Entertainment

Justin Bieber’s pal Lil Twist jailed for assault

2016-12-01T00:59:00.003-08:00

The 23-year-old rapper acknowledged that he beat up fellow artist and former child star Chris Massey two years ago at the Los Angeles apartment of the victim’s brother, Kyle Massey.
Chris Massey had asked Lil Twist to leave a party and he returned half an hour later with four others as Lil Twist subdued him, kicked him and pummeled him with brass knuckles, prosecutors said.
Lil Twist, whose real name is Christopher Moore, pleaded guilty in court to five counts including assault and robbery.
He was given one year in prison, avoiding a longer term if he went to trial, the Los Angeles district attorney’s
office said.
Lil Twist had until recently been a constant presence around Bieber, frequently appearing at parties with the onetime teenage star who became notorious for his legal run-ins.
In 2013, Lil Twist was pulled over and arrested for driving under the influence while driving the Canadian singer’s Ferrari.
While best known on the celebrity circuit, Lil Twist is signed to rapper Lil Wayne’s label Young Money. Lil Twist’s songs include “Twerk,” which features both Bieber and Miley Cyrus.

Brad Pitt Will Spend Thanksgiving Apart from Angelina Jolie and Their Children, Says Source

2016-11-24T03:44:00.004-08:00

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie won’t be playing happy family for the holiday.

Pitt will not be spending Thanksgiving with his estranged wife or their six children, a source tells PEOPLE.

The Allied star was cleared by the FBI of charges that he got physical with 15-year-old Maddox on the family’s private jet in September and the Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) also concluded its investigation into the incident earlier this month with no findings of abuse.

However, Pitt and Jolie remain in the midst of a complicated legal battle for custody of their six children. Pitt filed a response to Jolie’s divorce petition on Nov. 4 and asked to share joint physical and legal custody of Maddox, Pax, 12, Zahara, 11, Shiloh, 10, and 8-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne. Jolie

has requested sole physical custody, with visitation for Pitt.

Per a temporary recommendation by DCFS, for the past several weeks the children have been living with Jolie, with supervised visitation for Pitt. But Pitt “has been very unhappy with the arrangement,” a source recently told PEOPLE. “He loves his kids and wants to spend more time with them.”

In years past, Pitt and Jolie have talked about relishing the holidays as a family. Last year, the 52-year-old actor revealed he wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty in the kitchen when it comes to holiday cooking, even with his large family.

“Yeah, I’ll get in there, I’ll mess it up a little bit,” he told Extra. “We got Thanksgiving, man, I’m all over that turkey.”

Singer Ricky Martin to wed Syrian-born artist Jwan Yosef

2016-11-19T00:45:00.004-08:00

Ricky Martin speaks during the show for the 2016 Latin GRAMMY's Person Of The Year honoring Marc Anthony at the MGM Grand on November 16, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada.Valerie Macon/AFP

Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin announced this week that he plans to wed his partner of one year, Syrian-born artist Jwan Yosef, whom he met after getting interested in his art.
Martin, one of the biggest stars of the Latin music world, made the announcement on Wednesday’s “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.”
The 44-year-old singer, who is an art collector, said he had contacted the painter after seeing some of his conceptual work.
“I saw his art and I went crazy, cause I really love what he does, really original, and so I contacted him,” Martin said on the show.

He said the couple had known each other for a little more than a year and were now living together.
“We just got engaged,” he gushed, showing off his engagement ring.
Martin said his husband-to-be gets along really well with his eight-year-old twins, who were born to a surrogate mother.
In an interview with Vogue Arabia published in November, Yosef said he was born in the small Syrian town of Ras Al-Ayn but had lived most of his life in Sweden and Britain.
He only recently moved to Los Angeles.

Bruce and Beyonce lead stars in last Clinton push

2016-11-08T05:36:00.002-08:00

Top musicians from Bruce Springsteen to Beyonce to Madonna rallied behind Hillary Clinton as the United States prepared to elect a new president Tuesday, adding A-list star power to a massive get-out-the-vote operation.
Springsteen, one of the biggest concert attractions in the rock universe, warmed up an election eve rally Monday night in Philadelphia, where he hailed Clinton for her “vision of an America where everyone counts.”
“Let’s all do our part so we can look back on 2016 and say we stood with Hillary Clinton on the right side of history,” Springsteen told the roughly 40,000 people assembled near Independence Hall.
Springsteen, who has long championed the US working class in song but avoided overt politics until 2004, charged that Republican candidate Donald Trump would “prioritize his own interests and ego before American democracy itself.”
The rally was the largest ever in Clinton’s bid to be America’s first woman president.
Springsteen was joined by fellow rocker Jon Bon Jovi as well as President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle.

Bon Jovi later flew with Clinton to another critical state, North Carolina, for a midnight rally with Lady Gaga, who urged civility after one of the most divisive elections in memory.
“I know that it is important for this message, too, to be spread — that we do not need to hate his followers,” Lady Gaga said to applause from a youthful audience in Raleigh.
Madonna meanwhile roused Clinton backers in New York with a surprise outdoor concert, taking out an acoustic guitar to perform hits including “Express Yourself.”
“As far as I’m concerned, we still live in an extremely chauvinistic, sexist, misogynist country and that is why Hillary Clinton needs to be president,” said Madonna, sporting a knit cap in the design of the US flag.
Madonna voiced dread over the prospect of a Trump presidency, asking the crowd in Washington Square: “Do we want to be the laughing stock of the planet?”
– Trump denounces ‘filthy’ rap lyrics –
While US pop stars have long leaned to the left, the tilt toward Clinton is unprecedented in a modern election, with Trump virtually shunned by the music world.
Trump spent the last days of his campaign repeatedly denouncing pop superstar Beyonce and her rap mogul husband Jay Z, who played for Clinton on Friday in Ohio.
Trump hit back by claiming to have drawn bigger crowds. He took aim at language by Jay Z, who like many rappers frequently uses profanity and did not edit his lyrics for the Clinton rally.
“Isn’t it amazing that… Jay Z and Beyonce use filthy language in the songs, using words that if I ever said those words, it would be the reinstitution of the electric chair, right?” Trump told a rally in Florida.
Despite Trump’s concern about profanity, one of his few musical backers, hard rocker Ted Nugent, also used unprintable words when he introduced the Republican at a rally Sunday in Michigan.
Nugent, who has previously called for the death of Clinton and Obama, grabbed his crotch on stage and quipped, “I’ve got your blue state right here, black and blue,” referring to the color associated with the Democratic Party.
Nugent, a gun enthusiast, returned to introduce Trump late Monday and devoted his remarks to mocking animal rights activists.
– Focus on turnout –
Trump, who has described undocumented Mexican immigrants as “rapists” and boasted of forcing himself on women, has faced complaints from a long list of stars including the Rolling Stones and Adele for playing their songs at rallies.
Trump, a former reality television host, nonetheless has several backers in Hollywood, notably Clint Eastwood.
Celebrity entertainers invariably ensure large crowds at a point in the campaign when weak turnout would be optically disastrous.
But big-name performances also allow campaigns to collect contact details for sympathetic voters — crucial in the polarized country where elections increasingly are won by mobilizing turnout rather than persuading the undecided.
Other prominent artists who have performed for Clinton include Katy Perry — whose hit “Roar” has appeared in commercials — as well as Jennifer Lopez, Pharrell Williams and Stevie Wonder.
Chance the Rapper on Monday led droves of young voters to the polls in his hometown Chicago, glam singer Miley Cyrus knocked on students’ doors in Virginia and indie rockers The National played a free pro-Clinton show in their native Ohio.

Nigerian artistes win big as AFRIMA ends awards

2016-11-07T01:53:00.002-08:00

The award ceremonies of the third edition of the Africa Music Awards came to an end on Sunday in Lagos as Nigerian artistes took the center stage.
Apart from the renowned and veteran musician, King Sunny Ade, who was presented with a special recognition award for his role in Nigerian and African music, other Nigerian artistes went home with various awards.
Chinedu Izuchukwu Okoli, popularly known as Flavor, got two awards.
One as the Best Male Artist and the other for being the Best African Contemporary artist in the year under review.
Aramide also got the award for the Best Female Artist in West Africa, while Falz and Phyno got the award for the Revelation of the Year and Fan’s Favorite.

A night that turned out to be heavily dominated by Nigerian musicians, saw Nigeria’s Ninola and Edrisa Musuuza of Uganda, better known as Eddy Kenzo, put up a scintillating performance of “Mbilo mbilo”, which was later adjudged as the Best African Collaboration of the Year, and Patoranking taking the award for the Best African Reggae.
Apart from musical giants in the African music industry that graced the occasion, the Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode; his wife, Bolanle; his Deputy, Dr. Idiat Adebule; and the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, were also in attendance.
The audience was entertained with live performances by the likes of Psquare, Phyno, Patoranking, Shayi Shay, Falz and other African artists.

Justin Bieber tops MTV Europe awards, as Beyonce snubbed

2016-11-07T01:51:00.001-08:00

Pop superstar Justin Bieber pipped Lady Gaga at the MTV Europe Music awards Sunday, snapping up the lion’s share as megastar Beyonce was left empty-handed.
In the high-energy show in the Dutch port of Rotterdam, the chart-topping Canadian singer’s legendary army of fans dubbed “Beliebers” helped him slay Gaga’s “monsters” to see him win three awards including for Biggest Fans.
Bieber also managed to beat off competition from Adele’s “Hello” to win Best Song for his hit “Sorry” and he pocketed the Best Canadian act as well.
Eccentric pop icon Lady Gaga, who once wore a dress made of meat, snapped up two awards, winning Best Female act and Best Look.
Neither Bieber or Lady Gaga were in Rotterdam to receive their awards.
And in a surprise Beyonce — who like Bieber had been nominated in five categories and had dominated MTV’s signature Video Music Awards in New York in August — was denied a share of
the honours.
The award for Best Video went to fast-rising Canadian R&B sensation The Weeknd for his “Starboy” beating Beyonce’s “Formation” from her acclaimed album “Lemonade”.
Best Video is determined by MTV’s editorial team, but most categories are decided by voting by fans.
The Weeknd performed his winning song, one of his few appearances ahead of a tour next year, emerging from a star-filled dome onto the Rotterdam stage.
The high-octane night also belonged to teenage Canadian sensation, Shawn Mendes, 18, who elbowed his countryman Bieber out of the way to take the award for Best Male. He also won best Worldwide Act.
Mendes thanked everyone at the ceremony, and sent special wishes to his mum as it was her birthday.
American duo Twenty One Pilots also took two honours, for Best Live act and Best Alternative.
The fast-paced show, hosted by American singer-songwriter Bebe Rexha who smoothly went through 15 stunning outfit changes, wowed the audience packed into the Ahoy Centre in Rotterdam.
Bruno Mars and Kings of Leon were the headline performing sensations. Funk-pop singer Mars opened the show with an electric performance of his “24K Magic”.
– ‘Floating high’ –
And San Francisco punk rockers Green Day received a “Global Icon” award, and raised the roof when live fireworks exploded around them for their rendition of “Bang Bang.”
They also raised cheers when they said it was “nice to be out of America just for a second” ahead of Tuesday’s elections, saying the US was about to have a “big heart attack”.
Green Day led a rebirth of punk rock in the early 1990s and the band last year was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in its first year of eligibility.
In other awards, Best Pop went to American girl group Fifth Harmony and Best Rock to British rockers Coldplay, while the Canadian rapper Drake took home the Best Hip Hop award.
The home crowd also gave big cheers to Dutch DJ Martin Garrix who won the Best Electronics and the Best World Stage award.
Best new act went to Sweden’s Zara Larsson, while US funk dance band DNCE took the Best Push award after performing their hits “Cake By The Ocean” and “Body Moves” from a platform floating high above the auditorium.
And reflecting the rainy weather outside, One Republic played their new song “Let’s Hurt Tonight” as rain poured down on them, leaving them splashing in pools of water.
The MTV Europe Music Awards aims to reach a more international audience than the network’s signature US-based Video Music Awards, and is held in a different European city every year.

Coolio Pleads Guilty to Possession of Concealed Weapon: ‘I Do Not Condone the Use of Firearms’

2016-10-27T04:49:00.002-07:00

Coolio Pleads Guilty to Possession of Concealed Weapon: ‘I Do Not Condone the Use of Firearms’

Coolio pled guilty to possession of a concealed weapon in Los Angeles Wednesday.

The rapper, whose real name is Artis Leon Ivey Jr., avoided jail time and instead was placed on probation for three years, as well as ordered to complete 45 days of community service. The felony charge will also be reduced to a misdemeanor if he remains on his best behavior and does not use or carry a gun for one year.

“It was a misunderstanding,” Coolio, 53, told reporters outside of court, according to TMZ and the Los Angeles Times. “I do not condone the use of firearms, illegal or legal. Thanks to the court and the attorneys handling this for me so I can still do the good work that I do … I was very worried. I don’t do crime and I am not into anything illegal, so it should be easy .”

Coolio’s manager did not return request for comment.

Last month, Coolio was arrested after a firearm was allegedly discovered in his bag during a screening at Los Angeles International Airport. At the time, Coolio’s rep said the firearm belonged to a member of Coolio’s security team and that he was fully cooperating with police, according to TMZ.

The “Gangsta’s Paradise” rapper also released a video statement on YouTube on Sept. 17, calling the incident a “misunderstanding” and showing that he was out on bail, enjoying a dinner at P.F. Chang’s.

“I don’t know what’s going to be the result of this in the future but for now I’m fine and I appreciate everybody’s concerns,” he said. “We gotta push on and try to forward, forward hip-hop.”

According to a statement from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office earlier this month, Coolio was facing one felony count of possession of a firearm by a felon with two priors.

David Beckham Has Boys’ Night Out With Sons at L.A. Kings Match

2016-10-27T04:46:00.001-07:00

Four Beckham boys are better than one!

The audience at Tuesday’s L.A. Kings match was much more attractive than usual as David Beckham and his three sons — Brooklyn, 17, Romeo, 14, and Cruz, 11 — were in attendance. The retired soccer star posted an Instagram photo of his arms around the boys by their primo seats, writing, “Boys night at the Kings.”

No longer living in L.A. full time, the London-based quartet seemed to be enjoying their American sports fix.

Kourtney Kardashian Steals Sister Kim’s Racy Style at Kanye West’s L.A. Concert

2016-10-27T04:39:00.001-07:00

Kourtney Kardashian and Kim Kardashian rock similar styles one month apart. (Photo: AKM-GSI)

Kourtney Kardashian wore something very Kimlike at Kanye West’s Tuesday show at the Forum in Los Angeles. The 37-year-old stepped out in a sheer, lacy black bodysuit paired with black lace-up pants and a denim “Pablo” jacket — merchandise from the tour — for her brother-in-law’s performance.

The ensemble was similar to ones her younger sister Kim Kardashian, 36, has worn in the past. Those Kardashians do love their bodysuits! And they’ve been known to regularly steal each other’s style.

Meanwhile, Kim — accompanied by “a dozen or so armed guards, as well as Kourtney and

sister Kendall Jenner; mom Kris Jenner and her boyfriend, Corey Gamble; and BFF Jonathan Cheban — made her first public appearance at the show since she was robbed at gunpoint earlier this month in Paris. She continued to stay in the background, however, and did not pose for cameras. She also didn’t post anything on social media, keeping with her social media fast of the past few weeks.

However, Khloé Kardashian hasn’t pulled back much on social media in the wake of Kim’s terrifying encounter. On the night of Kanye’s show, the 32-year-old reality star shared a blingy Instagram photo of her sparkling hand touching the hand of boyfriend Tristan Thompson. They were celebrating her current flame receiving his flashy NBA championship ring along with the rest of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

So, don’t worry, because even though the Kardashians have been a little quieter than usual, they are still going strong.

Surprise! Michael Phelps and Nicole Johnson Have Been Secretly Married for Months

2016-10-27T04:31:00.001-07:00

Surprise! Michael Phelps and Nicole Johnson Have Been Secretly Married for Months

Surprise — Michael Phelps and Nicole Johnson are married!

The couple tied the knot in a secret ceremony on June 13 in Paradise Valley, Arizona, PEOPLE confirms after obtaining a copy of their record of marriage.

The ceremony was officiated by agent and close friend Peter Carlisle, who often posts photos of Phelps, Johnson and their 6-month-old baby boy, Boomer Phelps, to his Instagram account. TMZ was the first to report the news.

During the Rio Olympics in August, Phelps told PEOPLE that the couple had a date set for a wedding — but it seems they had already been married for more than two months at the time of the Aug. 23 interview.

“I really can’t wait to get married. It will be a small destination wedding later this year. It’s the next big milestone I’m looking forward to,” he said.

Johnson, who has changed her Instagram name to “Nicole Michele Johnson,” posted a casual-looking photo on the same day of the June nuptials with the caption, “Such a memorable night with my liil fambam. boomer obviously didn’t want to hold still.”

Phelps popped the question to Johnson in February of 2015, and in May they welcomed baby Boomer. Johnson and Boomer memorably attended the Rio Olympics (where the infant wore adorable outfits!) and cheered on Phelps as he picked up a record-breaking 23rd gold medal.

Bruno Mars to present new song at MTV Europe Awards

2016-10-11T05:01:00.000-07:00

Bruno Mars will return to the global concert stage when he performs his fun-loving new song at the MTV European Music Awards, the network announced Tuesday.
The funk-pop singer, who scored a string of hits before taking a hiatus, will sing his “24K Magic” at the EMAs, which will be broadcast live on November 6 from Rotterdam.
The youth network said that Mars was the first in a series of performers it would announce for the
televised spectacle geared toward MTV’s international audience.
“24K Magic,” a party anthem with synthesizers and funk beats reminiscent of early Janet Jackson, came out last week as the first single off Mars’s album of the same name that will come out on November 18.
The 31-year-old multi-instrumentalist from Hawaii became a fixture on Top 40 radio with pop tracks from his last album, 2012’s “Unorthodox Jukebox.”
Mars had been comparatively silent as he prepared his new album but played the Super Bowl halftime show in February and on Saturday will appear on “Saturday Night Live,” both major draws on US television.
Beyonce, who triumphed in MTV’s signature Video Music Awards in New York in August, is tied with Justin Bieber for the most nominations at the European show.

Africans tuning into more local TV programmes

2016-10-11T04:00:00.000-07:00

Raised on the backstabbing intrigue of 1980s American soaps “Dallas” and “Dynasty”, and later, the heady drama of South American telenovelas, Africans are enjoying a surge in local TV content they can finally identify with.
It took a while, but in the past decade local programming has soared in sub-Saharan Africa’s key economies, a rise driven by both foreign satellite networks and television stations on the continent.
This growth has delivered up local shows such as Kenya’s comedic “Real Househelps of Kawangware” — a play on the US “Real Housewives” series — along with talk shows, political satire and continent-wide reality TV such as “Big Brother Africa” and “Project Fame”.
And demand is set to grow with the number of households owning a television expected to double to more than 150 million in the next 10 years, according to TV market research firm Dataxis.

To Olivier Laouchez, head of French music network Trace, offering local content is simply “common sense”.
“When you want to enter into people’s lives, you need to speak their language. Emotion is stronger when you speak to them in their language and with content they can identify with,” said Laouchez, who has launched eight channels on the continent.
The group has dedicated channels in Nigeria, in Swahili-speaking nations such as Kenya and Tanzania, and in Portuguese-language countries Angola and Mozambique, all with local programmes.
And because the channels are often available to subscribers in the same package, Nigerian music lovers can see what is happening on the Kenyan scene or elsewhere.
Many channels are going even deeper, with programmes targeting specific regions and ethnic groups in local languages.
In Kenya for example, Inooro TV, launched in October 2015, broadcasts only in Kikuyu, the most widely spoken language in the country.
According to Dataxis, Africa’s audiovisual market is currently worth $6 billion dollars (5.3 billion euros) annually, and could reach $8.6 billion in the next five years.
– Nigerian superheroes –
One of the continent’s frontrunners in all things big and small screen, Nigeria has a 70 percent local content quota, and has had homegrown series running since the 1970s.
“There were local dramas … akin with the telenovelas you have today where we have characters that are larger than life and Nigerians would look forward to going home to watch them at eight o’clock prime time,” said Eugenia Abu, executive director of Nigeria’s television authority.
“It kind of evolved from there, that this was possible, that stars could be made within Nigeria, that it didn’t have to be an American superhero.
Abu said the booming “Nollywood” film industry was largely to thank for the surge in local content.
“There was a gap. The population is huge and that gap needed to be filled with entertainment of people that are easily recognisable, that are Nigerians,” she told AFP.
In rival powerhouse South Africa, the local SABC broadcasting corporation earlier this year announced a 90 percent target for local content on radio and television.
However, in a sign of the challenges faced by broadcasters, local media has decried a resulting ratings disaster at the already beleaguered SABC, as high-income households spurn cheaply made local shows.
– ‘Time, means, artists’ –
Still Nigeria and South Africa are exceptions. Smaller African countries have only in recent years seen a burst in homegrown television.
“It takes time, means and artists,” to increase local content, said Amoordalingum Pather, director general of the national broadcaster MBC in Mauritius, which has 17 channels and hopes to move from 10 to 70 percent local content.
At the first edition of a new African TV industry summit which was held last month in Mauritius, boosting local content was one of the main topics.
For Bernard Azria, whose production and distribution company Cote Ouest has long been a leader in francophone sub-Saharan Africa, the real debate is getting African companies to share in the burgeoning market.
“There is a window of opportunity for African companies to take ownership of their audiovisual market” before foreign companies sweep in and dominate, he said.

Drake sets new record for American Music Award nods

2016-10-11T02:48:00.001-07:00

Rap chart-topper Drake on Monday earned a record 13 nominations for the American Music Awards, topping the mark set by late king of pop Michael Jackson.
The Toronto rapper, whose “Views” has been the top-selling album released this year in the United States, was in the running for Artist of the Year and raked in other nominations thanks to his slew of collaborations.
But on the same day as his nomination glory, Drake postponed the final three performances of his “Summer Sixteen” tour under doctors’ orders, his spokesperson said.
“Drake suffered a severe ankle injury during the tour which he did his best to power through. By doing this, he made his injury worse,” the spokesperson said, adding that Drake needed time to recuperate and “give fans the performances they deserve.”
Drake, whose hits such as “Hotline Bling” have won him an avid fan base, had been due to play
two nights in New York’s Barclays Center before closing his tour Saturday in nearby Newark.
The rapper, who turns 30 later this month, beat the nomination record set by Jackson, who in 1984 was in line for 11 awards amid the colossal success of his “Thriller” album.
Winners of the American Music Awards are based on fan voting in contrast to the more prestigious Grammy Awards, for which the Recording Academy surveys industry professionals.
Boy band One Direction, who were never nominated for a Grammy, won Artist of the Year at the past two American Music Awards.
ABC television, which will broadcast the awards gala in Los Angeles on November 20, announced the nominations on its “Good Morning America” program.
The other nominees for Artist of the Year include ballad singer Adele, whose “25” released last year is the strongest selling album in years and considered a Grammy front-runner, and pop diva Beyonce.
The other nominees in the top category are arena-packing singers Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande and Rihanna, R&B sensation The Weeknd, alternative pop duo Twenty One Pilots and country star Carrie Underwood.
Grammy nominations are expected to be unveiled in early December, with the awards taking place on February 12.

Felabration: Gbajabiamila, others urge Nigerians against mental slavery

2016-10-11T02:45:00.000-07:00

Nigerians have been urged to liberate themselves from mental slavery in other to gain economic freedom.
This was the position of Majority Leader, House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiala, Adebola Williams and Executive Director, Moyo Pan-Afrikan Solidarity Centre, Sister Affiong L. Affiong yesterday at the eighth Fela Debate Series held in Ikeja, Lagos.
The debate was moderated by Executive Director, Centre for African Culture and Development, Prof. Sophie Oluwole.
They declared that the first slavery was worse than the second slavery, which they referred to as mental slavery. They spoke on the topic ‘Movement Against Second Slavery’, a title of one of Fela’s songs, noting that the movement seems to have lost steam, as the black man has been
enslaved by his own choices.
Gbajabiamila argued that with that song, Fela was referring to the military government. According to him, “Perhaps, he meant religious, social and economic slavery. Nigeria imports virtually everything today, including food, despite our agricultural endowments. The consequences of this are seen in the scarcity of food we are facing.”
Gbajabiamila lamented the negative influence of foreign movies and music on the younger generation, adding, “some of our children don’t even speak our languages. The dress sense and supposed high fashion copied from the West leaves nothing to desire.”
He said although the battle might have been lost, Nigeria could still win the war by retaining her values.
On his part, Williams said it was sad that instead of the black man uniting with his kind, he is rather doing the opposite.
He also argued that those in government constantly steal from the nation’s treasury and consequently impoverish the citizenry.
He urged the Nigerian media to be credible in stimulating and educating the public on the works of the black man, adding, “The media needs to drive agenda and shape conversation.”
Williams emphasised that history needs to be included in the country’s school curriculum, saying, “The people who do not know their past cannot comprehend the future.”
He said the battle for freedom was more spiritual than physical and urged Nigerians to shun mediocrity and give their best to the country.
Affiong argued that Nigeria is a neo-colonial country still enslaved by the colonial masters. According to her, “the so-called developed countries are so because of our labour; we elevate our oppressors because of inferiority complex. We need to have a revolution to loosen the chains of slavery.”
She further described second slavery as advance colonialism with implications for the state of the mind. She also said the removal of history in the school curriculum is a total disaster Nigeria has unleashed on herself, adding that “there has to be a 21st-century historical movement on our part against second slavery”.

London Film Festival opens with spotlight on diversity

2016-10-06T02:35:00.001-07:00

The London Film Festival opened its 60th edition Wednesday with a spotlight on ethnic minority actors and filmmakers, reflecting a debate over the lack of diversity currently raging in Hollywood.
“We really wanted to shine a light on black stars,” festival director Clare Stewart told AFP as the event opened with a tale of inter-racial love in Botswana by British director Amma Asante who was born to Ghanaian parents.
“I’m incredibly excited by just how dynamic, and broad, and urgent and challenging and entertaining are a lot of the films that are coming from black storytellers in this line-up,” Stewart added.
First up was Asante’s “A United Kingdom”, an account of the real-life marriage of Botswana prince Seretse Khama, played by David Oyelowo, and a white English woman, Ruth Williams,
played by Rosamund Pike.
Pike said her character had “tremendous pluck”, adding: “The certainty with which she undertook her love and commitment to her marriage, I found it inspiring.”
At the time, Botswana was called Bechuanaland and was a protectorate of the British empire. Oyelowo, who also co-produced the film, said it was about the power of love and shared history.
“My hope is that when people see this film they will see themselves in both Ruth and Seretse,” he told reporters.
African and British history were “inextricably” linked, and the film showed “why we are proud to call ourselves British and why we are proud to call ourselves Africans”, said Oyelowo, whose parents were Nigerian.
– Provoke debate –
Asante said confronting the lack of diversity in the industry meant presenting more stories “that are relevant to the world and happen to have slightly different characters to the one we’ve been traditionally used to seeing on screen”.
“It’s audiences, it’s producers, it’s us as filmmakers taking responsibility for when we know we have a default character that could be something else, could be female, could be of another race or ethnicity,” she said.
Another true-life story brought to life at the festival is “Queen of Katwe”, which traces the journey of Ugandan chess player Phiona Mutesi from slums to world champion.
Directed by Indian American filmmaker Mira Nair, it stars Oyelowo as Mutesi’s trainer and Lupita Nyong’o, the Oscar-winning star of “12 Years A Slave”, playing her mother.
London will also host the European premiere of the documentary “The 13th” by Ava DuVernay, which is named after the amendment of the US constitution that abolished slavery.
DuVernay — who also directed Oscar-winning 2014 civil rights movie “Selma” — has been an outspoken supporter of the “OscarsSoWhite” protest about diversity in the Academy Awards.
Her latest film examines how the US judicial system is biased against black people, and covers the birth of the “Black Lives Matter” movement.
Another film of note, “Moonlight” by Barry Jenkins, is a coming-of-age tale of a young man living among drug addicts in Miami who gradually comes to terms with his homosexuality.
“We are a festival that wants very much to provoke debates and discussions around issues that we found important and diversity is a very, very significant issue, especially in these challenging times,” Stewart said.
The festival will be followed with a new season by the British Film Institute (BFI) dedicated to celebrating “the range, versatility and power of black actors”, she said.

Nigerian actress Rahma Sadau banned after on-screen hug

2016-10-04T01:47:00.003-07:00

A leading Nigerian actress has been banned from the Hausa-language film industry because of her “immoral” behaviour, the main industry body says.
Rahma Sadau caused offence by “hugging and cuddling” pop star Classiq in a video, it added.
The industry, commonly known as Kannywood, has been under fire from conservative Muslim clerics who accuse it of corrupting people’s values.
They regard it as taboo for men and women to hold hands or kiss in public.
Ms Sadau, who is said to be on a holiday in India, has not yet commented on the ban imposed by Motion Pictures Practitioners Association of Nigeria (Moppan).
Its chairman, Muhammadu Kabiru Maikaba, SAID that the ban was “total”.
“This is not the first time that she has been doing these wayward things. We have been warning
her, but she still went ahead to dent our image,” he said.
The Kannywood star appeared in the video with Classiq, in a song entitled I Love You.
In it, the Nigerian pop star is smitten with a vegetable seller in a market, acted by Ms Sadau.
Initially, she rejects his advances, batting him away with a bunch of vegetables, but he eventually wins her over.
They hold hands and engage in a bit of cuddling that would be considered demure in a Western film.
In a statement, Moppan said it hoped Ms Sadau’s expulsion would serve as a deterrent for other actors.
Its code of conduct requires actors to avoid doing anything which violates Islamic and Hausa culture.
Many people in northern Nigeria felt she had gone too far with Classiq in the music video, he adds.
Classiq cannot be banned because he is not a member of Moppan.

Kim Kardashian made herself a target for robbery on social media – Police

2016-10-04T01:44:00.002-07:00

Kim Kardashian West was robbed at gunpoint of millions of pounds worth of jewellery after making herself a target by flaunting her lavish lifestyle on social media, police have said.
The 35-year-old reality TV star reportedly had a gun held to her head before she was tied up and locked in the bathroom of a luxury residence in the French capital where she was staying during Paris fashion week.
She was “badly shaken but physically unharmed,” a spokeswoman said.
Five masked and armed men were involved in the raid and escaped with a jewellery box containing a ring worth €4m (£3.5m), as well as other valuables worth between €5m and €6m (£4.4m – £5.2m).
Four days ago, Kardashian West posted a photograph of a huge diamond ring on her left hand captioned with three diamond emojis.
Johanna Primevert, chief spokeswoman for the Paris police department, said: “This is the result of people who obviously posed as policemen and who assaulted Ms Kardashian in a private hotel in her room by threat of a weapon.
“This kind of incident is extremely rare in Paris. This is a star who is famous worldwide.

“Do not confuse what happened to Ms Kardashian – and probably was the result of an organised team who had planned their action – with the assault of a tourist in front of Notre Dame (cathedral) or another tourist spot in Paris.”
She said the losses were estimated at several million euros, adding: “Clearly when you have a star like Kim Kardashian who has, I think, more than 48 million followers on Twitter… I think this could have happened abroad just as easily as in Paris.
“It was really the celebrity who was targeted, with possessions that had been seen and noticed via social media, and it was these goods that the attackers targeted.”
Kardashian West left Paris on a private jet just hours after the robbery which took place at around 3am local time on Monday.
She was met by her husband, rapper Kanye West, who cut short a concert at Meadows Festival in Queens, New York, following the incident.
The 39-year-old has rescheduled two US tour dates in the wake of the robbery, with promoter LiveNation citing “family concerns” as the reason.
The celebrity couple have not spoken about the robbery – either in public or on social media.

Kim Kardashian Attacked in Paris By Same Man Who Grabbed Gigi Hadid

2016-09-29T02:24:00.002-07:00

Ball so hard, that s**t cray!

When Kim Kardashian West stepped out in Paris, France, on Wednesday, it surprisingly wasn’t her sheer ensemble that people had their eyes on – it was Vitalii Sediuk, a 27-year-old man from Boryspil, Ukraine, who attempted to attack the reality star from behind.

While Kim was exiting a black car and making her way into L'Avenue restaurant, Vitalii lunged at her, aiming for both her ankles and booty.

Luckily, Kim’s security guard, Pascal Duvier, was able to grab hold of the attacker before he was able to lay hands on the mother of two.

The Selfish author later took to Twitter to speak up on the incident, writing, “My security @PascalDuvier is a G.”

Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time Vitalii has targeted Kim, as he attempted a similar attack in the French capital two years ago. During that incident, Vitalii was actually able to tackle Kim by grabbing onto her legs, almost pulling her to the ground.

Vitalii is notorious for pulling these types of stunts at film premieres and awards ceremonies – he’s previously targeted Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt and Will Smith. Just last week, he went after Gigi Hadid in Milan, Italy, as she was on her way to an event for Milan Fashion Week.

As seen in photos snapped from the day, Vitalii wrapped his arms around Gigi’s waist and lifted her into the air. The 21-year-old supermodel then elbowed him until she was able to release herself from his tight grip.

“Honestly, I felt I was in danger, and I had every right to react the way I did,” Gigi later shared in a post she penned for Lena Dunham’s Lenny Letter. “If anything, I want girls to see the video and know that they have the right to fight back, too, if put in a similar situation.”

President Obama Will Meet With Leonardo DiCaprio to Talk Climate Change at White House

2016-09-28T03:14:00.000-07:00

Leonardo DiCaprio is heading to the White House.

The Oscar winner is set to meet with President Barack Obama next week to discuss climate change, the White House announced Sunday.

The conversation, which will also be joined by climate scientist Dr. Katharine Hayhoe and center
on “the importance of protecting the one planet we’ve got for future generations,” will be part of the inaugural South by South Lawn: A White House Festival of Ideas, Art, and Action. The Oct. 3 discussion will be followed by a screening of DiCaprio’s new climate documentary Before the Flood.

DiCaprio, 41, has long been an activist on climate change. He even made it the focal point in his Academy Awards acceptance speech earlier this year.

“Climate change is real. It is happening right now,” he said. “It is the most urgent threat facing our entire species, and we need to work collectively together and stop procrastinating. We need to support leaders around the world who do not speak for the big polluters or the big corporations, but who speak for all of humanity, for the indigenous people of the world, for the billions and billions of underprivileged people who will be most affected by this, for our children’s children, and for those people out there whose voices have been drowned out by the politics of greed.”

South by South Lawn, an idea said to be inspired by Obama’s visit to South by Southwest in Austin earlier this year, will also feature a student film festival with appearances from the cast of Stranger Things, interactive exhibits and panels on how to make a change in the country.

Brad Pitt Skipping ‘Voyage of Time’ Premiere to Focus on ‘Family Situation’

2016-09-28T03:00:00.001-07:00

Brad Pitt Says He's 'Focused on My Family Situation' Amid Angelina Jolie Divorce

Brad Pitt will not be attending the premiere of his upcoming film Voyage of Time, amid his ongoing divorce with Angelina Jolie.

The actor said he is skipping the Wednesday screening so he can remain “focused on his family.”

“Terrence’s Voyage of Time is an incredibly beautiful and unique experiential IMAX film for children and families chronicling the birth of time,” he said in a statement. “I’m very grateful to be part of such a fascinating and educational project, but Iâ€™m currently focused on my family situation and donâ€™t want to distract attention away from this extraordinary film, which I
encourage everyone to see.”

Pitt serves as the narrator of the documentary.

Jolie, 41, filed for divorce from Pitt, 52, in a Los Angeles court Sept. 19, stating that she separated from the Allied star on Sept. 15 – just one day after the couple and son Maddox, 15, were involved in an alleged altercation aboard their private plane.

The actress requested sole custody of their six children: Maddox, Pax, 12, Zahara, 11, Shiloh, 10, and 8-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne.

Kanye West Disses Taylor Swift in Her Hometown During Nashville Tour Stop

2016-09-28T02:51:00.001-07:00

Kanye West is doubling (and tripling) down on his controversial "Famous" lyrics about Taylor Swift.

During a packed concert at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee on Saturday, the rapper played the song three times, delivering the line, "I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex. Why? I made that b***h famous."

He even paused at one point to throw some extra shade at the pop star and critics that find the lyrics inappropriate.

"So many people told me, 'You've got to take that line out of the song. You got to play it safe,' but this is what rap music is," West said. "This is what art is. Saying how you feel. And this song is how I feel."

In a video shared on Twitter, some fans in the crowd can be heard chanting "F**k Taylor Swift" during West's monologue.

‏@NAsfari

Kanye West performed 'Famous' 3 times so he could tell Taylor Swift how he feels about that line #SaintPabloTour #Nashville

685 retweets 1,119 likes

‏@swiftingaway

@NAsfari Twitter should really have a dislike button. I would use it 10000000000000000000000 times on your stupid ass video

He even paused at one point to throw some extra shade at the pop star and critics that find the lyrics inappropriate.

In a video shared on Twitter, some fans in the crowd can be heard chanting "F**k Taylor Swift" during West's monologue.

Swift's not the only person to get called out by West on his Saint Pablo tour. Earlier this month, the GRAMMY winner addressed comments made by his protégé, Kid Cudi, in which Cudi accused West and Drake for "talkin top 5" while "having 30 people write songs for them."

West initially responded by claiming he "birthed" Cudi and telling him "Don't ever mention 'Ye name" during a show in Tampa, Florida, but later had a change of heart while on stage in Houston, Texas.

"I just wanted to take this time out to say Kid Cudi is my brother and I hope he's doing well," West said.

Kevin Hart Tops Forbes’s List of the Highest-Paid Comedians

2016-09-28T02:34:00.000-07:00

Kevin Hart

Starring in a string of blockbuster comedies and stand-up specials has really paid off for Kevin Hart!

The hard-working comic topped Forbes’ list of the world’s highest-paid comedians, earning a reported $87.5 million between June 1, 2015 and June 1, 2016.

Hart, who has starred in the surprise hits Ride Along, The Wedding Ringer and Central Intelligence in the last few years, has actually made most of his money by “touring like a rockstar,” according to Forbes.

NEWS: First Look at Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart in ‘Jumanji’ Sequel!

The 37-year-old father of two has played over 100 live shows this year alone, and often sells out stadiums and arenas, as opposed to comedy clubs and theaters.

The accomplishment is made even more impressive by the fact that Hart has become the first comedian to ever earn more than Jerry Seinfeld since Forbes first began compiling the list almost a decade ago.

WATCH: Jim Parsons Ranked Highest-Paid TV Actor by 'Forbes’ – See Who Else Tops the List!

Seinfeld, however, still fared well, coming in second and earning $43.5 million over the last year.

A majority of his money comes from owning the rights to his hit self-titled sitcom which recently signed a massive deal with Hulu. Seinfeld still tours as a stand-up as well, and his popular web series, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, was just renewed for a new season on Crackle.

Another notable addition to the list is Amy Schumer, who came in fourth, and is also the first female comic to ever make Forbes’ highest-paid list.

The 35-year-old actress and comedian earned $17 million over the last year, raking in the profits from a sizeable book deal, her Comedy Central series Inside Amy Schumer, her starring role in the hit comedy Trainwreck and a series of national commercial spots for Bud Light.

WATCH: How Amy Schumer Got Her Dream Cast for 'Trainwreck’

Dave Chappelle also earned a place on the list, coming in sixth with a total of $13 million in earnings in the last year.

The 43-year-old star’s hit Comedy Central series came to an end over 10 years ago after he famously left the show midway through production on its third season. However, Chappelle went on a sold-out stand-up tour last year and appeared in his first acting role in over a decade in Spike Lee’s Chi-Raq.

For the complete list of the world’s highest-paid comedians, check out Forbes’ in-depth breakdown here.

WATCH: Kevin Hart Surprises High School Students With Scholarships in His Hometown

Katy Perry Gets Naked Because She Really Wants You to Vote

2016-09-28T02:23:00.000-07:00

In case you haven’t noticed, celebrities are going to great lengths to encourage us all to vote in the upcoming presidential election. But Katy Perry has taken her message to the next level.

After announcing on Instagram Monday that she had plans to use her body as clickbait to change the world, the pop star showed everyone what she was talking about Tuesday morning. In partnership with Rock the Vote, the celeb-supported nonprofit created to encourage America’s youth to get out there and make a difference come election day, Perry did a video for Funny or Die to share her, um, unique voting tips.

Titled “Katy Perry Votes Naked,” the clip starts innocently enough, with Perry waking up (at 10

a.m. according to the alarm clock she swipes off her nightstand) sporting a rat’s nest hairdo and patriotic pajamas. She explains importance of election day … and then it gets weird.

“I’ve got some great news,” she says cheerily. “This year, you can look like s*** when you vote.”

With that, Perry heads down to the polls and parades past a lineup of similarly dressed morning warriors, decked out in face masks and bathrobes, all eager to cast their votes. Perry supports their fashion choices, saying, “In the name of democracy, any just-out-of-bed look is A-OK!”

After running down a selection of PJ choices — “Hunk in Briefs,” “Sleeping Beauty,” and “Covered in Slime” — Perry, 31, decides to take things one step further.

“Or, if you’re like me,” Perry says as she rips off her PJs with a flourish. “I sleep naked. Yep, let those babies loose! ‘Cause …”

This, of course, is when the police interrupt, cuffing her in order to take her away (while random voters in the background flail and walk into things because they’re so focused on Perry’s bare bod.)

Even though Perry winds up in jail for her unique take on voter self-expression, the message is clear: get out and vote on November 8^th. Just make sure you wear clothes.

Perry isn’t the first celeb to drop her drawers or use varying states of nudity to encourage people to do their duty on election day. In 2014, Lena Dunham shared a topless photo to raise awareness for the midterm elections, surrounding her partnership with Planned Parenthood.

Back in the ’90s, Rock the Vote counted on Madonna to bring their message to America’s young voters in a near-naked ad campaign that saw the singer dance and pose in red lingerie, wrapped in an American flag.

And then, of course, there’s writer and director Joss Whedon’s promise that actor Mark Ruffalo will do full frontal in his next movie if we all get out and vote — but not for Donald Trump.

Jennifer Aniston’s Husband Justin Theroux Speaks Out About Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s Divorce

2016-09-28T02:10:00.002-07:00

Add caption

Justin Theroux has spoken out about Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s split.

“As a child of divorce, all I can say is that’s terrible news for those children and that’s all you can really say,” the 45-year-old Leftovers actor told Business Insider Monday during a press tour for his new film The Girl on the Train, out Oct. 7.

Theroux’s wife, Jennifer Aniston, was married to Pitt for five years before their divorce in 2005.

Pitt, 52, and Jolie, 41 – who married in 2014 after 10 years of dating – have six children together: Maddox, 15, Pax, 12, Zahara, 11, Shiloh, 10, and 8-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne.

“It’s boring to sort of comment on anything else,” Theroux added. “People are having a bad time. That’s horrible.”

He also slammed what he called “nonsense” attempts to drag Aniston into the divorce drama.

“There’s an endless appetite for trash, apparently – though everyone would say that they don’t have that appetite,” he explained. “But I think a lot of people do because people buy it.

Theroux continued: “But there are bigger things to bitch about. It’s shocking how much bandwidth things can take up when there are far more important things going on in the world.”

6-Year-Old Girl Celebrates Birthday With Drake-Themed Part

2016-09-28T01:45:00.000-07:00

Rapper Drake is beloved by all ages. (Photo: Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images)

Little kids birthday parties can be so boring, am I right? The usual themes of My Little Pony, Disney princesses, or something age appropriate and adorable are just done to death. Snooze!

Well, over the weekend, one 6-year-old girl decided to shake things up (and prove that she’s one cool kid in the process) when she opted to have a Drake theme for her bash.

No, the rapper’s lyrics aren’t exactly G-rated, but that’s never stopped the birthday girl, young

Leah from San Antonio, Texas, from being a fan. The girl’s mother, Alexis Gomez, told Mashable that her daughter has loved Drake since she was in “her momma’s womb.”


Young Leah is gaga for Drake. (Photo: Twitter)

After Leah asked for a T-shirt featuring Drizzy’s lyrics, “Turn my birthday into a lifestyle,” her mom came up with the brilliant idea for the Drake soiree. Decorations included balloons adorned with Drake’s face, a cake with an owl like the one he likes, and even stacks of fake money. One guest told Buzzfeed that there were also mini bottles of one of his favorite things, Hennessy, holding down the balloons. Yes, you read that right.

Drake would’ve approved of the cake. (Photo: Twitter)

From her Timberlands to her gold chains, the little lady was even dressed like Drizzy.

Like the outfit? (Photo: Twitter)

“She loves everything about his music,” Leah’s mom told the website. “She recently said she wanted to marry Drake when she’s older.”

So, of course, she liked her party, and we’re pretty sure the parents in attendance enjoyed it too … that is, those who allowed their kids to attend.

The cigar in the photo was replaced with a kazoo. (Photo: Twitter)

Meanwhile, Drake himself has reason to celebrate this week. Not only does he have a whole new career opportunity in children’s birthday parties, but his music is doing way better than any cover of “The Wheels on the Bus” has ever done.

His album Views is the first in history to reach one billion individual song streams on Apple Music. His fourth album was just released in April.