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Of course Snoop Dogg carried the Olympic torch. He can do anything. — Andscape

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For Snoop Dogg — once gangsta rap’s most hated punching bag, now beloved ambassador, Martha Stewart’s best friend, corporate salesman and America’s favorite uncle — carrying the Olympic torch was one other surprising chapter in his greater than 30-year profession. But the surreal sight of Calvin Broadus smiling carrying the famous symbol running through the Parisian suburb of Saint-Denis on the final stretch before Friday’s opening ceremony outshines all others.

“It was emotional for all of us to see the champion hold the torch and go up there,” Snoop Dogg said of the honor, referring to the late boxer Muhammad Ali, who won an Olympic gold medal in 1960 and moved the world when he lit the Olympic torch during the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.“It’s my own version. I don’t want to get too emotional, but I know it’s special. It says a lot about America, in terms of where we are in the world,” later adding, “I would never have dreamed of something like that.”

It was no surprise that Snoop Dogg was in an unusually reflective mood during his conversation with NBC sportscaster Mike Tirico. The 52-year-old’s journey is a tale of hip-hop, redemption, black joy and the coronation of the ultimate unifier of popular culture.

In true Snoop Dogg style, NBC hired him as a special correspondent to seem at the Games following his hilarious Olympic commentary with comedian Kevin Hart in 2021 during the delayed 2020 Olympics. Clips of the couple reacting to a rerun of the equestrian competition became an fast viral classic. In short, Snoop was Snoop.

Regardless, it can’t be overstated how improbable it’s to look at the artist formerly generally known as Mr.1-8-7 on undercover“who single-handedly drew the ire of politicians, community activists, black religious leaders, law enforcement organizations and girls’s groups in 1993 by becoming Mister Rogers in blue Chucks.

In 1993, a young Snoop Doggy Dogg was basking in the record-breaking glory of his multi-platinum album, which sold over 800,000 copies in its first week, the most for a debut album at the time. Snoop Dogg was also public enemy primary in 1996, charged with first-degree murder along together with his bodyguard in the fatal shooting of Philip Woldermariam. While awaiting sentencing, the hottest rapper in the world was met with negative public response from all sides, including legendary Grammy Award-winning singer Dionne Warwick.

Warwick invited Snoop Dogg, Death Row Records president Suge Knight and other rappers to her home to debate what she considered the West Coast MC’s misogynistic content. Warwick challenged Snoop Dogg and his crew to call her a “b*tch.” Snoop Dogg was shaken. “We were as gangster as you can get, but that day at Dionne Warwick’s house, I think we were beaten by gangsters that day,” he recalled in a 2021 CNN video.

Even after Snoop Dogg was acquitted of murder in 1996, his story could have thoroughly ended tragically before the latest millennium began. After a really heated argument with Knight, he told Master P that he planned to release a brand new album titled . The No Limit Records founder gave Snoop Dogg a sobering, life-saving speech that modified the course of his profession, and he has sold over 37 million albums worldwide.

“You won’t live to see this album come out,” Master P told him before offering the struggling saddler a record deal. Snoop Dogg moves his family to New Orleans and change into a soldier without limits was just certainly one of a series of intriguing and sometimes mind-boggling side missions that put him on the path to the Olympics. In 2005, he founded the Snoop Youth Football League to maintain kids ages 5 to 13 off the streets of Los Angeles, producing several college and NFL stars, most recently Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud.

Snoop Dogg appeared on business executive and TV personality Stewart’s show culinary program in 2008starting the strangest of strange business partnerships for couples. They co-led for 2 seasons on VH1 starting in 2016.were presented in 2021. National campaign for BIC’s EZ Reach lighter and Skechers’ 2023 Super Bowl ad. He recorded a reggae album, , using the reggae persona Snoop Lion, which led many fans and critics to query whether the guy was real. He most actually was.

And so we come to Snoop Dogg, Olympic favorite and living proof of hip-hop’s limitless possibilities. This unlikely event is particularly significant considering that 56 years ago, black sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos, who won gold and bronze medals in the 200 meters, respectively, were virtually banished from track and field after raising their fists in silent protest at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. It was an extended time coming, considering the racist treatment that Olympic heroes like sprinter Jesse Owens, tennis player Wilma Rudolph and Ali faced at home.

Today, Snoop Dogg has company. The legendary Public Enemy hype man and reality star Flavor Flav has change into the official face of the US women’s water polo teamwho will likely be competing for his fourth consecutive gold medal. Rapper Cardi B appeared in Olympic promotion video in July with world sprint champion Sha’ Carri Richardson and gushed about the track star’s return. Richardson was suspended from Team USA in 2021 after testing positive for THC, a banned substance.

“I’m really, really proud of you,” Cardi B told Richardson. “Because you came back stronger than ever with your talent. You’ve evolved.”

He evolved. A robust word that Snoop Dogg can greater than attest to.

Keith “Murph” Murphy is a senior editor at VIBE Magazine and a frequent contributor to Billboard, AOL and CBS Local. The veteran journalist has appeared on CNN, FOX News and A&E Biography and is the writer of the men’s lifestyle book, XO Manifesto.


This article was originally published on : andscape.com
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An attempt to save the image of Jeff Bezos’ future wife backfired after weeks of outrage and ridicule over her skimpy outfit

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Lauren Sánchez has apparently gained a popularity for her fashion hits and misses as social media users began following her every move.

Billionaire Jeff Bezos’ current fiancée stepped into the highlight long before she met the Amazon co-founder, after years spent as co-host of “Good Day LA,” a reporter for “Extra” and host of “So You Think You Can Dance,” and he even starred in a number of movies like “Ted 2.”

She faced criticism for posting a sultry selfie in November in a negligee-inspired gown by designer Laura Basca. In October, the 54-year-old again faced backlash when she showed off her latex Halloween costume as Catwoman.

Now, weeks after being deemed “cheap” and tasteless, the founder of Black Ops Aviation has turn out to be a subject of discussion.

Jeff Bezos’ fiancée Lauren Sánchez shows off a “winter white” look, weeks after critics slammed her busty latex outfit. (Photos: @laurenwsanchez/Instagram, Theimagedirect.com via Page Six)

On December 5, Sánchez and the business mogul attended The New York Times’ DealBook event in New York City. For the occasion, she wore a white Alexander McQueen suit and a white lace corset. The beaming bride-to-be sent two mirror selfies of her outfit, which she signed: “winter white.”

One follower particularly was stunned by the whole look he ejaculated that she was “very attractive and beautiful, gorgeous and stunning, charming and fantastic young lady, sexy, charming, charming and elegant” in the photos that Sánchez took.

Two other people swooned over the photos and wrote: “So chic and elegant!” and “You look great.” But as you would possibly expect from online viewers, not everyone was impressed.

When Page six published paparazzi photos from the trip, the critic commented: “It’s 30 degrees in New York and she gets out of the limo in a white Miami smock, her bra visible to everyone. No taste. Nothing. A cashmere turtleneck, flannel trousers and a wool jacket can be classy.

Someone else sharply asked: “Who can be the first to tell her that she looks tacky and not elegant and refined? Does she even know what sophistication means? A 3rd person noted: “She looks more like she’s wearing a bathrobe.”

Another person wrote in a comment from a licensed pilot: “White means…” possibly referring to rumors that Sánchez and Bezos are scheduled to exchange vows over Christmas. At least one person doubted the couple would have the opportunity to say “I do.” This person said: “This will be the longest engagement ever. They will NEVER get married and we all know why!!!!”

Sánchez told the “Today” show hosts that she was in the process of planning the big day last month. She didn’t comment on speculation about exchanging Christmas vows.

Renewed interest and scrutiny of Sánchez has increased as the pair have been spotted in various locations in recent months. The couple reportedly began dating in 2018. Their engagement was announced five years later, in May 2023. Their upcoming wedding can be a second journey for each of them.

Sánchez was previously married to celebrity agent Patric Whitesell, with whom she has two children. She can be the mother of a son, whom she shares with Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez. Bezos was married to the mother of his three children, Mackenzie Scott, for 25 years once they divorced in 2019.


This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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Apart from the song with singer-songwriter India Shawn – Andscape

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India Shawn is a contemporary muse with a chilled nature, crafting love stories and heartfelt tales in smooth, charming songs. With over a decade of experience in the music industry as a singer-songwriter, Shawn has incredible strength. She was born in Los Angeles, and her musical roots reach throughout the country. Beginning her profession in her hometown, Shawn eventually found herself in Atlanta, where she immersed herself in the city’s deep-rooted R&B scene, further shaping her artistry.

“I transferred to ATL, I was in 10th grade, and that’s when my music journey really started,” Shawn told Andscape. “I met people who were trying to get by, so I ended up recording and learned what songwriting was really early on.”

Before releasing her debut EP in 2012, Shawn wrote songs and collaborated with artists similar to Chris Brown, El DeBarge, Keri Hilson and Monica. In 2013, she gained much more notoriety when Solange Knowles published her song “I’m Alive” on the Saint Heron compilationmarking her as an artist value watching.

Following the release of the single “There Must Be a God” from the Andscape soundtrack, she caught up with Shawn to learn more about the muse behind the vibes.


Singer India Shawn grew up singing in church with her family. “I feel like most of us R&B kids have that experience,” she said.

India Shawn

Name:
India Shawn

Hometown:

Los Angeles

Artistic soundscape

Airy, soft, telling a story, multidimensional, soft, mysterious, atmospheric

The oldest musical memory

Shawn’s soulful sound is deeply rooted in her upbringing, with influences drawn from her childhood memories and the musical culture of her church. “I sing with my sister all the time, and I also grew up singing behind my mom in church. She was the leader of praise and worship. So I feel like most of us R&B kids have that experience,” Shawn said. “I had these little solos in church, and I believe what made me consider in it was that after the service people got here as much as me with tears of their eyes and said, ‘You really moved me while you sang.’ “These early moments of connection with music and audiences laid the foundation for conveying depth and sensitivity through her music.

Influences

For Shawn, music, especially R&B, has all the time held a special place in her life. “Me and my sister are harmonizing in the living room, just picking some of our favorite songs, including for me Mariah Carey, Babyface, Boyz II Men and (and) Brandy,” she said of her early music memories.

Creative process

Shawn often draws inspiration from real-life experiences and relationships that influence her music. She weaves this into the authenticity and atmosphere of her songs, but she didn’t immediately recognize where her inspiration got here from. “It’s funny that it took me so long to make that connection, but I realized that I was telling my whole story and presenting my business through my music,” she said. “It took me two albums to realize, wait a minute, I’m giving people a lot to understand here… these aren’t just songs. This is truly the life I live.”

Challenges and development

As Shawn’s profession grows, so do his moments of appreciation and reflection. “I literally just thought about a very gradual progression of my career. It’s like step by step, but there are more breakthrough moments. My first tour, which was so beautiful, I just knew I could pack a room and people knew my lyrics and sang my songs to me. Those moments that make the waiting not in vain.”

Shawn has plenty of recommendation for up-and-coming singer-songwriters. Her biggest sacrifice? Collaboration is essential. “I think (cooperation) is really why I’m still here. So find your people… you’ll know when it feels right, you’ll have that freedom and fluidity, and you’ll be able to really create things and create without having to think too much.” He also shares the importance of patience. “Just be patient during the journey. This has been a theme throughout my profession. Let it develop. I feel like more things come from being in that flow and being present reasonably than forcing all of it.

Current project

There should be a God”, the lead single from Andscape , now streaming on Hulu, also serves as a teaser for Shawn’s solo album. “(This song) is such a manifestation of God’s love,” she said. “I think when you find yourself in a place of waiting, you can feel very hopeless. So when you see glimpses of God’s love again, or the fact that you know there is a higher power, there is a source that is thinking about you, has you in mind, has a perfect plan for you, it’s just like the clouds parting. And this is the moment, I understand. I understand that I had to go through all this to get here. And that’s exactly what I felt in the studio that day.”

Sheila Matthews is a digital producer at Andscape and a proud HBCU graduate. She believes “Return of the Mack” must have won a Grammy, and her Twitter mentions are open to all debate.

This article was originally published on : andscape.com
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ICYMI: Tessa Thompson’s Mocha Lip, Danielle Brooks’ Updo and More – Essence

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With just a number of weeks left until the tip of 2024, the celebrities are setting the tone for the brand new 12 months this week. And although mocha mousse is anticipated to be fashionable in 2025, neutral shades in darker tones have gotten more and more popular. Paired with an array of beauty eras – from elegant Twenties updos to 2000s-style round pink, the brand new Hollywood showcases its best 12 months-end beauty moments.

Tessa Thompson and Issa Rae are the newest to debut mocha lips holiday shade near the season, and Coco Jones’ lipstick was cranberry red. Doechii’s perforated suggestions and signature face-lift tape made it probably the most avant-garde look of the week, and within the sweetest moment, Chloe and Halle Bailey’s round pink cheeks made pink cheeks a winter styling staple.

From makeup to hairstyles, Sabrina Elba and Alva Claire opted for light, coffee colours, and Jourdan Dunn’s short hairstyle proved relevant at any time of the 12 months. Meanwhile, Lupita N’yongo, Danielle Brooks and Venus Williams’ braided buns showed just how classic this style may be.

In case you missed it, take a take a look at 17 of the very best celebrity beauty moments from the week below.

This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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