always feel like that. Sometimes things get difficult. But even in a world that's filled with catastrophe, we not backing down and we got our head in the cloud." more..

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Confession: posts have been few and far apart this year. One consequence, other than mixing it up with you, I've missed talking at all about this year's election. Don't worry, it's not a case of Romnesia. What's that I said.. Romnesia? It's a condition that President Obama diagnosed Mitt Romney with. more..

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Angell Conwell, Carl Payne, and Letoya Leckett were cast in the Gospel Music Channel's "For Richer or Poorer" TV mini-series, which filmed in Wilmington, North Carolina, over the weekend. More about that at Wilm on Film, "Stars descend on Wilmington to film gospel TV series" Letoya Luckett tweeted that shot from her makeup chair.. Angell and Carl posed in a corner, during a break.

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Quick. What NFL team cut Chad Ochocino after he allegedly head-butted Evelyn Lazado? If you answered the Miami Dolphins, you would be correct. Another question. Do Venus and Serena Williams own a slice of the Miami Dolphins?

The answer to that question is a big, fat yes! I won't even lean this towards being breaking news. Venus and Serena bought an ownership stake in the Miami Dolphins in 2009. Which is why heading into the 2012 NFL season, Serena Williams is representing the team in the NFL's new women's wear ad campaign, appropriately named, "It's My Team."

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Brandy is back with the video for "Put it Down", her collaboration with Chris Brown. Directed by Hype Williams, it's splashed with vibrant colors and the high gloss slickness that a singer on Brandy's level is accustomed to. A few weeks ago Brandy was on The Skorpion Show talking about this video; she said she had to put in some work to keep up with Chris Brown's dance moves, but any of that awkwardness never hit tape. more..

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For some reason, I was watching B.A.P.S, — not watching, the TV was just on while I was doing something else   and I turned to the screen and recognized a familiar face. Is that... Karlie Redd, from Love and Hip-Hop Atlanta? more..

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Last night as we were watching Love and Hip-Hop Atlanta, Joseline tweeted this picture of herself and mentioned that she was in New York. Turns out that Joseline was in New York for a mid-season Q&A session for online media folks. Mona Scott introduced and answered questions, to start it off, but then out came Joseline, Stevie J., K. Michelle, and Scrappy. It felt like the reunion before the reunion show. And if Stevie J's slip-up was right, technically, that's what it was. He said VH1 is taping the reunion show today. more..

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In case you missed it, Brandy was recently a guest on The Skorpion Show (video posted yesterday.) She talked about her new album being reflective of who she is today: more experienced in life and reflective about who, where and what things mean. It has given her a new energy. So on her new album, she didn't want to hold anything back.

"I'm just at the point in my life where I want to take chances. I just don't want to be safe. So this album is just not safe. I'm talking sexy, we do have the ballads, but the lyrics are little bit riskier and edgier than anything I've done in the past. It's just a different kind of flavor to this album."

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On Saturday, while watching coverage of the Colorado movie theater shooting, and the focus began to turn toward the survivors of the incident; a standout was one with Ann Curry, and a guy and his girlfriend and a baby. The guy was talking about surviving the incident, started crying and said he was so overwhelmed with emotion that he had just proposed to his girlfriend. more..

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I originally started this mixtape with the intention of letting go of a ton of old ideas... like songs I started writing but never finished. My ideas and concepts started to develop, so I changed the title and began to try and make the project more cohesive. Fantasea is almost kind of a first album of sorts....but it happened by mistake.... It's weird. This is a test run... I tried a lot of cool things... Sounds I thought were progressive, beats made by close friends, different flowsss. Lololololol I hope you guys like it! I'm nervoussssss.

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Last week, Joseline Hernandez sat down for an interview with Prettier Than Perez and talked about a range of topics: her haters, being a good person/liking to help people, having dreams and a high-flying goal to make a billion dollars. Yes, a billion. She also talked about being the voice of the Hispanic/Latin community.

"Puerto Ricans, Columbians, Venezuelans, Mexicans, we don't have a voice. I'm that voice, though and I got them."

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Over all the drama and shenanigans on Love and Hip-Hop Atlanta, Joseline's main concern is to turn her life around and bake bread in the music business — with the help of Stevie J. Other than the first episode, we haven't heard any of this music or what exactly she would be doing. That changed yesterday, with the release of "Bailar" — Spanish for dance. more..

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Before Twitter's first Tweet by Jack Dorsey, we knew Tweet as singer, Charlene Keys. Brain fart? You know her from "Oops Oh My" w/ Missy Elliot; although digging for personal favorites, I prefer "Turn Da Lights Out". These days, Tweet is signed to Dubose Music Group, working on her third album Simply Tweet. Yesterday she released "C 4EVA"; the third of her #TweetTuesday series; it's a hint of where her head is at in 2012. more..

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One episode in and Joseline Hernandez is the star of Love and Hip-Hop Atlanta. The former stripper/Rihanna look-a-like's incredulous in-your-face 'management' issues between her, Stevie J and his girlfriend, Mimi, has everyone talking. For me, it's her indecipherable accent; a mix of Spanish, hood, southern yams and brash ignorance. I know @MsJoseline, I'm not/you're not ignorant, but Concreteloop got it right.

Okay. VH1, I'm gonna need some closed captions for Joseline. #LHHATL Sincerely The People.

— CONCRETELOOP.COM (@ConcreteLoop) June 19, 2012

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Let's face it, Flex didn't give Nicki the tongue-lashing he should have, or at least hyped up at Summer Jam. One of the real problems with the interview was Peter Rosenberg, the person who made the comment, wasn't in on the call. Well he spoke to TMZ earlier and his explanation shows why he should've been.

"When I went out there I wasn't really thinking about it. I was trying to hype up all of the fans who were there to see Kendrick Lamar, School Boy Q and more underground acts, and yeah, that short of just came out. "

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On Friday, Will Smith was in Moscow for the premiere of Men in Black 3. During the usual press the flesh/shaking hands and smiling for the press, one reporter decided to get himself a little something extra. He pulled himself closer for what looked like a bro hug, but then kisses Will Smith on the cheek. Will Smith switches to the other side. more..

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Today, Azealia Banks released "Jumanji," the first song off her Fantastic mixtape, coming soon. If all you've heard from Azealia Banks is "212" and wondered if she can straight up spit bars, this is your answer in the affirmative; yes, she can. Cycle it back two, three times to untangle the lyrics. more..

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Just 13 years ago, Steve Francis was a premier NBA point guard. Drafted no. 2 in the 1999 draft, he went on to win Rookie of the Year; was a three-time All Star (2002-2004); and participated in two dunk contests - including the Vince Carter classic in 2000. After nine years, playing for three playoff-caliber teams — feel free to deduct the short-stint with the Knicks — Steve Francis was waived by the Houston Rockets in 2008. Which gave him the opportunity to take his talents to China - that didn't last. more..

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Mark it down, today is the day that you got to see Taraji P. Henson in the flesh and nothing more. The 41-year-old actress was photographed for Allure magazine's annual "The Naked Truth" issue. If you're shocked it's because you don't know her like that.

"My friends won't be surprised by this shoot," Taraji said. "Whenever we go to the beach, I'm like, 'Is this a nude beach? Can I take my top off?'"

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Meek Mill is one of the few rappers I'm waiting to hear from this year. His debut album? It's still in the pressure cooker; getting those last minute bits of flavor flowing. Until then, Meek touched up Drake's "The Ride" and made it his own: "Faded Too Long" with reflective lyrics about the kids who are lacking even the basics of life and at the same time putting a frame around his ambitions to make his life different, despite those - the D.A. - who wish him different. more..

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When Diddy formed Dirty Money we knew Dawn, but who was that chick to his left with the half-shaved dome? Where did she come from? How did she fast-forward past the cheesecake runs on Making the Band and still make the big come up? Those questions were answered. But even with Kalenna's success in Dirty Money, when they broke up, Kalenna storming stages as a solo artist wasn't a serious thought. What would that sound like? more..

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You know what happens when you grow up? You look at pictures from your past and ask, "what was I wearing?" Trina is in that stage of her life and career; when her younger self doesn't exactly represent her anymore. So with a new album on the way, she called superstar stylist June Ambrose for a makeover. The results were revealed on the second episode of VH1's Styled by June. June's first piece of advice? Give those thighs a stiletto workout. June then shocked her with a new doo suggestion: a Mohawk down to her butt. Trina was understandably uneasy, but the motto with stylists is, "in your hands I trust" - otherwise, why be there? more..

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Last night, Azealia Banks was in Tokyo to perform as the featured artist at the Chanel and Japan pop up shop opening celebration. The young Harlem native is one of Karl Lagerfeld's favorite new artists. He blessed her with a customized "212" inspired sweater; had her perform at a private party at his home in Paris; and now flys her to Japan to expose the beautiful people to that new-new. more..

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Yesterday, there was a great turnout for the #millionhoodie march in NYC's Union Square. People of all races and ages showed up to support Trayvon Martin's parents as they pursue justice in their son's death. Since they were in the city doing interviews earlier in the day, on the Today Show and Al Sharpton's Politics Nation, his parents came to Union Square to speak and thank everyone for well, just giving a damn - that's a shot at you Sanford, Florida. more..

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Trayvon Martin's tragic story happened over three weeks ago, but on Friday, March 16, with the release of the 911 tapes to the public, his murder has finally gained national attention. To keep the media's attention and gain some traction with authorities looking into the case, there is a push to help Trayvon's parents get 1 million signatures on their Change.org petition. The marchers will gather in NYC at 6 p.m. in Union Square and then make their way to the United Nations building — it is being held in conjunction with the UN's International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. more..

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On Friday, Nicki Minaj debuted her video for "Stupid Hoe," the brain-draining single off her sophomore album Roman Reloaded. The video, directed by Hype Williams, who knows a thing or three about translating animated rappers to the screen, is colorful, flashy and multiplies Nicki's persona to eleven. That's the good. The bad? "Stupid Hoe" will be known as one of the worst songs of 2012. Yeah, we're only 22 days into this thing, but meet the first person on the list. more..

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She's not a week old, but with the congratulatory mentions, rumors and yes, haters, Jay-Z and Beyonce's daughter, Blue Ivy Carter is the talk of the internet, Just hours ago, Jay-Z added to the conversation; he posted a song called "Glory" to mark his happiness about Blue's entrance to the world. more..

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Yesterday, Dawn Richard visited 106 and Park to debut "Save Me From You," the first official single from her upcoming debut album GoldenHeart. The video compliments this heartfelt ballad nicely; Dawn explained the concept of the song, during her appearance on 106 & Park, "I was going through something really, really bad and instead of me trying to keep things private, I like to give my vulnerability, make it strong, and put it out there. And I feel like there's a lot of people who pretend to be a hero, but they really are the villains in this story. From female to dude, ya'll can relate to that. Whether it's your best friend, your boss, or just the person standing next to you, and I wanted to tell that story. That the hero isn't always what you think he is or she is." more..

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Cool interview with Teedra Moses by Jabari from BET. They discuss how she got signed to MMG and how she feels being the only female/r&b chick on the label. Teedra writes her own songs and it's very relationship driven, Jabari asked if she draws from her own experiences. Teedra said she's single, o, so single; so it's part reality, part what she sees, splashed with a little fantasy. more..

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What's this? A seriously complete collection of Swizz Beatz' finest moments, mixed by Paris's own, DJ Dirty Swift. There's a short story behind this, as told by Swift himself.. more..

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One of the more silly rumors is Beyonce is paying a surrogate mother to bear her child and is strapping padding on her stomach to create a fake baby bump. You know, like in the movies. If she could pull this off, I'd say she deserves an Oscar. It all started with this video. In typical Beyonce/Jay-Z style, they haven't given the rumors any attention - until now. more..

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On the eve of the release of his fourth album, Revolver on December 6, T-Pain got word that Chocolate Drop (Kevin Hart) wanted to step to him for some lyrical warfare. “No problem,” said T-Pain. “My only request is that he stand up when he talk to me.” And so it began. Standing on a street corner in Atlanta, Chocolate Drop showed up with heavy bars. How heavy? more..

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Jay-Z was tagged as one of GQ's 2011 Men of the Year. In the accompanying interview he was asked about his father, Aniel Reese. Jay has talked and rapped about being hurt when his father left he and his sister and mother. When one has their own kids, there are two paths they can take: repeat the pattern or make sure it doesn't happen again. Jay is taking the later, but he says it's not just about being able to give the kid all the material things and comfortable living that he can afford, it — love — doesn't cost money, it's about being there. more..

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Yesterday, Herman Cain got his wish, the subject changed; reporters moved on from questions about sexual harassment allegations and poked him for explanations about his now infamous, one minute fumble when asked if he agreed with President Obama's handling of Libya. At the one minute mark Cain answered the question with another question. more..

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Last night, WEEN (Women in Entertainment Empowerment Network) held their third annual awards at the Samsung Experience/Time Warner Center in New York. For the positive portrayal of black women in entertainment, the honorees for this year's event were, Estelle, Keri Hilson, Tracy Mourning, Egypt Sherrod, Danyel Smith, and Jennifer Yu. Is it important/necessary to have award shows for black women? Award shows like this one and say, Black Girls Rock? Essence Writer and Author, Demetria Lucas thinks so. On her A Belle in Brooklyn blog, she breaks it down like so: more..

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The other day, in the "Holly Robinson Peete Receives Hennessy Privilege Award" story, I randomly included a picture of Jenilee Reyes. I didn't know who she was or why she was considered click worthy by the photographer. Maybe he/she was thinking like myself, “She has one of those in the biz faces.” more..

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Last night at the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles, Hennessy held a launch party for the Hennessy Privilege NyX Collectors edition bottle. As the name says, it's a limited edition bottle designed to “evoke the imagination and conjure the endless possibilities when exploring the unknown or crafting the perfect night out.” In addition to the bottle launch, Hennessy awarded Holly Robinson Peete with the Hennessy Privilege Award. In honor for those who have made extraordinary contributions to their communities. Holly Robinson Peete champions Autism awareness, and has done so for a few years. See, “Shifting Focus: 8 Facts About Autism the Media Is Not Covering” more..

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On Thursday, Common released his new video “Blue Sky”; the single off his upcoming album The Dreamer, The Believer. The video begins with a faded, upside down shot of Common which slowly comes into focus. He's lying face up on a bed with his eyes closed. Once he starts rapping and lyrics like, “daylight beams, nightlife schemes, this is my Inception, I'm writing my dreams,” emerge, it's clear he's lying there thinking of things he wants to achieve and reflecting on those he has already accomplished. more..

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Last night on 20/20 with Barbara Walters, Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon showed their twins Moroccan and Monroe to the world for the first time &mdahs; or as that picture indicates, The Incredibles Always up for fun, Nick Cannon said the day Mariah Carey gave birth he was ready with a video camera and music. He told the doctor to let him know when he was ready to pull the twins out, so he could play the music. Mariah was in complete agreement. She picked the track: a live version of her song "Fantasy." more..

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When we last spoke, Rihanna was taking us behind the scenes of her new video in the making, 'We Found Love." The video debuted this Wednesday and it is a visual knockout. Directed by Melina Matsoukas — who also lensed "Rude Boy", "Hard," "S&M," and Rockstar 101" — the video telIs the story of two young people floating on the highs of love. The twist is their passion is also packaged with verbal and physical abuse. more..

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On Thursday, Rihanna was spotted leaving Stringfellows in Soho, London. Mental note: Stringfellows is a gentleman's club. This was her second time there. In 2007, Kanye West invited Rihanna to party with him at Stringfellows and she enjoyed it so much that she returned, this Thursday, with a group of 50 friends. Firsthand word is Rihanna & crew, "stayed for a couple of hours and drank gallons of champagne." Sure, I guess 50 people would run up a nice bar tab. more..

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Just the other day, I was telling @delacarisa it's a shame Kelly Rowland doesn't have a video to bolster the success of "Motivation." Her album, Here I Amwas released in July; here we are in October, and visually, nada, not a thing to keep the flame burning. Scratch that. Call it just in time or better late than never, on Wednesday, Kelly Rowland's "Lay It On Me" video hit the web. In the video she leaves little doubt that Kelly Rowland circa "Here I Am" is all about putting sexy on the table. Sometimes literally. more..

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On Sunday, Oct. 9, fashion designer Lara Manoukian hosted a launch party at the Falcon Restaurant in Hollywood, California, to preview her new jewelry collection. Lara Manoukian conceived the line while on a trip to Madrid Spain, in June 2008. That was three years ago, so it gave her plenty of time to flesh out the meaning behind Sinless; it's deeper than you might think. more..

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Working in the Wall Street area, I had a unique advantage of seeing the Occupy Wall Street protests grow from 50 people in Zuccotti park to hundreds and sometimes thousands on a given day. Protests have spread across the country — Occupy Cincinnati started today — it's evolving into what NY Times columist Paul Krugman says could be a turning point in the political discourse. more..

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In advance of his new album "RevolveR," T-Pain just debuted a video for the first single "5 O'Clock." The song is a new direction for T-Pain; this is not I'm in love with a stripper, or maybe it is. When the video begins, T-Pain is at a party. He gets a text and jumps up and spends the next three minutes looking upset as he walks through the late night, city streets, en route to the apartment of the unidentified female texter. It looks like it's Lily Allen; who also sings the chorus. more..

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There's no way you haven't heard about the Ray-J and Fabolous fight in Las Vegas, on Saturday night. This morning Fabolous was on the radio with DJ Clue to clear up any misunderstanding from Ray-J's "Tupac's Back" rant on Power 105, yesterday.

That's here - Fabolous Responds To Ray J s 2pac Rant On Power 105!

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Yesterday, Swizz Beatz celebrated his 33rd birthday, but he could care less about a birthday cake/party. He used the occasion to give Alicia Keys a Lotus. It looks like it's from the Evora family. more..

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Friday was the first day physical copies of Watch the Throne were available to the public exclusively in Best Buy and Target. You had to get to them early; stores seemed to have a small supply and they went fast. If you live in New York there was another option. more..

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On Monday night, Kevin Durant was in Harlem, NY's, Rucker Park, taking his talents to the chest of the ballers that play in the Entertainers Basketball Classic tournament. He scored 66 points, just two points short of the 74 point park record held by Joe Hammond. Kevin Durant said he always wanted to play at Rucker Park, and after the game tweeted, "No lie, jus had one of the best times of my life at Rucker park..wow! I love NY...Harlem waddup." more..

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This afternoon on 106 and Park, Diggy Simmons debuted "Copy, Paste", his first official video. I haven't kept up with his mixtapes, but this is the best song I've heard from him. The meaning of "Copy, Paste" is simple and one people might start to use: why you trying to do what I do? Musically, lyrically, swag, Diggy's on point. At the same time the polish and futuristic look of the video gives weight to his claim to be on another level. more..

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I just passed a newstand and saw the cover of the latest Elle magazine. Who is that girl on the cover? It said Emma Stone in bold, red letters, but the Emma Stone I know has red hair. You saw her in Easy A or more likely, Superbad. more..

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On this supposed last day of life as we know it on the planet earth, someone in Beyonce's camp decided to leak a song titled "Til The End of Time." Riding a Swizz-like, staccato rhythm, Beyonce's singing sounds determined and definite, yet breezy and carefree, as she says she won't ever let her love go, for now and forever; you know, til the end of time. more..

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Yesterday, students at PS 161 got a surprise while they were performing a dance routine to Beyonce's "Move Your Body." A shake here, a shake there, and Beyonce couldn't resist, she jumped in the front row and danced with them. The students were participating in a national simulcast of "Let's Move! Flash Workout" - a special fitness event led by Michelle Obama. more..

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Just a little replay, Mary J. Blige teams up with Diddy and Lil Wayne for the remix of "Someone to Love Me" off Last Train to Paris. Earlier this week, Mary J. Blige announced September 20 as the release date for her next album My Life II, The Journey Continues. Producers on the album will be Kanye West, Swizz, Beatz and Stargate (think, "Black and Yellow.") more..

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Lil Wayne is in prime form on "6'7." For the video he got a little help from director Hype Williams for an Inception inspired video. If you haven't seen Inception, don't worry about getting lost; the Inception jacks don't go beyond special effects and eye candy. There is a lot of slow motion; beautiful women; alternating color to black and white shots; and lyrical layups ie. "Real G's move in silence like lasagna.." and, you see a plate of lasagna. more..

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What the? Chris Brown has gone blonde. Chris posted the pictures yesterday on his Twitter account, with the simple declaration: "Look at me now!" The change comes on the cusp of the release of his new album F.A.M.E. I think Chris Brown has made the right move. There is nothing like an unexpected new look to get people yapping and gawking and there is plenty of that going on. more..

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Don't ask me any of the five W's, just enjoy the sounds and visuals of tabi Bonney's video for "Garfield Fish Bones." The first song off his new mixtape "Postcard from Abroad" set to be released on January 24. Like the Smithed-up Karate Kid, it was filmed on the streets of China. This is highly aligned with my mental this week; I'm currently reading "Shadow Markets" which gives a peek at the ways that China is big banking the world. more..

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This day not only marks the day of New York City's Snowpocalypse of 2010, it's also Monster Monday. In honor of that momentous occasion, Swizz Beatz released a song by Alicia Keys and Eve called "Speechless." If you don't find the Egyptian inspired artwork interesting, how about that combination: Alicia Keys and Eve. Is this an appetizer for things to come in 2011? Slow down, there's not any official new A. Keys material on the way, in her words, "Speechless is a little freestyle treat 4 the holidays. It's not a new album, not a single its something special 4 U!" more..

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By now you've heard that Teena Marie passed away on Sunday. Across the web, particularly Facebook and Twitter, people have expressed thoughts of remembrance and well wishes that come along when a person who's touched their life in some small or big way leaves this life. This morning, Lenny Kravitz posted a video to do the same. Recorded from a hotel room in Paris, Lenny Kravitz has on a black hoodie and is talking in a very somber tone. I'll be honest, at first glance, I thought, why is he taking her passing THIS hard. You know how some people overly dramatize things? Thirty seconds later it became clear. Apparently Lenny Kravitz had a very close relationship with Teena Marie; one that he says he has never really talked about. When he was a teenager/struggling musician, Teena Marie gave him a place to stay, gave him instruments to practice with, and took him to recording sessions and concerts. He said if it wasn't for her, he wouldn't be who he is today. more..

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As we speak, the Obamas are in Hawaii for the holidays. However, early on Christmas Eve, Michelle Obama spent some time to answer phone calls from kids asking the question of the day: Where is Santa? The phone calls were part of the NORAD "Tracks Santa" program. "Track Santa" began in 1955 after kids in Colorado Springs, saw a Sears ad in the newspaper that invited kids to call Santa, with the wording, "Hey, Kiddies! Call me direct.. Just dial.. " more..

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What did you get, hope to, or will get for Christmas? That's an offbeat question. After all, this holiday is all about giving. Teairra Mari is all up in the holiday spirit, she went in the studio with DJ Drama to whip up a new mixtape called "The Night Before X-Mas." more..

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Last night, Jay-Z sat down with Cornel West at the New York Public Library to promote his book Decoded. In Decoded Jay-Z explains the thinking behind some of his hit records and events in his life. Call it a memoir. He doesn't like to. The NYPL host who introduced Jay-Z, said Decoded is one of the 'more extraordinary books I have read in the last decade." more..

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Yesterday, Tina Knowles, Beyonce's mother, was on Ellen and denied that Beyonce is pregnant. "No. It's not true. Not right now. With all the rumors, by now I should have about five or six grandchildren." Well thanks for ruining a perfectly good story! more..

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You heard the news, Beyonce (29-years-old) is with child. You won't see a baby bump just yet, word is she's in her first trimester. According to sources who spoke with US Weekly, Beyonce was very surprised. "B was shocked. She loves kids, but she wasn't ready to be a mother just yet. She really wanted to get her album done and tour the world again." more..

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Back in July, Jada Pinkett-Smith, put us on to Willow's budding singing talent. Quick recap: "Let me tell you, she's 9 years old. I don’t know where that voice came from. She sings like she's a grown woman. Like she's been around. I'm like, 'where does all that experience in your voice come from?' I have no idea, but she's something. Music is her thing." more..

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There she is: Nicki Minaj in a new promotional photo that she's calling "Samurai Nicki." It's a great, creative shot. Now if there is a music industry God, or an assistant that handles this aspect of keeping people entertained, it's part of a campaign for Nicki Minaj's debut album Pink Friday, tentatively set for release on November 23. Yeah, the album is coming. Unbelievably, Nicki Minaj recently told Honey magazine she really wanted to release Pink Friday next year, but felt pressured to do so by Cash Money ie. Baby. more..

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One of the benefits of being married to an R&B/pop star is the new found access to the family photo stash. Swizz Beatz got his hands on a picture of Alica Keys when she was seventeen years old, looking ready for the high school prom/school photo album, and posted it as his Twitter background, for all to see. more..

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This morning, Wyclef Jean sat down with The Wall Street Journal to talk about his decision to run for president of Haiti. He said he has a strong possibility of accomplishing his goal due to the support he has from the Haitian youth. Surprisingly, the most criticism I've heard has come from Haitains that live here and on the celebrity side, Sean Penn and Pras. In the interview, Wyclef addressed both of them. more..

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It's official, on Saturday, Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz exchanged wedding vows on the coast of Southern Italy. The picture up top says it all: it was pretty much the ending of any romance movie. Swizz Beatz (via Twitter) summed up the moment with one word: "Wowwwwwwwwww." Miss Info has all the particulars.. more..

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This afternoon, Kanye West showed up at Facebook's headquarters, in Palo Alto, California, and took a few minutes to give the people who keep your friends, and the friends of your friends, friends, connected, acappella verses from songs off his new album, Good Ass Job. Let's assume Kanye's suit is part of the look he's going for this time around: good ass suit, good ass job, not confirmed, but it makes sense. He performed four songs: "Mama's Boyfriend," "Lost in the World," "Chain Heavy," and Sweat on My Face." more..

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This February, Christina Milian gave birth to her daughter, Violet. She was recently spotted in a park working off the weight she gained during the pregnancy. I should say worked it off - past tense. Clearly, there isn't an ounce that isn't in the right places. Makes you wonder what The-Dream was thinking when he divorced her. Oh yeah, it's back to that story. Last week, Christina Milian filed papers in an Atlanta court asking that a judge throw out their divorce papers. more..

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Hey, look, it's Keri Hilson in NYC's Rockefeller Center. I'm not sure why she's wearing boots, with this lavalike weather we're in the midst of, but shredded pants are in style. It's funny that I'm trying to pull a fashion card. Keri Hilson has just been tapped as Avon's latest spokeswoman. On Wednesday, she visited The Today Show to talk about the new gig. more..

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What's left to be said about LeBron James that hasn't been said? The past few days, I've been posting my thoughts and reactions @whudat but I'll summarize: King James gave up his crown. Last night's one hour special confirmed that LeBron James is not made of the same competitive stuff that fueled Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and certainly not, Kobe Bryant. It ended that debate. Who is currently the best NBA player in basketball? It's Kobe Bryant. It's also his crown; Lebron needs to to ship that Fed Ex, asap.

The Evolutionary Process

There is a reason why only a few franchises have consistently won championships; it's hard work. To win a the highest levels, the focus and intensity it takes for a player to lead his team to that fantasized destination, is a long hard slog. Yes, LeBron James gave seven years of his basketball life to the Cavaliers to no avail. But Michael Jordan, his supposed idol, had the same kind of dissapointments. While Jordan was busy racking up MVPs and scoring titles, for three consecutive years, during the playoffs, the Chicago Bulls were kicked and shoved around by the Detroit Pistons. It wasn't until their core players got better, that the team figured out how to beat them. It was all highlight reels and trophies, from then on. more..

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LeBron James says he won't make his free agency decision until Thursday. That's the day after his Nike Skills Academy basketball camp in Akron, Ohio concludes. LeBron James was supposed to attend the camp on Tuesday, but ESPN is reporting that he made a surprise appearance this afternoon, wearing, get this, a NY Yankees cap and a white t-shirt! *Note* That is NOT the picture from this afternoon's camp. But it was captured in the quick blur of this video.. more..

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These past few weeks, Jada Pinkett-Smith has been on the media/talk show circuit in support of Jaden and The Karate Kid. On Monday, she was on The George Lopez Show. They talked about Jaden's acting and how she protected him on the set of The Karate Kid. Willow's mohawk was a part of the conversation too. On an earlier David Letterman appearance, Jada simply said Willow's hair was completely her thing. Explaining that she and Will allow Willow to be a free spirit. With George Lopez, Jada got into it a little more. If you thought Willow was channelling Rihanna, or by chance, Janelle Monae, you'd be wrong. Jada said Willow's inspiraton was .. her grandmother. more..

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Last night's BET Awards was one of the best shows they've put on in years. As far as talking points, at the top of the list is Chris Brown crying during "Man in the Mirror," part of his Michael Jackson tribute performance. Was Chris Brown having a genuine moment? I believe it was genuine, but also planned. One could argue that the lyrics to "Man in the Mirror" were what sproughted his tears, but for me it was just too perfect of a snapshot. Chris Brown was banned from last year's award show and has apologized for the incident with Rihanna, to no avail? The feeling that he can't kick: Chris Brown is sorry; sorry that his career has been stuck on the corner of Shyt Street and Stain Avenue, ever since he five pieced her. more..

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Tonight at Madison Square Garden, 60 childhood dreams will be realized at the 2010 NBA draft. For a minute, let's put aside the chance they have to play basketball on a professional level, and talk about the twin benefit: someone is about to get paid! Financially, becoming a professional athlete forever changes the lifestyle of a few, and gives a brief glimpse of an 'upgraded' lifestyle to others. Yes, it could brief. If you don't manage your money, it will find a home in all kinds of unproductive places: extended family and entourage support, bad investments - both personal and Madoff. It's not called the NBA lottery for nothing, it's just like hitting one, with the exact same concerns. more..

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Life check: What did you do last weekend? If you were the, semi-disputed, best rapper alive, your schedule would have included flights to three cities on two continents, and one change of 'showtime' clothes between places. On Friday, Jay-Z was in England at The Isle of Wight festival. In front of a massive crowd, he performed "Run This Town." From the start, it was obvious Rihanna wasn't coming out to croon the chorus, but Kanye West made a surprise appearance that drove everyone bonkers. more..

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The Karate Kid put a roundhouse on The A-Team this weekend, taking in $56 million over three days. Will Smith only has two movies with bigger first weekend numbers: Hancock and I Am Legend. Jackie Chan played a part in attracting movie goers; Taraji P. Henson was a bonus for some; but let's just call Jaden Smith the start of a new generation of Hollywood superstars. more..

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Lady Gaga's "Alejandro" video debuted yesterday, not surprisingly, a look around the net finds everyone talking about the hidden messages in the imagery.. "An homage to German moroseness? A tribute to the Illuminati? An attack on the Catholic Church?" Some are simply complaining that it isn't as fun and colorful as "Telephone." You know, this is different, not what I'm used to. I hate her now. Regardless of the answers, those are the types of remarks that will never be directed at this year's big Grammy winner, Taylor Swift. Yes, I'm still in disbelief (and apparently, salty) that Lady Gaga was so overlooked. more..

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Last night, Erykah Badu brought her "Out My Mind, Just in Time" tour to Roseland in NYC. All respects to Erykah Badu, I was really there because of her opening act - Janelle Monae was on the bill. I wanted to witness Janelle Monae live. So far, ArchAndroid is the best album of the year; the fact that no one seems to be buying it is another story. Questlove was the DJ for the night. When I walked in the door, I knew I had entered a true music zone, Questlove was playing the instrumental that Double Trouble rhymes over in Wild Style. You see, I lost 97% of you already. Questlove dubbed his set "A Lesson in Hip-Hop" and he truly dug deep, cueing up endless dusty albums, blended into the songs that sampled them. I got schooled, had no idea the flute in Jay-Z's "Big Pimpin" came from an Egyptian record, but considering it was produced by Timbaland - not surprised. more..

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Talk about one minute you're here, the next you're gone. It was just a few hours ago that I was checking on Gary Coleman's health status. After falling and hitting his head, he was suffering from a brain hemorrhage and was put on life support. I optimistically believed he'd pull through. What a shock to find his spirit decided it had enough and made the trip to Heaven's Gates. Gary Coleman was 42 years old. Gary Coleman was beloved on Diff'rent Strokes; correction, Gary Coleman was Diff'rent Strokes. His character, Arnold, with those pudgy cheeks, the lovable smile, who knew what the story lines were about, every episode you'd wait for it.. wait for it.. "What'choo talkin' bout, Willis?" more..

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50 Cent always finds a way to shock and awe. Most of the time it's what comes out of his mouth that's causing a ruckus. This afternoon, it was what his mouth looked like; more precisely - his entire mug. The picture up top was posted on thisis50.com. He looks like he hasn't had a meal in weeks. Considering the picture was taken in a kitchen, you'd think somebody would have tossed him a chicken leg, a plate of spaghetti, "Can a brother get a biscuit?" more..

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It's been three days since Janelle Monae's ArchAndroid was released; every morning since then I've pushed her album to dangerous decibels in my earphones. I'm fascinated by the level of detail in the music, and ecstatic her creativity was allowed to thrive without restriction. It's not a collection of 3 minute songs, ArchAndroid is a fun, high concept album, best heard from front to back. In fact, on the first listen, where you'd expect a fade to the next track, instead you'll find that four songs have seamlessly blended into each other. It's, pop, dance, jazzy, classical, Broadway theatre, soul and funky, all at once. more..

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And the party don't stop.. On Monday night, Rihanna performed at London's O2 arena, for one of eight dates on the UK leg of her "Last Girl on earth" tour. What does she do after an hour and a half of singing and kinda, sort of dancing? More of the same - this time fueled with alcohol; rum to be exact. After her O2 show, Rihanna and a friend were spotted at Mahiki, a Caribbean themed cocktail bar she and many other 'eclectic' types frequent whenever they're in London. Rihanna was reportedly partying until 4 in the morning. more..

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It's been about a year since Kerry Washington has made news around here, let's end that streak tonight. Dressed in purple and black, with obligatory star shades, Kerry Washington was spotted, this afternoon, walking into The Ed Sullivan Theater for an appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman, which will air tonight. This weekend her new movie, Mother and Child, will be in theatres in a limited NY/LA release. What's it about? Let's check the official Sony synopsis.. more..

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On April 20, at the age of 98, Civil rights activist and educator, Dorothy Height left this (partially) green globe. She was the president of the National Council of Negro Women for forty years and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1994. I will not pretend to know the details of her impact in the civil rights movement, but those who fought for our rights as equal citizens of this country deserve to be acknowledged and thanked for their efforts. It's nearly impossible for anyone of the hip-hop generation - not to mention internet babies - to imagine the life of African-Americans during 1937. That's when Dorothy Height was 25 years old and just beginning her life as a civil rights activist. Martin Luther King Jr., sparked by Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her seat, which sparked the Montgomery bus boycott and put the civil rights movement into full gear, wouldn't happen until, a rounded, 20 years later. more..

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On Tuesday morning I heard about Guru losing his fight against cancer, put a quick R.I.P. on Twitter and mumbled Gangstarr lyrics throughout the day. Man, we lost another one. In 1989, Guru and DJ Premier formed Gangstarr and from 1990 to 1998, Guru's monotone flow and DJ Premier's hard edge jazz/funk/where'd he get that samples blessed hip-hop fan's ears with music comparable to none - then or now. As a team, they spoke for the art of music, the intention to contribute a unique, honest expression of the streets to the hip-hop archives. Step in the Arena, Daily Operation, Hard to Earn, the singles, "Words I Manifest" and You Know My Steez. That is Gangstarr as I will forever remember them - and how I will forever remember Guru. more..

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Another day morning, another Nicki Minaj mention. Let's face it, it is impossible to have a legitimate conversation about who's hot in rap - male or female - without Nicki Minaj in the mix. While the industry's eyes were closed, Nicki went from nothing to someone all those industry types now want a piece of. Her army of fans/barbies are passionately in love with her, it should be all good, but some people aren't thrilled with all the attention Nicki Minaj's getting. more..

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On Thursday, Jennifer Hudson was the center of attention at a press event at The Glass Houses in New York. For a good reason, she shocked everyone in room with her new slim look. Seven months ago Jennifer Hudson gave birth to her first child, David. Some women hold on to their pregancy weight after giving birth, Jennifer Hudson got back to her normal weight and dropped some more. What's her secret? Weight Watchers. At the press conference she was introduced as their newest spokesperson. "I am enjoying the weight loss because I’m doing it the right way. I feel empowered with what I’ve learned, everything from portion control to what foods will help keep me satisfied. It’s a lifestyle change, not a diet," Jennifer said. more..

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Erykah Badu is a funny girl - in a good way. She's also forgetful. Erykah Badu tagged the video for "Window Seat" - a song off her new album New Amerykah Part Two: Return of the Ankh - as being inspired by Matt and Kim. I'll remind her that in 2006, she said to make it pop in the music industry, artists have to get down with butt naked Wednesdays. A little slap to critique female singers for selling ass and shakes for fame. Carved to the core.. "First you have to get yourself some breast implants. What's hot is the butt implant. You really want to rock somebody's world and make it in this business? Get you an ass implant. Get you some calf implants too, if you gonna be wearing them stilettos. You need to get your hair long. If you can.. get your scalp cut off and get you a whole nother scalp. Just be butt naked somewhere. Butt naked with glitter on you and a beeper!" more..

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Not shocked, but I am surprised: Sony has apparently blocked the music videos on Beyonce's official YouTube channel. The promotional pieces for House of Dereon are still available, but, try to get a third look at "Video Phone" and you get a message from YouTube's legal department, "This video contains content from Sony Music Entertainment, who has blocked it in your country on copyright grounds." more..

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On Saturday, March 20, Serena Williams and Selita Ebanks were guests at Telemundo's annual Women of Tomorrow bash. The Women of Tomorrow is a program that encourages young at-risk women to live up to their full potential. more..

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Young Iranians used Twitter to dispute election results; charities collected millions for victims of Haiti's earthquake; President Obama's address was discussed nationwide; and whenever Steve Jobs takes the stage for a new 'groundbreaking' Apple product announcement, it's a hot topic. With that deep breath, when nothing is going on in the world, Twitter's trend lists can be pretty ridiculous/juvenile. No intellectual holy water to splash. It's simply a reflection of the conversations people have on the daily; if Jack Dorsey had never sketched his vision of a SMS social network, people would still make those trend list topics public knowledge. more..

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