Gina Prince Bythewood is making moves out here.

According to Deadline, Bythewood, the director of Love And Basketball, Beyond The Lights, The Secret Life of Bees and the Fox series “Shots Fired” is set to direct Silver & Black. The film is based on characters from the Marvel Universe revolving around Spider-Man.

Deadline reports that Bythewood will rewrite the script originally crafted by Christopher Yost, the man behind Thor: The Dark World.

So about these characters. Silver Sable owns a company that hunts war criminals and Black Cat is an acrobatic cat burglar who had a romantic relationship in the Spider-Man comics.

In directing the new film, Bythewood will become the first Black woman and woman of color, period to direct a superhero movie.

Silver & Black is scheduled to hit theaters in October 2018.

Photo by WENN

The post Gina Prince Bythewood Becomes First Black Woman To Direct A Superhero Film appeared first on MadameNoire.

Winnie Harlow

Chris Tucker

Cindy Bruna

Nicki Minaj

Joan Smalls

Maria Borges

Tracee Ellis

Jeremy Meeks

Will Smith

Dionne Warwick

The post The Array Of Stars Who Stepped Out For amfAR’s Cinema Against AIDS Gala During Cannes appeared first on MadameNoire.

May is known as Women’s Health Month, as well as National Physical Fitness and Sports month. In order to celebrate all things health and wellness that have to do with women of color,  we’re launching Fitness Fridays for the month. We’re hoping to share stories that help others embrace the importance of taking care of themselves both inside and out.

When it comes to fitness, many things motivate us to change our bodies. Sometimes it’s a health crisis. Other times it’s a wake-up call from seeing what you really look like in pictures. In Lita Lewis’s case, it was depression, better yet trying to rebuild her body due to the effects of it. Since then, she’s made strength her priority over skinny and made a name for herself. Lewis has created successful body blast boot camps that she does around the country, started a fitness apparel line called Thick Athletics Apparel and recently completed an eight-day wellness retreat experience in Bali helping women not only be healthy but have fun during getaways.

While many people don’t know where to go after meeting their fitness goals, Lewis, trainer and health advocate, has found a way to make fitness her business and become a brand. She’s established herself so much that she even recently teamed up with U by Kotex Fitness to help them launch their line of fitness tampons, pads and liners. We talked to our favorite Aussie fitness enthusiast about how she has gained wealth from wellness and made healthy living her livelihood.
MadameNoire: How did you go from changing your body through hard work following depression to wanting to help other men and women do the same?

Lita Lewis: When I first adopted an active lifestyle and was hitting the gym 5-6 days a week, I saw my body morph. I was channeling all my spare time and energy into my workouts. My goal at the time was to put myself through enough strenuous exercise so that I could redirect the pain I was feeling mentality and emotionally to pain that my physical body could endure. After time, my body transformed but my emotional state stayed the same. I was looking different but I would still go to bed depressed. I knew then that “health” wasn’t solely about the way I looked but also about how I felt. It’s then that I decided to do some inner work. I traveled abroad alone, I read endless books, I began to meditate and pray daily, and I would create vision boards and use post-its to write positive words of affirmations to myself.  Self-care and alone time became priorities. Life started to change for the better and how I looked on the outside finally reflected how I felt on the inside. After much soul-searching, I was so happy to be in a great place in my life that I was inspired to share how I was able to get through battling depression by finding peace and purpose, living a holistic and happy lifestyle.

Many people share their fitness journeys online, but not a lot of people take advantage of the opportunity to create merchandise to sell to their followers, or to put together boot camps around the country to get closer to them. How did you do it and with such a genius tagline like “Thick Thighs Save Lives”?

It never was my intention to build the brand and business I have today. Initially I used online social platforms like an open diary, sharing what I was learning, how I was training and what I was eating. I think for me, because the brand was growing organically and my following was more like an extended friend network, it was a natural move to share and offer more. People loved the movement and the sense of pride I was sharing regarding body image that folks began to ask me questions about training, dieting and kept telling me that I should put my tagline, “Thick Thighs Save Lives,” on a tank. My audience wanted to represent the movement so offering merchandise was a natural move. Folks wanted to know how I trained so offering training programs soon followed. The business aspect came from demand, a demand I wasn’t expecting or planned for, not from me having an intent to make money from sharing my journey. I consider myself one of the lucky ones.

How does traveling around to train people and to do your wellness retreat impact your own training schedule and eating patterns? How do you make sure you get your workouts in?

Like anything you find important to your life and health, I make my own training a priority. I typically schedule my client sessions around making time to get my own sweat session in. No day goes by that I don’t have the time to work out! Eating however is a different story. Because I’m usually on the go, I find it difficult to eat clean throughout the day the way I like, so it’s a daily habit to prep food for days that I won’t be home to cook for lunch and dinner. I carry snacks with me at all times. Fruits, mixed nuts and granola bars are always floating around my backpack.

How do you balance healthy eating without depriving yourself of sweets and goodies? We all know that a majority of good health and fitness is about food, but boy is it hard.

For me a balanced approach to eating clean and treating myself is key. I don’t stress myself out about avoiding a craving, I usually answer it with a serving of cake or ice cream! I do that because I find that fighting a craving for sweets for a long period of time will typically result in some type of sugar binge. Instead, if I’m feeling like having a little treat, I’ll go for it in moderation. However, I’m thankful that my sweet tooth isn’t overly active. I might have one or two sweets per month.

What’s next for you in terms of fusing business and fitness?

I’d love to expand my apparel line by incorporating more designs and items. I definitely plan to do so in the next few months. I am also gearing up to lead my own curated retreat in Mexico this Labor Day weekend. Super excited about all the things involved in producing a phenomenal experience for my guests. I also plan to pursue other ventures in entertainment. I’m in the early stages now of creating digital content that would be a health and fitness-related talk show format, which I am equally excited about turning into a reality.

Visit UByKotex.com for more tips from Lita, including her on-the-go workout routine, or to request a free sample of new U by Kotex FITNESS. And you can follow her at @followthelita on Instagram. Check out the rest of this month’s Fitness Friday features with yogi Jessamyn Stanley, CrossFit competitor Elisabeth Akinwale and bodybuilder Tokini Bilaye-Benibo.

Images courtesy of Kotex and Lita Lewis

The post Fitness Friday: Lita Lewis On How “Thick Thighs Save Lives” Went From A Tagline To A Brand appeared first on MadameNoire.

A few weeks ago, being the unofficial “event coordinator” of my group of friends, I got to planning some of our summer adventures beginning with an expensive surf and turn dinner for my sister’s birthday at the end of April. Since then there’s been a trip to D.C. to visit the National African American Museum of History and Culture and a simple movie and dinner date at my best friend’s request to celebrate her 31^st birthday. Spending so much time together has allowed me the opportunity to affirm a few behaviors my BFF has been exhibiting for the past year or so to determine if I’m just being a petty friend or if they really are as annoying as they appear. Annoying behavior number one? Her conflicting relationship with social media.

Whether we were standing in front of an authentic Jackson 5 costume from their 1971 performance at the London Palladium or watching the opening credits of the latest installation of Alien on opening weekend, I would always look over to see my friend with her head in her phone telling her Facebook friends exactly where we were, what we were doing and the great time we were having. The only catch was I felt that “great time” was a lie if she was referring to anything but scrolling through multiple social media feeds which was what she spent most of our outings doing.

“If anyone was trying to rob my house, they’d know exactly when to do it because old girl stays tagging me in every move we make throughout our travels,” I texted my sister after viewing a caption that read, “Living the good life,” no less than five minutes after my friend’s Chilean sea bass had been served in the 5 star restaurant we were seated in. I love social media as much as anyone else, and I enjoy sharing my experiences of travel and fun with my friends and followers BUT I think it’s important to actually HAVE the experiences first before you start posting about them.

Sharing is caring is cool if you don’t necessarily care what others think, but it does make one question, “Then why are you sharing it? The truth is social media has grown so immensely because a small piece of each of us cares what others think, wants accolades, wants attention and wants to be accepted and liked. The problem begins when you want to be accepted for being someone that wouldn’t exist if there wasn’t a wi-fi signal.

When I came across the NY Mag post, “When You Love Your Friend But Hate Her Social Media Presence” I knew I had to add to the conversation by documenting my own experience. Author Hayley Phalen vents about a similar situation that led to her eventually ghosting a friend because her staged profile pics of love and romance became “insufferable”. She also uses a few other folks’ stories of how social media gradually destroyed real life friendships because of how dramatically different friends can appear when they’re in person vs. when they’re posting:

“As her friend, I’m faced with this uncomfortable conundrum of questioning whether the real-life her — the one I love and connect with — is the fake, or the one on Instagram is who she really is, or at the very least, who she really wants to be. The discrepancy between the two is sort of just … uncomfortable.”

It was a reflection of how I felt in my own friendship. Here was the roommate I had since college who held my hand while I got my nipples pierced and one of the first visitors I had after my daughter was born when I was rocking a fresh set of sutures from a c-section. In a year’s time she had went from being quiet (but honest at least when there was liquor being served) to posting vague captions about how men ain’t ish over Keisha Cole song lyrics only to answer, “We’re good,” whenever I asked her in person how things were with the guys she was seeing. “You do realize I can see the s**t you post?” I would question in my head. It made me feel like I wasn’t being met half way. Here I was being authentic about all the good, bad and ugly in my life from hating my job to barely having sex with hubby since my baby girl was born while my BFF went out of her way to maintain a perfect appearance with me only to be transparent to people she would’ve never known existed if not for Mark Zuckerberg.

In Phalen’s article, a few people comment that with all of the connections that social media has afforded our generation, we just may be sacrificing our integrity to make them:

“…when there’s a disconnect between the person I know and the person mugging for that selfie or purporting to love something I’m pretty sure they don’t (and if you’re true friends, you know the difference), it leaves me feeling a mixture of disappointed and embarrassed.”

If you think about it social media has a way of making us all a little more obnoxious than we actually might be. And before anyone begins a comment with the word “hater” anyway it, the truth is anyone who isn’t in love with your social media presence isn’t necessarily hating. It could be that some folks really are obnoxious, even if it only shows through a status update. It has a way of highlighting what you prioritize and think is worth sharing, even if others don’t necessarily agree. Phalen shares:

“We all know people aren’t one-dimensional, but thanks to the ubiquity of social media we now have to contend with just how disparate those dimensions might be.”

If a friend was having a particularly self-confident day where her hair is laid and her face is more beat than a Quest Love set you might cheer her on as she holds he head high getting numbers and stopping traffic for a day. Now you have to be subjected to a thousand selfies, an Urban Decay tutorial, a random tweeted quote about “real beauty” and a SnapChat video of her driving and singing to Beyonce’s “Flawless”. It’s a lot and social media is making it harder and harder to enjoy things from movie spoilers to the quirks in your close friend’s personalities.

It’s a lesson that I learned in shortly after turning thirty. I began to be a tad bit more guarded about my thoughts, feelings and relationships. When it came to certain experiences in my life, I started to feel a need to protect them. I didn’t want experiences like my first trip to Toronto or my newborn daughter giggling in her sleep at just anyone’s disposal. I didn’t give a damn if the girl I studied with for my college freshman “Population Problems” course knew that Charlie Puth’s “One Call Away” makes me get emotional about motherhood. And most importantly, all the people I wanted to share my random thoughts and epic adventures with were usually right beside me while I was having them. I no longer felt the urgency to give all 308 friends I shared shallow connections with the play by play of my adulthood. I’ll still share a few pics of our first trip as a family to the zoo or use a status to throw subliminal shade at an in-law, but for if anyone wants to subscribe to my random musings for entertainment they can follow Madamenoire, and not my personal Facebook page.

Still, it seems my BFF hasn’t gotten the memo and it’s starting to make me look at her differently. I feel like she’s slowly being absorbed by a culture more concerned with looking like they’re having a good time more than actually having one. And I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel slighted at the fact the she seems more comfortable sharing her feelings with Muhammed in Bangladesh who friend requested her two weeks ago, than with her best friend she’s known for years. Social media has a way of making you feel close to people who you’re actually the most distanced from, and I’m not sure that’s always a good thing especially when one of those people is yourself.

As I enter this next phase of my life I feel a need to get to know myself a little better and I find it’s easier to do without the alert on my phone going off for every like or new follower. While I still enjoy social media I do miss not being so plugged in to people’s every thought or action. I’ve liked what I’ve learned about some folks who feel comforted to be themselves by the distance social media can provide. For others I just find myself scrolling by and thinking, “Please STFU and stop trying to prove how lit your life is.” But as Phelan points out, our reactions to what folks’ post say as much about us as what they’re posting says about them:

“Social media is a digital maze of fun-house mirrors, a hall of distorted images; it may reflect certain truths about a person, but you won’t know if you can trust them until you glimpse the real-live person behind the reflection. It also might reveal more about ourselves than we care to admit: how quick we are to judge, for instance, or how easily we buy into an oversimplified version of someone, how ungenerous we are with our likes.”

There’s more to friendship than a selfie in front of a perfect sunset and a check-in to a dream vacation. There’s the guy whose lap I almost fell into when the Greyhound bus threw on the brakes on my way to the bathroom. There’s being lost together in a new city despite Google maps and directions from the locals. There’s a shared look of shade because we know our waiter is drunk but we’re going to tip him anyway because he hunted down sweet and sour sauce for our chicken sandwiches. There are things about friendship that a Snapchat could never capture. Because the fact is once I felt that social media was making me dislike some of the very people I’ve shared meals with, been kicked out of clubs with and stopped in customs with, I knew that I had to unfollow them on Facebook so I could continue to ride for them in real life.

Toya Sharee is a Health Resource Specialist who has a  passion for helping young women build their self-esteem and make well-informed choices about their sexual health. She also advocates for women’s reproductive rights and blogs about  everything from beauty to love and relationships. Follow her on Twitter @TheTrueTSharee or visit her blog, Bullets and Blessings.

The post Unfollowed: My Friend’s Social Media Presence Irks My Soul appeared first on MadameNoire.

i know we said June 23rd… but i say we Set it Off Tonight!! ALBUM OUT NOW @AppleMusic https://t.co/ATyCIQ5Oph

— tiller (@brysontiller) May 26, 2017

It’s been nearly two years since Bryson Tiller crash landed on the scene with his acclaimed debut studio album, Trapsoul, and won over the hearts of everyone with songs like “Don’t” and “Exchange.”

And, as expected, fans were excited when Tiller announced that his highly-anticipated sophomore album, True to Self, would be released on June 23rd. But people were surprised when the R&B crooner decided to drop the album four weeks ahead of its original date.

“I know we said June 23rd… but I say we Set it Off Tonight!! ALBUM OUT NOW,” Tiller singer wrote on Twitter.

In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Tiller shared details on the album, saying he feels “like R&B is getting back to where it should be.” And interestingly, the 24-year-old’s new body of work has a brighter vibe than his emotional debut. “I don’t want it to be a long slow concert, dull and boring,” he said, “so I’ve got a lot of upbeat production on this one.”

If you haven’t done so already, click here and get into True to Self.

The post Bryson Tiller’s Sophomore Album, ‘True To Self,’ Has Arrived appeared first on MadameNoire.

Safaree Samuels, the ex-boyfriend of Nicki Minaj, has been a hot topic of discussion after their highly publicized breakup. However, while we all thought he had moved on from the situation after joining the cast of Love & Hip Hop Hollywood and delving into his solo rap career, he’s seeking help. 

Earlier this week, Safaree took to Twitter to ask for professional help in getting his life together from inspirational speaker, life coach, author, and personality Iyanla Vanzant. “Hey @IyanlaVanzant can you fix my life?” he tweeted in hopes of scoring a session on Iyanla, Fix My Life.

#SafareeSamuels Beloved . . . got your message – Stay tuned, someone will reach out shortly.

— Iyanla Vanzant (@IyanlaVanzant) May 26, 2017

A few days later, Iyanla responded to Safaree’s tweet saying, “#SafareeSamuels Beloved . . . got your message – Stay tuned, someone will reach out shortly.”

Well, if this goes over well, Safaree will join the likes of Evelyn Lozada, DMX, Sheree Whitfield, Karrueche Tran and Maia Campbell, who have all seeked help from Iyanla. Not too sure if Nicki will be too happy about this after Safaree alleged her team tried to block him from doing an interview with The Wendy Williams Show.

Uh oh.

The post Safaree Wants Iyanla To Fix His Life And She’s Responded appeared first on MadameNoire.

From Beyoncé to Shamari Devoe, it may seem like everyone is giving birth to multiples, but Adeboye Taiwo and his wife Ajibola Taiwo may be giving these celebs some serious competition. The couple recently gave birth to sextuplets –three girls and three boys—after trying for seventeen years.

News affiliate WCTR reports VCU Medical Center assisted in bringing the babies into the world on the morning of May 11. Ajibola Taiwo was 30 weeks pregnant when the sextuplets were delivered via c-section by a 40-person medical team. The babies ranged in weight from 1 pound, 10 ounces to 2 pounds, 15 ounces. Although Taiwo was discharged from the hospital on May 18, all six babies continue to do well and thrive in the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU neonatal intensive care unit.

The Taiwo family initially thought they would only be having four babies after seeing two pairs of heartbeats on an ultrasound in November, but VCU confirmed in early January that Ajibola was actually carrying six babies. A shock? Probably. Overwhelming? Maybe. But Adeboye says he was just happy to finally see his family growing after so many unsuccessful previous attempts at conception:

“I was excited. For the very first time we were expecting.”

The Taiwo family’s situation is indeed rare. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports in 2015 there were nearly 4 million live births in the United States, only 24 of which were quintuplets or other higher order births.

The newest members of the Taiwo family are the first set of sextuplets to be born at the Virginia hospital and the team of medical providers made sure that a well-prepared plan was in place for the family. Susan Lanni, M.D., medical director of labor and delivery and maternal-fetal specialist at VCU Medical Center shared details of what these special births required:

“The team quickly assembled to begin prenatal management and delivery planning including pre-delivery drills and resuscitation exercises.”

“A typical labor and delivery shift includes one, perhaps two premature births, usually with time in between. We had to coordinate with our colleagues in the NICU for six premature babies to be delivered simultaneously.”

Adeboye Taiwo, a native of Western Nigeria, expressed that the efforts of the VCU team didn’t go unnoticed:

“The medical team is excellent in medicine and hospitality. We are far from home but the medical team is our family. That is what got us this far.”

Mother, Ajibola also shared that the family will continue to have a strong relation with the team at VCU Medical Center for a very long time:

“I hope for the smallest of my six children to grow up and say ‘I was so small, and look at me now’. I want my kids [to] come back to VCU to study and learn to care for others with the same people who cared for me and my family.”

Whew! All that waiting, all those little babies sharing a womb, all that love and commitment between medical providers and this very special family make a truly incredible birth story. We can’t wait to see the Taiwo family in a few years to see how they’re making out.

The post Worth The Wait: Couple Has Sextuplets After Trying For 17 Years appeared first on MadameNoire.

It’s been a little over a month since the whereabouts of SZA’s debut album, CTRL, were questioned by antsy fans and somewhat answered by TDE label president, Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith.

When asked if the first lady of Top Dawg Entertainment’s highly-anticipated project could be expected soon, he answered, “yes,” adding, “her album is amazing…”

Earlier this week, on Wednesday night (May 24), fans were finally gifted with the actual answer with a series of videos she posted to social media, and surprisingly the message was delivered with the help of none other than Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA.

a word from RZA pic.twitter.com/vKIMyOBscA

— TOP DAWG #TDE (@dangerookipawaa) May 25, 2017

“Yo, peace and blessings. My name is RZA from the almighty Wu-Tang Clan. I’m zoning in with my homegirl SZA,” he begins. “Cut loose the drama, no melodrama, rise to the top, claim your karma and it’s my honor to drop this lesson, it’s my honor to give this blessing.” As RZA concludes his thoughtful words, the date “6.9.17” flashes across the screen as the songstress poses in front of old-school computers.

So, there you have it folks. Get ready for SZA’s long-awaited debut. The countdown has begun!

The post SZA’s Debut Album Finally Has A Release Date appeared first on MadameNoire.

Her mother commented saying, “everyone doesn’t believe that this is real but yes this certificate shows that this is real…” @Fox26Houston pic.twitter.com/6Oruoxek98

— Lindsey Henry (@LindseyFOX26) May 26, 2017

According to local news outlet, Fox 26 Houston, end of the year/superlatives awards were given out to students earlier this week at Anthony Aguirre Junior High School and has caused tons of uproar and controversy.

Cesar went on to skip the las day of school due to being upset about the incident.

The post Junior High School Student Given “Most Likely To Blend In With White People” Award appeared first on MadameNoire.

At this point, you’re probably over the Love and Hip Hop scenes where some rapper’s wife packs her bags in slow motion, throws on some Chanel sunglasses and closes the door to the mansion she and his cheating behind once shared while Alicia Keys’ “New Day” plays in the background. If that’s the case, Irv Gotti of Murder Inc. fame wants to bring you something a little different: money, fame, sex and murder and of course great music.

BET reports that Gotti is the creator and executive producer behind Tales, a project that comes from his production company, Visionary Ideas. Tales is described as a scripted anthology series of “song stories” weaving classic and current hip-hop songs into visually stunning narratives. Boris Kodjoe, Elise Neal and Lance Gross are a few familiar faces you’ll spot on the series.

Featured songs will include N.W.A’s “F**k the Police,” Notorious B.I.G.’s “I Got a Story to Tell,” Meek Mill’s “Cold Hearted” and Fetty Wap’s “Trap Queen”. The stories told in each song are imagined as cinematic adventures with different directors, including Irv Gotti’s directorial debut. Each episode is written by a different screenwriter, introducing Tales as an innovative twist to the hip-hop culture by reimagining our favorite hip-hop songs into “mini-movies,” each broken down into three-act, sixty-minute narratives. The series which is set to air on June 27, will be presented in a multi-platform cross-collaboration with Tidal in which the global service will stream exclusive director’s cut versions of the episodes following their initial airings on BET.

Last year Stephen Hill, who was President of Programming at the network at the time, shared his thoughts on the project:

“Obviously, BET played a lot of videos in its infancy. Now that storytelling has evolved as we work to bring viewers new exciting content that reflects some of the greatest stories that hip-hop has told in the 20th and 21st centuries.”

Gotti says the goal of the series is simple:

“Entertain. Entertain. Entertain.”

“This isn’t no reality show s**t and not a video. I’m going to tell a story like only I can tell a story and involve the hip-hop culture, which is colorless. Visionary Ideas is DreamWorks times 100, which is a crazy statement as big as DreamWorks is. But that’s my goal.”

Two questions: Does Boris appear shirtless and what time?

The post Irv Gotti Is Bringing A Hip-Hop Anthology Series To BET appeared first on MadameNoire.

It seems as if we just got up the nerve to work our way to the dance floor and just like that Netflix turned on the lights and told us we don’t have to go home but we have to find a new series to groove to. Rumors have surrounded the fate of the series The Get Down for some time now with many saying the show’s creator Baz Luhrmann was eager to throw in the towel on the colorful ode to hip-hop history and return to film making. There was also the show’s colossal budget ($120 million for one season).

Although fans had campaigned for weeks using the hashtag #RenewTheGetDown once chances for the show’s return looked slim, Deadline was one of the first news outlets to break the news of the show’s cancellation officially:

“Netflix has opted not to proceed with a second season of Baz Luhrmann’s ambitious musical drama ‘The Get Down.’ The decision comes after the second six-episode part of Season 1 was released last month. It is a rare Netflix original series not to get a second season.

The hip-hop-themed drama, set in the South Bronx section of New York City in the late 1970s, was among Netflix’s most expensive shows, with the 12-episode first season costing about $120 million. ‘The Get Down,’ marked Luhrmann’s [first foray into the world of] TV.

In a Facebook post following the cancellation today, Luhrmann indicated that him not being able to commit to Season 2 full-time was a key reason for the decision: ‘This exclusivity has understandably become a sticking point for Netflix and Sony, who have been tremendous partners and supporters of the show. It kills me that I can’t split myself into two and make myself available to both productions… But the simple truth is, I make movies.’”

Luhrmann has seemed disconnected from the show (which had rapper Nas as an executive producer) for some time speaking at the Television Critics Association last year about exactly where he saw himself with the show:

“It’s not my story — I feel like I just curated it.”

He also took to Facebook to share his optimism about the fans’ response to the show:

“As for the real future of the show, the spirit of The Get Down, and the story it has begun to tell… it has its own life. One that lives on today and will continue to be told somewhere, somehow, because of you, the fans and the supporters.”

I guess the adventures of Shaolin Fantastic and The Get Down Brothers with Ms. Mylene Cruz have come to an end, but it was good while it lasted.

The post It’s Official: Netflix Announces ‘The Get Down’ Is Done appeared first on MadameNoire.

A federal judge has overturned sentencing for Lee Boyd Malvo who was convicted for a shooting spree in Washington D.C. over a decade ago. The Los Angeles Times reports that District Court Judge Raymond Jackson tossed the double-life-without-parole sentences Friday (May 26) since Malvo was only 17 at the time he was sentenced.

His decision was based off a 2012 Supreme Court ruling making it unconstitutional to issue mandatory life sentences for juveniles. In 2016, the court opted to apply the ruling retroactively, making parole a possibility for thousands of inmates who were sentenced as minors.

When Malvo was sentenced in 2006, jurors only had the choices of “death” or “life without parole”. While Malvo got life in prison, his accomplice, John Allen Muhammad received the death penalty and was executed in 2009.

Malvo was apprehended by border patrol in 2001 after coming to the United States illegally from Jamaica. When he was released in 2002 he reconnected with Muhammed and the two began living in a homeless shelter. Soon after Malvo enrolled in high school, the two began a killing spree of sniper attacks in the D.C. area. In an interview with Matt Lauer of the Today Show in 2012, Malvo claimed Muhammed, whom he initially met as a family friend, had sexually and mentally abused him for some time:

“For the entire period when I was almost 15 until I got arrested, I was sexually abused by John Muhammad.”

“The main reason I’m coming forward now is because I am more mature.”

“As far as the guilt that I carried around for several years, I dealt with that to a large extent for years. And now, I can handle this. In here, there’s no therapy. Rehabilitation is just a word. In solitary confinement, in a cell by yourself, I am priest, doctor, therapist. So, it’s just worked out that I just took it off piece by piece. That I could handle it.”

He also shared that he had forgiven himself for the murders he helped commit:

“Please do not allow my actions and the actions of Muhammad to hold you hostage and continue to victimize you for the rest of your life.

“If you give those images and thoughts that power, it will continue to inflict that suffering over and over and over and over again. Do not give me or him that much power.”

32-year-old Malvo has been serving time at the Virginia’s Red Onion State Prison. His case will return to the state court, but there’s still a possibility that he will be sentenced to life again.

The post D.C. Sniper Lee Boyd Malvo Will No Longer Face Double Life Sentences As Judge Overturns Original Ruling appeared first on MadameNoire.

Despite giving us Obama-chic and serving up a healthy helping suit and tie sexiness on the cover of Ebony magazine’s June issue, Chance The Rapper says when it comes to the politics of the Oval office, he’s “just not into it”.

The rapper who changed the game with his critically acclaimed release Coloring Book has been very vocal about making sure his hometown of Chicago gets the greatness it deserves. Earlier this year the artist and activist donated $1 million to Chicago public schools to support arts and after-school programming. But despite his efforts to change the world, he’s clear that Capitol Hill is not the place for him to do that:

“I would never run for any office or government position, I’m not into it. I think politics is a reason why a lot of stuff doesn’t get done. There’s a lot of favors, and a lot of people are held back by their intentions of being re-elected or the things that they owe their party or constituents. I think when you’re in my position as an artist, I can say what I want and talk about the issues that matter.”

Sorry folks, looks like were limited to former president Barack Obama for now when it comes to Chicago granting us a commander-in-chief, but Chance says that doesn’t mean he won’t keep trying to do good in the world his own way with a little “extra” help from the man upstairs:

“This is God’s year. You know, every year is God’s year, but this is a moment of awakening for a lot of people. I’ve just seen a lot of stuff in my own life that has pushed me toward being closer to God and closer to my faith, and it has materialized into success.”

“I believe God has had his hands on me and put things in place to make sure what got done is done.”

“God and my dad gave me the gift of gab. I know how to finagle.”

The rapper offers some words of advice to his fans as well when I comes to balancing the up’s and down’s of success and following your faith. He speaks of his time living in L.A.:

“There are a lot of spaces where you feel like God isn’t around.”

“I got some vibes. You have to listen and be aware of your discernment, and if somebody tells you to leave? Then get the f**k out of there. You’ll feel it … . You have to just listen to God.”

You can read more of Chance’s thoughts on faith, family and politics here.

The post “I’m Not Into It.” Chance The Rapper Says The White House Is No Place For Him To Change The World appeared first on MadameNoire.

As summer approaches, we’re always filled with nostalgia whether it be pool parties with friends, cookouts with family or even shopping for the perfect all-white ensemble for an Memorial Day soiree.

#FENTYxPUMA #JELLYslides Spring/Summer ’17

A post shared by badgalriri (@badgalriri) on May 25, 2017 at 12:53pm PDT

However, how many of us are spoon fed a dose of throwback Thursday when we see someone rocking jelly slides? You know, those see-through sandals everybody had growing up. Well, Rihanna has brought them back in style as a new release of her FENTY x PUMA line.

“I don’t think ya ready, for this JELLY lol!” she captioned a photo of her new jelly slides that come in three fabulous color ways: black, pink and baby blue.

when I got the vision #JELLYslides @PUMA

A post shared by badgalriri (@badgalriri) on May 25, 2017 at 7:37pm PDT

And of course, Rihanna also took to Instagram, showcasing her inspiration for the jelly slides: a throwback picture of her rocking a similar pair as a young girl.

Ladies, grab your pair of FENTY x PUMA jelly slides sooner than later because you know they are bound to sell out.

The post You’ll Definitely Want To Add The FENTY x PUMA Jelly Slides To Your Summer Wardrobe appeared first on MadameNoire.

As much as it seems that the craziness of work could take a toll on you, a new study shows that most of the harm is done before you even clock in.

According to a study led by the University of Cambridge, RAND Europe and Mercer, and VitalityHealth, researchers found that workers (34,000 British employees across all industries) were 33% more likely to suffer from depression, 40% more likely to have financial worries, and 12% more likely to report issues due to work-related stress. Those in high-stress lifestyles were also 21% more likely to be obsess and more likely to get less than seven hours of sleep each night.
“Beyond looking at ways that the work environment can be altered to make it more conducive to improved health and wellbeing, our research suggests that employers should perhaps be looking at flexible working arrangements as a more prominent part of their workplace wellness or productivity management strategy,” explained Shaun Subel, director of strategy at VitalityHealth. “Allowing employees the flexibility to avoid the rush-hour commute where possible, or fit their routine around other commitments, can help reduce stress and promote healthier lifestyle choices and, importantly, this is shown to actually impact positively on productivity.”

The post Your Daily Commute Is Doing More Harm Than You Think appeared first on MadameNoire.

Let’s face it: less is more. Especially when it comes to makeup.

As there are many common makeup mistakes that we all make, there are also quick solutions, many of which will leave you looking more youthful than ever. In particular, we all seem to have used way too much eyeliner at one point in our lives. As teens, many wanted to pile on harsh, thick coats as a sign of rebellion, and some of us are still making this same mistake unfortunately.

So, to combat this common issue, it’s best to choose a silkier pencil that has a cream formulation and blend it softly into your lash line. Sure, you’ll spend a few more bucks but it’s worth it. If you’re looking for a barely there look with a hint of definition, try opting for lining your waterline. And voila!

The post Here’s How To Wear Eyeliner Without Aging Yourself appeared first on MadameNoire.

It’s been over a year since Ameriie delivered her Drive EP to fans, and now she’s back with a new single titled “Redrum.”

The track is infectious yet murderous, taking on a gritty femme fatale narrative as she sings: “She is so cold with her heart like ice. Everyone knows that she don’t play nice / She only go down to come up / She already won and you’re already done / …And she only drink that redrum.”

REDRUM #MA3 • link in bio

A post shared by AMERIIE 에므리 임미수 Amerie (@ameriie) on May 27, 2017 at 9:31am PDT

In addition to releasing new music, Ameriie has been teasing an upcoming video through a series of photos of herself in a bathtub filled with rose pedals and milk.

Take “Redrum” for a spin below.

The post Ameriie Is Back With New Music appeared first on MadameNoire.

He’s never shown interest before

He’s a serial monogamist

He won’t talk about her

Or she was “Great, great, great!”

His breakup was abrupt

There are places he won’t go

Or, you keep “bumping into” the ex

He likes to analyze relationships

His friends seem concerned

His expiration date is vague

He is paranoid and jealous, early

He insists it was emotionally over long before

He’s making a lot of life changes

He seems hyped up

He’s all about posting the selfie

He can be cynical about love

He’s comparing you

He’ll go MIA, and then come back

He shushes his friends a lot

He is very hot and cold

The post Early Signs You’re His Rebound appeared first on MadameNoire.

“The Biggest Loser”

“The Suze Orman Show”

“Healthy Appetite With Ellie Krieger”

“What Not To Wear”

“Who Wants To Be A Millionaire”

“Naked And Afraid”

“Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown”

“The Amazing Race”

“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”

“Orange Is The New Black”

“Fit For Fashion”

“Dateline”

“America’s Funniest Videos”

“Sex And The City”

“Homeland”

The post The Best Shows To Watch While Working Out appeared first on MadameNoire.

Black Girls Run!

Banana Skirt Fitness

Whose coming through to tonight's Dancehall Ratchet Zooba?! " class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" />" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> " class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" />" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> " class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" />" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> #hiphop #fitness #fitspo #dancehall #gettight #vybzkartel #shabba #popstar #sweat #fitfam #thingstodo #toomuchsauce #instafit #workout #fitfam #classpass #happynewyear #2000s #danceclass #fitness #timeoutny #90s

A post shared by Banana Skirt Productions™ (@banana_skirt) on Jan 31, 2017 at 11:52am PST

Harlem Cycle

The Journey Starts NOW! ...Let Harlem's first boutique cycling studio help guide you to your 2017 fitness goals.

A post shared by Harlem Cycle (@harlemcycle) on Jan 1, 2017 at 2:09pm PST

LeFemme Suite

Gymnetics Fitness

RAD Experience

Brukwine

The post 7 Dope Fitness Businesses Run By Black Women appeared first on MadameNoire.