Hollywood Exes S2, Episode 4 (RECAP)

I've been trying to get this recap up for a while! The excitement from Beyonce's concert Monday night took over much of my week, especially Sunday night when Hollywood Exes aired! But it's here! Picking up from last week, Mayte arranges for Nelly to get a complete makeover when Mayte's dad comes over from Puerto Rico to meet Gia. Nelly hasn't seen him for over a year! After getting a fierce cut, she looks so good!

Meanwhile, Sheree and Andrea go shopping for the baby. They are genuinely happy for her, because Mayte has wanted to be a mom for so long! Of course, they end up talking about Jessica and her comments when she first saw Gia. Jessica just didn't get how a birth mother can give up her child. Even though she didn't mean it in a malicious way, it just wasn't the time or the place!

In The Spotlight: Monks of Mellonwah

On The Spotlight, I am dedicated to featuring more up and coming folks in the entertainment industry, including different artists. As an avid music lover, I have respect and appreciation for artists from all genres that have a great sound and powerful message! Today, I'm happy to present Monks of Mellonwah, an alternative/indie rock band hailing from Down Under--Sydney, Australia!

The group, made of Vikram Kaushik (Vocals/Guitar), Joe de la Hoyde (Lead Guitar), John de la Hoyde (Bass), and Joshua Baissari (Drums), has an incredible sound and strong, thought-provoking lyrics that are sure   Drawing inspiration from other rock artists such Led Zeppelin, Muse, Pink Floyd, and the Chili Peppers, Monks of Mellonwah have been going strong, garnering a huge buzz not only at home, but also worldwide! Check out more about the group below!

The Mrs. Carter Show Hits Washington D.C.!!!! (PICS & VIDEO)

"D.C. Say 'Heyyyyy Mrs. Carter....."

If you were at The Mrs. Carter Show last night, or any night for that matter, you know EXACTLY what I'm talking about. Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter and her crew hit Washington D.C. last night, with another show going down at the Verizon Center again tonight. I've been a major stan of hers since I was a kid, but have never seen her live...until last night. I bought these tickets back in FEBRUARY, and was close enough on the side to get GREAT video! It still surprises me that I didn't end up in the nosebleeds somewhere (my fellow Beyhive members are INTENSE).

The show was INCREDIBLE. I don't care what anyone says, and I promise I'm not saying this just as a stan. Beyoncé is the greatest performer IN. THE. WORLD. Her performances that you see on YouTube or on TV don't do her total justice. You honestly won't get it until you see her LIVE. I had to share some of my experiences, photos, and video from the show for you all! Fair warning, the video contains major clips from the show (for those who still haven't seen the show and want it to be a surprise)!

In The Spotlight: Ashley Chin (Part 2)

About three years ago, I did one of my first spotlights on an upcoming designer, Ashley Chin. At the time, both of us were kind of new at our dreams. I was 20, and had just started Spotlight  a little over a year ago back then, and Ashley was branching out into designing. Time has flown by, and all the while, I saw Ashley's continuous tweets about how her career was growing down in Miami, and was so happy for the progress she was making in reaching her goals! So when she hit me up a few weeks ago on Twitter, it was no question that we had to do a followup! Ashley and I had the chance to catch up on her newest ventures, her styling career, as well as new upcoming boutique Vane For Decades!

VH1 Releases Official TLC Crazy Sexy Cool Movie Teaser

VH1 has released a teaser of the TLC biopic, Crazy Sexy Cool, that the network plans to release this October! The movie stars Drew Sidora as Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, KeKe Palmer as Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas, and Lil Mama as the late great Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes. Though the biopic and casting decisions were definitely questionable at first, this teaser shows that VH1 may have got right!

Check out the teaser below!

Danity Kane In The Studio?!

Look who's back! After rumors of a possible Danity Kane reunion kicked off a while back, the girls might actually be pulling it off! Last night, group members Shannon Bex, Aubrey O’Day, Dawn Richard and Andrea Fimbres, hit the studio with Freshm3n 3 (producers of Chris Brown’s song ‘Love More’) for a recording session! The studio was even the same studio that their sophomore album Welcome To The Dollhouse was recorded in!

Dawn is still working on her solo career as an independent artist, planning to release her sophomore album, Blackheart, in October!

Looks like this reunion might seriously be happening! And without Diddy and Bad Boy, which I'm actually A-Ok about! I'm excited for them! I wish that D. Woods was a part, but she's chosen not to participate, which is fine. Four out of five ain't bad at all! It would definitely be a great time for them to make a comeback. Female groups are seriously lacking in music nowadawys. There are some great ones of course, but since the 2000s there has been a huge decline. Danity Kane could come back and make a great impact if they play this right!

Are you excited for a Danity Kane reunion?

Image via Aubrey O'Day

"The Dark Knight Rises"-The Challenge: Rivals II Episode 3 (RECAP)

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"Photo Shoot Ready"-The Game S6, E14 (RECAP)

Every Tuesday is Game Day! Picking up from last week, Malik and Reece finish up their little hookup in the hot tub. Malik is doing a Derek Blanks photo shoot for his water that Reece thinks will change her dad's mind about him. All of a sudden, a rock lands in the hot tub, which was thrown by Tori's son Brandon. Tori, Malik's assistant who he has hooked up with in the past, tells Malik that she had to bring him to the job. The father promised that he would pick Brandon up but never did. Malik tells her that it's fine, that "Malik Wright Inc" is pretty lax in the HR department. She and now rap artist Franko were high school sweethearts, but Franko focused on his rap career. Now she shares custody with him, but doesn't want him anymore because of the drama he brings.

Hollywood Exes S2, Episode 3 (RECAP)

Another great night of Hollywood Exes! Picking up from last week, Mayte and Nelly go on a last minute shopping trip for the new baby! Mayte has absolutely nothing for her new daughter, so she definitely has to get on it. The two are both so overwhelmed, but manage to get the bare essentials. Nelly gets a little excited and distracted with the shopping, but together, she and Mayte manage to get what they need for when the baby arrives.

Meanwhile, Sheree and her husband Terrell have officially sold the house in San Diego, with Terrell planning to move to L.A. to spend more time with his wife. Sheree goes through his stuff and wants to get rid of a lot of things, but Terrell has "quality items" he wants to keep. Sheree is going to have to get used to sharing her space again!

"Dirty Laundry"-Kelly Rowland (OFFICIAL VIDEO)

"When you’re soaked in tears for years, it never airs out. When you make pain look this good it never wears out"

Kelly Rowland has FINALLY released the explosive video for her latest single, "Dirty Laundry!" 

On the emotional track, Kelly sings about being on the sidelines while her former groupmate Beyonce's career took off, and how she spent years in an abusive relationship all the while. The song has garned a lot of buzz for the singer, as she laid it all out in the studio.

Check out the video below!

Kate Middleton and Prince William Welcome Their First Child!

Fabulous news for those of us on Royal Baby Watch! The Duchess of Cambridge, Catherine (Kate), and Prince William welcomed their first child today--a baby boy! Their son was born at 4:24 p.m., weighing 8 pounds 6 ounces, according to CNN. A name has not yet been announced for the child, who is now third in line to the throne.

It was reported earlier today that Kate was indeed in labor. She and Prince William traveled to the Lindo Wing at St. Mary's Hospital in England, where she had a healthy delivery!

More details to come! Congrats to the royal couple and family!

Image via CNN

"New Girl"-The Challenge: Rivals II Episode 2 (RECAP)

Another day in The Challenge world! After last week's elimination, everybody sleeps in the living room while CT, Johnny, Anastasia, Theresa, and Trey dress up as ninjas and get everybody with water balloons! Operation Ninja Raid was a success! Anastasia can't hide the fact that she likes CT and flirts with him, even though she has the feeling that she likes him more than she should. Uhhhh....duh girl!

The next day, Anastasia and CT continues to flirt. Diem walks in, and CT pulls her aside to talk to her. He tells her that he's trying to be nice, but she keeps playing games with him. She knows that she likes him, and he sees that too, and plans to break her down to admit. I wish they both would just both admit that they are still in love with each other already. We ALL know that...well, except for Anastasia's dumb behind!

"I Love Luke...AHH!"-The Game S6, E13 (RECAP)

Ready for another recap of The Game? Picking up from last week, Keira takes Blue around the set of her indie movie. Blue playfully taps her butt, but she tells him that "friends" don't do that. It's obvious that they have feelings for each other, but both of them are trying to pass it off. The next day is Blue's first official game of the season, but he still came out to support her and calm her nerves, which Keira appreciates. As Blue walks away, one of her co-stars taps her butt and Keira thinks nothing of it! In fact, she laughs, which raises an eyebrow with Blue.

Hollywood Exes S2, Episode 2 (RECAP)

Another Sunday night gone, another recap of Hollywood Exes! Picking up from last week, Nicole goes to Sacramento to spend time with his family after his father's passing. Her mom is hanging in there, but is still very much in shock. His father decided that he didn't want a funeral, but a celebration of life, so Nicole is planning that with her family, complete with a slideshow and karaoke! Funerals can be depressing, so this will be a happy time for her to remember her dad. She's sad that she couldn't make it in time to say her final goodbyes, but what's important is that she spends time with her fam now.

Remembering Cory Monteith

Saturday night was emotional. Not only did I find out that Trayvon Martin would not receive the justice he deserved in the acquittal of George Zimmerman (though I wasn't all that surprised), I also watched a Vancouver police press conference confirm that Glee's Cory Monteith had passed away. I couldn't even write a post about this when it first happened. I didn't want to read more into the details. Those who know me know that I am a very big Gleek. I've watched the show from the very beginning, bought DVDs and other merchandise, and even went by myself to the movies to see the Glee concert movie in 3D. I've watched, laughed, and talked about the show with friends since it came out. That's just how much I love and respect this show, and the positive message and humor that it brings. So to say that Cory's passing is an emotional shock is an understatement.

It may seem silly or weird to be emotionally touched by a celebrity's death, but I was the same with Michael Jackson and the same with Whitney Houston. You feel a connection through these celebrities' work, you know? So I'm really sad and disheartened. However I wanted to make a post just a few of my favorite moments with Cory and the cast on Glee, to celebrate his life and his work on this show. Check them out below.

Lady Gaga Announces ARTPOP Album, Single, and App!

Lady Gaga has been WORKING on her hiatus! She announced to her stans, the Monsters and other fans and media on Facebook today, that she will be releasing a new album, ARTPOP, on Nov. 11, with the first single to be released on Aug. 19! She is also creating a new app that will surround the new album!

ARTPOP, which will be Gaga's third album, "musically mirrors Gaga's creative process as she passes through the mediums of each artist she collaborates with, scoring a blueprint of her journey," according to the official press release. This, results in "a 'rage' of electronic passion and fury, defining each artist's process from beginning to end." Although ARTPOP "could mean anything," for Gaga herself it is "a celebration of obsession." With a description like that, this album is sure to be very artistic! I'm expecting big things!!

Read more below!

"Rumble In The Jungle"-The Challenge: Rivals II Season Premiere (RECAP)

In keeping up with my tradition of recapping MTV's The Challenge, I'm following the latest installment of the series--Rivals II! Real World and Challenge alum come together to duke it for a huge cash prize, but the catch is they are paired up with their WORST ENEMIES for the entire season, and I love it!

Rivals takes the cast to Phuket, Thailand, where T.J. Lavin, host of the show since its eleventh season, gets the teams together. Already, we see ego and dislike among the teams, because these are people that have gotten into arguments or physical fights with! Here are the teams: Wes and CT, Diem and Aneesa, Zach and Trey, Real World Portland rookies Anastasia and Jessica, Derek and Robb, Paula and Emily, Ty and Leroy, Naomi and Cooke, Preston and Knight, Jemmye and Camila, Tyrie and Dunbar, Sarah and Trishelle, Portland rookies Jordan and Marlon , Nany and Jonna, Theresa and Jasmine, and Johnny and Frank who have had some serious beef...on Twitter!

"I'm Not Kelly Pitts"-The Game S6, E12 (RECAP)

Every Tuesday is Game Day! Picking up from last week's explosive episode, Chardonnay and Tasha spend time together at Spadonnay. Tasha tells her that this spa gift doesn't make up for what Jason did to her. Chardonnay tells her that he doesn't want for Chardonnay to hang out with Tasha, but she's going to hang out with whoever she wants, because she does whatever she wants to do. But then, at that moment, Jason walks in, and Chardonnay automatically tries to block him from seeing Tasha!

Kate Middleton and Prince William Plan Royal Baby Tour

Well this is different! The Duchess and Duke of Cambridge, Kate Middleton and Prince William, will show off their coming newborn when the family embarks on a royal baby tour in spring 2014! "The trip is planned for Australia and New Zealand," a source told Us Weekly.

Kate's due date is in TWO days on July 11, but she said herself in April, "babies have their own agenda." Regardless, news of the birth will be revealed via a framed announcement placed on a wood and gold easel behind the gates of Buckingham Palace. The couple and their staff have done an amazing job in keeping details about the royal babe private, but eventually they will share with the public.

Hollywood Exes Season 2 Premiere (RECAP)

My show Hollywood Exes has returned for a second season, and I'm excited to be recapping! For those who may be new, the show follows five women--Mayte Garcia, Sheree Fletcher Jessica Canseco, Andrea Kelly, and Nicole Murphy--who were all married to big time celebs, and are now doing their own thing. They all connect and relate to each other because of their similar circumstances. Last season, the girls got to know each other better and bonded, as well as had drama over their differences. However, the good has far outweighed the bad, especially in comparison to other reality TV shows, which is why I keep watching.

Kanye West Collaborating with APC Clothing for New Men's Line

Kanye West is making his way back in the fashion lane, planning to launch a menswear collection in collaboration with French label APC. Buyers and fans will be able to see the line when it's revealed on July 14!

The label hit Twitter and Instagram to announce the news, posting a close-up shot of some jeans baring the label A.P.C. KANYE, and the text: "A.P.C. KANYE CAPSULE COLLECTION, JULY 14. #apc #kanyewest". There's no confirmed details on the line, but, according to reports, it's supposed to include men's denim, hoodies, and t-shirts.

In The Spotlight: Malik Saunders

Happy Friday all! Hope everyone had a great Fourth of July, enjoyed good food, and watched plenty of fireworks! Starting this quiet morning with an artist spotlight, and I'm so excited to feature his story. To my upcoming artists, designers, producers, etc, out there, I would love to hear your story too! It's my goal to feature at least one person a month, so feel free to email me for a feature! 

Author Malik Saunders, pen name Blatant Guyon, has made a major impact telling his life story and speaking about a near-fatal accident that has greatly affected his life. Taking what seemed like a negative 

Read more about Malik below! 

Being Mary Jane Pilot (RECAP)

“42% of black women have never been married. Mary Jane is one of them. But she doesn't represent all of them.”

Being Mary Jane is an upcoming scripted series on BET which stars Gabrielle Union as Mary Jane Paul, a successful TV journalist who seems to have it all, but is struggling to meet Mr. Right. The pilot premiered last night, and I must say it was a good one!

"Successful. Sexy. Searching," is the tagline for the show, and it's describes Mary Jane to the tee! We see right from the get go that Mary Jane is doing her thing, with her gorgeous big house and beautiful care. However, she’s very much alone. She has had relations with one guy, but, after finding out that he’s married, she ends it, hosing him down after a romp the night before. She even goes as far as to tell the man’s wife when she sees her in passing one day, who was a big fan of hers up until that day.

Alec Baldwin Gives Up Twitter, Thinks about Quitting Acting

Alec Baldwin has officially given up Twitter…and acting might go out the window soon too! The veteran actor deleted his Twitter account after going off on a British journalist who claimed that his wife, Hilaria, was tweeting during The Sopranos’ actor James Gandolfini's funeral.

While he later apologized, he defended his decision to quit social media in an interview with Vanity Fair. "I went to Jimmy Gandolfini's funeral, and when I was there I realized Jimmy Gandolfini didn't have Twitter. Jimmy Gandolfini was so beloved as a person, and he was so admired as an actor, and he didn't give a f–– about social media," Alec explained. He continued, "I really learned a lesson at the funeral. I said to myself, This is all a waste of time. Meaning it's fun sometimes, but less and less, and less. It's just another chink in your armor for people to come and kill you. I stopped and said to myself, I'm going to try where I just don't do this anymore."

"The Busted Episode"-The Game S6 E11 (RECAP)

The Game is back from hiatus! Didn’t get to finish the recap of the last episode, but here it is in a nutshell. Blue found out that he took Keira’s virginity, and was pissed that she lied about it. They, unfortunately, ending things before they could ever really get started! AND after Chardonnay finally tells Jason that Tasha is the one messing around with Rick, not her, Jason barges in on Tasha and they get in a huge fight. When Pookie comes over and sees the drama, he quickly puts Jason in a chokehold and demands to know what’s going on!

"Without Me"-Fantasia feat. Kelly Rowland & Missy Elliott (OFFICIAL VIDEO)

Fantasia has officially released the video for her hot track, "Without Me," which features the talent of Kelly Rowland and Missy Elliott. Directed by Gomillion and Leupold, the video is definitely a different style for Fantasia (reminiscent of her "Hood Boy" vid). She sings about a dude that's now acting brand new now that she put him on (*side eye goes to Mr. ____*).

Check out the video below!

REVIEW: BET Awards 2013

Last night was the biggest night of the year for BET—the star-studded BET Awards 2013! Of course, I’ve been reviewing this show since I started The Spotlight, so, for the fifth time, here we go!

The pre-show, hosted by Angela Simmons and Bow Wow (they really did fire those other 106 & Park hosts, huh?), was simply the pre-show. Nothing bad. Nothing great either. You watch to see if your favorite artists will be interviewed or if you’ll see them on the red carpet. We saw stars like Mindless Behavior, J. Cole, Big Sean, Charlie Wilson, and power couples like Robin Thicke and Paula Patton, as well Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade. Tamar Braxton even took the first award for the night--the Centric Award for "Love and War!" And her post-baby body looks great! Congrats to her! The performances were nothing spectacular to me, mostly because I don’t listen to or know anybody who performed really. After a while, it all starts to sound the same, so I just waited for the show to begin.

Check out more about the BET Awards below!