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“Looking at who I am now, I feel like I’m just getting started.” — Andscape

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It’s a brand new era and a brand new season for Coco Jones.

Jones, who plays Hilary Banks on Peacock, is happy in regards to the latest season premiering on Thursday. After the third season was delayed as a consequence of writers strike in 2023Jones is able to delve even deeper into her character.

“So many shows would love to be in the position that we’re fortunate to be in with Season 3 and really get comfortable with our characters and have that creative freedom to, you know, dive deeper into this show that we love with the people that we love,” Jones told Andscape. “So (the cast) really came back super-grateful. Everyone wanted to create something that was impactful. The whole world was just waiting for us, so we felt that gravitas going into Season 3.”

Since its premiere, the dramatic reboot of the ’90s sitcom has combined elements of the unique series and introduced latest characters and storylines. has a crossover character with the unique series. Tatyana Ali, who played Ashley Banks from 1990 to 1996, made a guest appearance in the primary season. Janet Hubert and Daphne Maxwell Reid, who each played Aunt Viv, appeared within the second season. According to TrailerJoseph Marcell, who played Geoffrey in the unique series, is about to seem this season.

While this season guarantees to be an interesting one for Jones, she can also be excited to release latest music. She won a Grammy for Best R&B Performance for her song “ICU”, which she performed during tribute to Usher at the 2024 BET Awards. She has accomplished recording her debut album, which is about to be released in the autumn.

Last week, Andscape spoke with Jones in regards to the latest season of , during which she plays the enduring black sitcom character, and the brand new single off her debut album.

In the primary two seasons people have noticed a whole lot of crossovers with the unique sitcom. What is it like watching the unique characters from in this system help mix old and latest program elements?

It does a terrific job of taking the amazing OGs and finding latest ways to do all the things. It’s like a option to re-inform a brand new generation about who got here before us and what really brought us to this show. Even with all of the story and premise of our show, a number of the fans are younger, and that is their first taste of all of those characters and the premise and the story. So it continues to tell younger generations. It was such a classic that it lasted for thus many many years, so hopefully it’s going to do the identical.

How did you manage to embody such an iconic character as Hilary Banks while also giving her your individual spin?

The way I put them together is to maintain the aura of confidence that OG Hilary had. Because it is a drama, we get to achieve out and see loads more of the ugly side of life. But what I all the time wish to keep as a theme is that Hilary was very confident, even when life didn’t reflect that. In who she is — her confidence, her belief in herself — I never wanted that to diminish. I think Karyn Parsons did a terrific job of showing women tips on how to stand tall and hold their heads high after they walk right into a room (and) look at one another (with) that leading lady energy. I desired to keep that in mind with my version of Hilary. Even though she might undergo more challenges in life and show those sides, I never wanted her to lose the spark that she has.

Hilary is thought for being a fashion lover, but have there been any particular looks this season which have caught your eye?

I’m glad Hillary’s going to have more “outfits which might be realistic for a day in your real life. Most girls don’t go to big business meetings (or) should wear suits with shoulder pads and matching skirts, you already know what I mean? You go somewhere nice and sweet and also you haven’t got to wear a blazer. You might be sweet and casual, but still (people will ask), ‘Where did you get that?’ I’m glad girls will see that. I think it’ll encourage a whole lot of people in the style world.

Hilary and Jazz broke up last season. Will there be a reunion this season?

You’ll see them together and you will think, What are you doing? What is that this? But it is so much like real life. (People) have that person they’ll all the time come back to, and facing the uncertainty of closing that chapter is just hard.

Pictured: (from left) Coco Jones as Hilary and Akira Akbar as Ashley within the third season of “Bel-Air.”

Travis Ellison/PAW

What advice would Coco give Hilary for the upcoming season?

That’s a very good query. I would say, girl, get some therapy, because are you even OK? Are you sure you are operating at full capability? Yes, these outbursts are disgusting and also you look like it, but what does it look like on the within? Let’s be sure that you are just as disgusting on the within, in your heart.

How do you discover the balance between sacrificing what you’ve got artistically in your acting projects and what you give to music?

It’s about knowing what you are signing up for. I think if I can determine how long it may take, how long it may take, and what the professionals and cons are of it, then I can either commit to it or I can say with all my heart that I cannot commit. So it’s about knowing what you are signing up for after which moving forward. I look at it like this: Where were you 4 years ago? Would you relatively be there? No. So you’ve got to maintain moving forward to get to where you would like to be. It’s just in regards to the price.

Quite a bit has happened for you previously 12 months. How would you describe this latest chapter in your life?

It’s like chapter 1A, because my EP () did loads greater than I could have expected, nevertheless it wasn’t my album. It was like a prelude or something, so it was like chapter 1 — but I cannot really say chapter 1 because I won the Grammy. So (now) for me it just must be chapter 1A. Looking at who I am now, I feel like I’m just starting.

With my debut album, I made a whole lot of decisions. I made a whole lot of decisions and I really needed to learn through the EP what feels authentic to me, how I can use my voice in a respectful way, and the primary theme has to return from me. So I should speak more. I should make decisions and determine what I actually need.

Given a number of the hints on social media, what are you able to say about your latest single, out Friday?

I can tell it’s on its way. Kudos to it! I’m excited because I don’t need people to forget that I’m still young and fun and I go to the club. So I’m like, OK, so what is the version of me that may balance it? What version of me can bring vocals and go to the club? Do I have any songs that I wish to hear within the club? And I said no. I intend to make latest songs that if I heard it within the club, I’d dance to it. And if I’m out with my girls and we’re driving somewhere, I’d dance to it. But I’m not losing my vocals. That was a fun challenge that I set for myself. My next single, “Sweep It Up,” is coming out. When it comes out, I’ll be super relieved to see the ladies singing it in a quick tempo like Coco.

Mia Berry is a senior HBCU author at Andscape who covers all the things from sports to student protests. She’s a Detroit native (What up Doe!), a long-suffering Detroit sports fan, and a Notre Dame grad who occasionally shouts, “Go Irish.”

This article was originally published on : andscape.com
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Kendrick Lamar Releases Surprise Album ‘GNX’; group chats are going crazy

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Kendrick Lamar, Kendrick Lamar GNX, GNX, GNX album, K-Dot, K-Dot GNX, theGrio.com

There are few things more exciting than receiving an infinite barrage of text messages at the very same time in numerous group chats. This normally implies that something vital has happened in popular culture. Well, the exact same thing happened about noon on November 22, within the yr of our Lord two thousand and twenty-four. Kendrick Lamar Duckworth, higher often called Kendrick Lamar, released the album “GNX”, nod towards Buick Grand National Regal GNXa rare muscle automobile released in 1987 – which also happens to be the yr Kendrick was born.

“GNX” is coming to the tip of what has been a banner yr for Kendrick Lamar. From epic diss records geared toward Drake, to creating the largest song of his profession (and a Drake diss track) on “Not Like Us”, to the “Pop Out” concert streaming live to tell the tale Amazon Prime, Kendrick won this yr. He even received seven Grammy nominations, mostly for “Not Like Us.” And this victory will proceed in the brand new yr. In September, it was announced that Kendrick would stay Super Bowl 2025 headliner will happen in New Orleans. This announcement sparked some controversy and comments from several New Orleans legends similar to Juvenile and most notably Lil Wayne, who felt disrespected; Kendrick immediately refers to this topic within the opening song of the album (all stylized in lower case), “wacced out murals”.

The thing is, Kendrick didn’t sleep for many of 2024. And then, while the remaining of us were minding our own business, listening to other albums that had just dropped, like Ice Cube’s “Man Down,” I began receiving text after text… and I knew that would only mean that something vital happened.

At this point in my life (and possibly even yours), Kendrick Lamar releases are a drop-everything-and-listen event. I immediately went to the streaming service, launched “GNX” and pressed “Play”.

I need to admit that the primary time I heard the album I used to be a bit confused. Kendrick has probably never been more popular or famous; if there was ever a time to drag a Kanye West and release his own version of “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” – an album largely produced as Kanye’s best and most representative of Kanye’s greatness – now could be the time. “GNX” has a far more modern West Coast vibe and is certainly more for his die-hard fans than anyone who just began gaining attention due to his beef with Drake. Maybe that was the purpose; possibly not.

Kendrick Lamar, Kendrick Lamar GNX, GNX, GNX album, K-Dot, K-Dot GNX, theGrio.com
Photo: Dave Free

Either way, I can imagine that folks whose favorite lines are “OV-Ho” won’t be immediately thrilled. I wasn’t immediately blown away (though very amused by how sensitive Kendrick is to what people say about him on social media, well, everyone), but as is all the time the case with Kendrick albums, repeated listens are likely to correct any immediate monotony that I even have about his projects. For example, now that I’ve listened to it just a few times, I can not wait to listen to black college bands playing “tv off” style, which seems like a cousin of “Not Like Us.” The Shoot, Bayou Classic, which also takes place yearly in New Orleans on Thanksgiving Day, stands out as the first time we hear a band playing “TV off.”

Since the album didn’t come out long enough to be reviewed, group chats and social media were abuzz with immediate reactions. This is the a part of music releases I really like, where everyone seems to be listening to the identical thing, offering premature takes that will not even delay the following day. I’m not different; I’m sure I’ll say something about this album that can sound silly by Monday. Shoot, I can have already done it. But that is what happens when great artists release music. We spend time with others after which we refer to them, analyze them, criticize them, praise them, destroy them and let all our prejudices fly free. Love it.

It’s value noting that certainly one of Drake’s diss tracks that did not appear during last summer’s fracas was titled “The Heart Part 6,” and was an apparent try to usurp Kendrick’s pre-album practice of removing a non-album song titled “The Heart.” Well, Kendrick has a song on his recent album called, you guessed it, “The Heart, Pt. 6,” which I feel will probably be released soon Drake. Good job, Kenny.

Argue.


Panama Jackson theGrio.com

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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New music this week: Tyla, Lola Brooke, Coco Jones and more – Essence

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Happy Friday, people! Whether you are drinking a warm beverage or preparing for a fun-filled weekend, this week’s latest music releases set the tone. From sensual R&B melodies to powerful hip-hop anthems, these songs have something for everybody.

Coco Jones leads the pack along with her seasonal album, and Tyla offers a heartfelt change of tone with “Tears.” Miguel’s smooth “Always Time” and Jorja Smith’s tender “Stay Another Day” showcase R&B at its finest, while Lola Brooke and Killer Mike turn up the warmth on “Go To Yo Head” and “Warryn’s Groove,” respectively. Today’s list also includes music from Eric Bellinger, Coi Leray, Blxst and more.

Below you possibly can read our list of latest products.

This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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Serena Williams is cutting short divorce talks for a second time after the couple reunited and put months of rumors to rest

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Serena Williams and her husband Alexis Ohanian are still doing well despite months of unconfirmed divorce rumors.

On November 17, Williams and the Reddit co-founder took a walk down memory lane and tested one another by asking questions on themselves and their family in a recent promotional ad. The couple ate a few of their favorite meals and meanwhile checked their glucose levels using Hello Lingo, a glucose monitoring device.

Nearly five minutes into the recording, Williams tested her husband’s memory by asking, “Who said I love you first?”

Ohanian, who shares two daughters, Olimpia and Adira, with the tennis legend, responds quickly by saying, “Mmm,” before writing his answer on the board.

Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian recall who said “I love you” first amid divorce rumors. (Photo: Steve Granitz/FilmMagic)

“It’s like ‘The Newlywed Game,'” Williams said, writing down her answer, referring to the mid-Nineteen Sixties show “The Newlywed Game,” which tested couples who had been married for lower than two years to see if how much they learn about their relationship. amplifier.

Both Williams and Ohanian turn the board over to reveal their answers and, quite shockingly, they received two different answers. Ohanian wrote that Williams said it first, but Williams claims it was Ohanian.

“Come now. Are you going to lie about this? he declared to Williams, who responded with a laugh: “I said I would be honest.”

“That’s not an honest answer,” Ohanian continued. “I still keep in mind that phone call. Oh, you realize I felt the same, but you certainly said it first.

Williams joked: “My glucose levels were high. I ate some ice cream, my glucose level was too high. Then I tell this guy and I feel like saying things I would not normally say. The moment ended with Williams replaying how she told Ohanian those three special words.

Of course, there was no shortage of reactions from fans who showed their love for the couple and how well they interact of their normal element.

One YouTube commenter he wrote“It’s great to see Serena and Alexis in this normal environment, they are so lovely and have great charisma. I love them even more now and I feel great chemistry between them.”

Someone else said: “I liked this part. They seem to really like each other.”

However, as rumors swirled about problems of their marriage, one fan was confused by the video shared on Instagram.

“I thought I read that they got divorced?” he wrote one person in Williams’ comment section.

Someone else also addressed the rumors, writing: “Where are the haters who said divorce was imminent? Sometimes people will be crazy. Seriously, how are you going to even start assuming things like that about people you have never met?

This summer, fans began speculating that Williams and her seven-year marriage to Ohanian were in trouble after they noticed she hadn’t posted from him on her social media pages in some time.

Moreover, Ohanian was noticeably absent from the June premiere of the documentary “In the Arena: Serena Williams” and was also absent from her side at the Met Gala in May.

But they got back together this summer after they attended the Paris Olympics with their daughter Olympia in July.

Among the many viral moments spent with the Ohanian family, she organizes: umbrella for his wife and the European commentator – who didn’t realize he was her husband – and called Ohanian Serena’s “umbrella holder”.

The tech guru reacted to the moment hilariously by snapping a photo of himself holding an umbrella over himself and his daughter.

Ohanian joked, “I am also a personal Olympia umbrella owner. Sidebar: You all set the bar too low for me and celebrity daddies only get flowers for *admitting* they have kids.”

The proud dad is probably also Adira’s personal umbrella holder.


This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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