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Imani Ellis on Creativity, Her New Podcast, and CultureCon ’24 – Essence

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Imani Ellis. Photo credit: Maya Iman

Imani Ellis, the dynamic founder and CEO of CultureCon and The Creative Collective, pushes the boundaries of storytelling along with her recent video podcast. The show, which shines a light-weight on the creative journeys of Black cultural shapeshifters, offers everyone a primary-hand perspective on each the triumphs and challenges of their careers and personal lives.

As host, Ellis provides an area for guests to share their experiences, giving audiences the tools and learnings to grow of their fields. In this case, knowledge is something that isn’t the exclusive property of the listener. “I think I’ve learned something in every conversation because with , we’ve gone deeper than we’ve ever gone in those conversations,” she says. “That’s the joy of this series—being really unfiltered and raw.”

Each episode delves into the multifaceted nature of success, showing how creative people undergo different seasons of their lives. Ellis hopes listeners will see themselves in these stories, whether or not they’re in a season of stagnation or a season of abundance. “It’s not always a season of winning, it’s not always a season of conditioning,” she says. “We all go through these different seasons, so I think it’s going to be very encouraging for people.”

How CultureCon NYC is coming up in October, the show is the right introduction to the event. “It’s really a taste of what you’ll see in person at CultureCon,” the Vanderbilt alum notes. The podcast’s finale is timed to coincide with the conference, which will likely be full of programming, workshops, and celebrity appearances, and Ellis envisions the podcast as an extension of the CultureCon experience, helping to arrange the masses by offering intimate, weekly conversations.

Looking ahead, Imani is wanting to see growth. She envisions future episodes that proceed to push the boundaries of creative conversation. “The sky is the limit for us,” she says. With her signature optimism, Imani is poised to proceed to expand the impact of each the podcast and the broader platform, inspiring a brand new generation of creators to forge their very own paths, just as she has.

ESSENCE: What inspired you to begin in collaboration with Spotify?

Imani Ellis: CultureCon has develop into really known for telling really great stories where Black and Brown creatives get to indicate up of their full selves, each talking about triumphs and moments which are larger than life, but additionally sharing moments of vulnerability or once they’ve possibly encountered challenges. So we’re taking it a step further. We’re unfiltered, raw, uncensored, and just really talking to amazing people and talking about moments of incredible joy and moments where they weren’t sure what the subsequent step was.

So after we considered bringing these stories to the screen, Spotify and CultureCon have worked together in other ways through the years. It was just an excellent, seamless next step that we could take together, especially due to our shared values ​​and how well we work together.

How did you select the guests you desired to invite for the primary season of the podcast?

We just wanted individuals who really have something to say, especially concerning the struggles that they are facing. We have so many great conversations this season, we have now Rickey Thompson, who’s blowing up social media and doing it in his own way, and Fawn Weaver, who’s constructing a billion-dollar brand as an entrepreneur on Uncle Nearest. Elaine Welteroth, who obviously started off within the editorial space but is the definition of what it means to forge your personal path and change direction. Jay Ellis, who’s America’s favorite guy on Insecure, and then after all Jordyn Woods, really navigating what it’s prefer to grow up within the highlight and not be in it later in life. And so you may see it’s all very various kinds of conversations. We cover all the things from dating to waiting to the numerous joys and challenges of entrepreneurship. So there’s something for everybody.

You discuss with numerous people and interact with numerous people. When you discuss with a few of the guests, is there anything that surprised you about a number of of their journeys?

I believe one in every of the things that I actually liked was something that Fawn Weaver said in her episode. She really talks about reimagining challenges as an entrepreneur or should you’re not an entrepreneur. And so she calls herself a hurdler and she says, “Hurdlers expect obstacles.” And I really like that because I believe numerous times in entrepreneurship, when things get tough, we’re form of caught off guard and like, “Wait, this is tough.” But I believe she helped me understand that tough things are tough. So it isn’t that you simply don’t expect them, it’s, “How can I stay focused on my goal despite the obstacle, despite the obstacle?” And that actually stuck with me since it really broadened my horizons when it comes to living a life where there isn’t any obstacle, no obstacle. So knowing that, how can we prepare ourselves to face those challenges and not allow them to stress us out?

In addition to what you learned out of your guests, what lessons would you prefer to share with listeners concerning the creative journeys discussed on this podcast?

I believe one in every of the things that I hope listeners take away is de facto focusing on the seasonality of your life. I believe one in every of the things that we do is take these larger than life people, cultural transformers, and really show the duality and the seasonality of your life. So I believe that is going to be very encouraging for listeners who’re possibly in a waiting period and feel prefer it’s never going to vary, or possibly they’re in a slower period and feel just like the sun’s never going to come back up. I actually hope that they take away optimism and hope and can see themselves or pieces of themselves in all of those different conversations.

I really like this. I do know you are all excited because CultureCon NYC is just across the corner. How does this podcast function a prelude to that event?

We’re going to have the identical conversations that we have now live on our culture stage. And I believe that guests who’re really preparing themselves for what to anticipate or the sorts of sensitivities that they will expect can tune in every week to listen, and we have timed it perfectly in order that the finale happens right before CultureCon, in order that our community doesn’t must wait for much longer to experience the event of the conference.

You’ve been an inspiration as an entrepreneur, but additionally as a philanthropist. I desired to ask: What advice would you give to a creative who’s just starting out?

I believe the recommendation I’d give them is to pay as much attention to aesthetics as to operate. So I believe often creative individuals are so inspired and we’re very visually inspired people, so we are able to gravitate towards logos or brand colours or things which you could really feel and taste and touch. But I actually encourage creative people to also think concerning the within the pie, which is more functional. So what are you attempting to construct? Is there an actual audience for it? And is there any case studies or data that shows that it will be a viable business? Because one in every of the things that we are able to get away from is that not every idea needs to be monetized. Sometimes your ideas needs to be hobbies, and then while you attempt to monetize them, you discover that you simply don’t love them anymore.

I really like second-hand stores. I really like garage sales. For a second I believed I used to be going to begin a business where I used to be going to open an antique shop, but I discovered something that I loved as a hobby, and after I was attempting to sell tickets and earn cash doing that, I suddenly didn’t prefer it anymore. So I encourage creatives and entrepreneurs to essentially ask themselves, “Is this idea just for me, or is this an idea that I need to put out there in the world?” And once you have got that answer, you may just get all the way down to business.

“Not every idea has to be monetized.” See, I actually have to put in writing that down because that’s definitely a word, obviously.

We must break free.

As a fellow creative, you’re thinking that that whatever you do, you have got to have the opportunity to receives a commission for it. I absolutely love that advice and I’m going to take it. So how do you see CultureCon Uncut evolving in the longer term? Are there any topics or guests you would like to explore in future episodes?

I’m really enthusiastic about this chance. I believe the community, as we have seen, is de facto coming together and excited to see the sorts of conversations that we’re having that you simply really don’t see in numerous places. Of course, we’re focused on having a tremendous first season, but we would prefer to proceed to work together. [Spotify]I believe, as I said, we have now such amazing shared values, missions, and audiences that we’d like to proceed CultureCon Uncut and proceed to inform those stories.

This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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Katt Williams Life

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Katt Williams at all times knew what he desired to do and be. He told his parents when he was just 9 years old that he desired to be a comedian.

Born Micah Williams in Cincinnati, Ohio, Williams was raised in Dayton and spent a yr in Haiti on a mission together with his family. He grew up in a strictly religious home and infrequently felt that the constraints of faith prevented him from being himself. He broke away from his parents at age 13 and moved to Florida. He soon got a job as a door-to-door salesman.

Katt Williams attends the Netflix Emmy 2018 After-Party at NeueHouse Hollywood on September 17, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images)

Katt began his comedy profession while still in Ohio, improvising as an adolescent. He honed his routines and toured the country as a real American hustler. By 1999, Williams was an everyday at The Improv, The Comedy Club and Hollywood Park Casino.

While he has his own style, Williams was undoubtedly influenced by a number of the legendary black comedians of his time. Most notably, he drew inspiration from Bill Cosby, Eddie Murphy, and Richard Pryor.

Katt Williams’ profession on stage and screen

Katt Williams has a novel way of weaving almost any topic with each humor and intelligent remark. He can spin about politics, race, or the state of play between men and ladies, and he’s sure to say something each funny and heartfelt. His sort of comedy works since it’s funny enough to get fun, but believable enough to maintain you taken with his sharp commentary. In interviews, he’s way more reserved than his energetic stage presence.

Melba Moore Honored with Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 10: (L-R) Freda Payne, Melba Moore, Katt Williams and Luenell attend the Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony honoring Melba Moore on August 10, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)

Although stand-up is Williams’ bread and butter, he’s had a couple of different talents over time. He switched careers within the early 2000s and started working in television and film. His first role was in “NYPD Blue,” but his real breakthrough got here as Money Mike, a proud clothing store owner, within the 2002 comedy “Friday After Next.” You may also remember him from “My Wife and Kids,” “Norbit” and Nick Cannon’s “Wild ’n Out.”

How Katt Williams Unleashes Laughter

In a way, you might say that Katt Williams himself is the show. His distinctive, nasal voice and flat perm add one other layer of frivolity to Williams’ stage persona. His flamboyant and sometimes bawdy stage demeanor also brings a component of physicality to his humor.

For Katt Williams, delivery is as necessary because the joke, if no more. He often does impressions to inform a story and uses a frantic pace of speech that keeps the audience on the sting of their seat until the punch line, which he normally repeats multiple times for optimum effect.

Katt Williams Netflix thegrio.com
Katt Williams (Photo: Netflix)

And it is not just William’s lyrics that can make you laugh out loud, but his physical comedy as well. This guy will sit on stage in front of 1000’s of individuals simply to get fun. He’s also been known to make use of stools and water bottles as props during his performance so as to add to the humor.

Watching a few of Williams’s older work, it is simple to know how he rose to fame in comedy. “The Pimp Chronicles Part 1” is probably one of the comedian’s most iconic specials. Fans can probably picture him in an emerald green suit and a side-swept perm right now. He whipped audiences into a frenzy as he raged about the life-changing power of marijuana, implored people not to put leashes on their kids, and reminded us all why we need to have white friends. In “Live: Let Playa play”, the short king joked about his size and wondered aloud why he never grew to be “big and strong” despite drinking milk and vegetables.

Katt Williams Today

His most up-to-date works have been released as specials on Netflix.World War III“in 2022, he was rambling on concerning the opioid crisis and his skepticism concerning the chicken wing shortage, and as you already knew, he was just pretending to be a chicken in that bit.

The next special, “Woke Foke,” aired in May 2024, right after his infamous interview with Shannon Sharpe. Katt clearly has a number of life left in him, but fans noticed a special tone on this special. Touré of TheGrio wondered in an article about Katt’s latest special if he relied an excessive amount of on his charm and didn’t skimp on the jokes themselves. “He doesn’t put in the work to write great jokes, which I know he can do. That’s what I expect from him,” Touré wrote. Despite that, Williams still gets his $10 million bag from these specials.

NFL Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe and comedian Katt Williams sit on either side of a wooden table
Shannon Sharpe, left, and Katt Williams in “Club Shay Shay” (YouTube screenshot)

Katt’s longevity within the comedy world is impressive. He has managed to remain relevant and continues to perform across the country. At full throttle, Katt Williams normally tours 100 nights a yr. Pre-sale tickets for William’s 2025 Heaven on Earth tour at the moment are available.

There’s no denying that Williams has kept his name within the highlight with controversial statements about other comedians. It gave the impression of nobody was secure during his time on “Shay Shay Club“as he took his anger out on a lot of his family members, including Cedric the Entertainer, Steve Harvey and Kevin Hart.

At one point, Williams disparaged Harvey’s comedic talent, saying, “There are 30,000 new scripts that come out of Hollywood every year. None of them required a redneck black guy who can’t talk well… and looks like Mr. Potato Head. There’s none. You have to have range.” Dave Chappelle got here after Williams earlier this yr after Chappelle felt he had unfairly targeted other black comedians in an interview. Some industry veterans, resembling Marlon Wayans, have come out and said they consider that feuds between comedians are detrimental to the sport.

One thing to notice about Katt Williams is that she might be controversial, but there’s at all times room for comedy.

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This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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Beyoncé’s Mom Tina Knowles Responds to Dolly Parton After CMA Skip Was Called ‘Fake’

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Tina Knowles is denying speculation that she responded to legendary country artist Dolly Parton in defense of her daughter.

Just two days after Parton attempted to deny rumors that the Country Music Awards had stripped Beyoncé of her nominations for Cowboy Carter , an Instagram comment that appeared to come from Knowles’ verified account went viral in response to Parton’s post.

But not so fast! Mama Tina now claims: “It’s a fake, not from me!”

Beyonce's mom responds to Dolly Parton
Tina Knowles is criticizing a post by which she claims to have responded to Dolly Parton for omitting Beyonce on “Cowboy Carter.” (Photo: @mstinaknowles; @beyonce/Instagram; @Dollyparton/Instagram.)

The “fake” comment was concerning the “Here You Come Again” singer and was originally shared by The Neighborhood Talk, who later deleted their post.

The comment read: “Oh Ms. Dolly, we love you, but Bey has spent her ENTIRE life working hard since she was 9! She has country roots too. She has mastered her craft and broken records in EVERY genre. So to say she hasn’t ‘spent her life’ in country music is to diminish all the work she has put in.”

It continued: “Bey doesn’t have to stick to one lane to earn respect – her talent and work ethic speak for themselves! She puts in the work, and no one else is asked to ‘spend their life’ in one place to be appreciated! #been country.”

Before the post was deemed fake, it sparked some debate on the topic. Some people supported what they saw as Knowles’ retort, including one one who said, “This just goes to show that white women will always be white women. No matter who they are.”

Another person compared the CMAs’ treatment of the “Irreplaceable” singer to the way in which they treat white hip-hop artist Post Malone, who also appeared in “Cowboy Carter” and who coincidentally receive 4 nominations after releasing his first country album this yr.

“If Post Malone could make the jump from hip-hop to country, then Beyoncé should be able to do the exact same thing! It’s not even about whether you think her album is good or not, it’s unfair to be written off because you’re Beyoncé.”

Tina Knowles says Dolly Parton’s retort is allegedly false. @theneighborhoodtalk/Instagram

Others respectfully sided with Parton. One person said, “Mom… Ms. Dolly is right. It was a special album. And an album that doesn’t deserve an award just because it’s Beyonce.”

Another wrote: “Dolly Parton was polite and tried to be honest about how it went down. I don’t think she meant any harm or had much love for Beyonce from a public perspective. I think Ms. Tina could have handled it differently, but I understand she’s a mama bear too. It’s just a trophy at the end of the day.”

Beyoncé released her first country album, “Cowboy Carter,” in March, years after having an experience on the 2016 CMAs where she “didn’t feel welcome.” The Houston-born artist performed her first country song, “Daddy Lessons,” alongside The Chicks, formerly referred to as The Dixie Chicks. Despite receiving much praise for her performance, she was also met with boos from the audience and racist tweets from onlookers.

So when the awards show didn’t include her in any of the categories nominated this yr, the Beyhive immediately called it a foul. But Parton doesn’t imagine the omission was “intentional.”

In response to Parton’s allegations he said Variety September 17: “Well, you never know. There are so many great country artists that I think probably in the country music community, they probably thought, well, we can’t leave out some of these guys who dedicate their whole lives to this.”

She later added, “So I don’t think it was a matter of cutting myself off, of intentionally doing it. I think it was just more of what the country charts were doing and country artists who were doing it all the time, rather than just a special album.”

Overall, Parton showed great love for Beyoncé and gave her permission for the project. She even appears twice on the album, and a song is called after her.

“But it was a great album,” she said. She could be very, very pleased with it, and I believe everyone in country music welcomed it with open arms and thought it was good.”


This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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Fans warn Shedeur Sanders to beware of Kardashian curse after Colorado star spotted with Kendall Jenner

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Deion and Shedeur Sanders call out constant disrespect from their doubters.

Shedeur Sanders has been generating quite a bit of buzz recently and is claimed to be a highly anticipated prospect in next 12 months’s NFL Draft.

But being the Colorado Buffaloes quarterback and son of former NFL player and current Colorado coach Deion Sanders also brings with it a potentially unwanted highlight. Shedeur’s clip goes viral after the 22-year-old was spotted embracing Kendall Jenner.

Deion Sanders' son Shedeur defends his father's coaching skills after criticism from former athletes.
Deion Sanders’ son Shedeur speaks out in defense of his father’s coaching skills after being criticized by former athletes. (Photo: @deionsanders/Instagram)

The content creator posted the clip and wrote, “Shedeur Sanders met up with Kendall Jenner, who was recently in Boulder.” Jenner was in Boulder — the house of the University of Colorado — because she was traveling to different cities to promote her brand of liqueur 818 Tequila.

Since the video only shows Jenner’s upper body and Shedeur’s back, who happened to be wearing a hoodie, it’s unclear if she was serving drinks during their meeting, but it surely appeared he was waiting in line to greet her. After a couple of people in front of him moved out of the way in which, he went over to hug Jenner and said, “How are you?” before the video ended.

Many fans warned Shedeur against getting close to Jenner.

One person said, “Nothing good happens when a BLACK athlete dates a Kardashian/Jenner,” and one other said, “Oh no. I’m scolding, I’m scolding!”

A 3rd person wrote: “Stay away from our quarterback. Kardashian/Jenner can’t remember the last athlete who had a successful relationship with one of these girls.”

Of all five Kardashian-Jenner girls, Khloé and Kendall have mostly dated NBA players. Khloé, who’s best known for her marriage and divorce from NBA player Lamar Odom, dated Minnesota Timberwolves player Rashad McCants from 2008 to 2009. He was then traded to the Sacramento Kings, where he played just one season and was never drafted by one other team.

Speaking to Charlotte’s Observer in 2017, McCants said his relationship with Khloé made people query his commitment to the NBA. “Without that in-game situation, I’m a $60-70 million player,” McCants said. “Easily.”

Later in 2009, after only one month of dating, Khloe married Los Angeles Lakers star Odom. The two documented their wedding on the truth show Khloe and Lamar, but their relationship began to crumble, and Odom’s secret struggles with substance abuse began to come to light in 2013. Later that 12 months, Odom was arrested for driving under the influence. From 2011 to 2014, he played for the Lakers, Dallas Mavericks, after which the LA Clippers before becoming a free agent. He then went to the EuroLeague, where he played in two games before injuring his back.

Then in April 2014 he signed with the Knicks before the team waived it in July of the identical 12 months.

Then there’s Khloé’s infamous relationship with Cleveland Cavaliers player Tristan Thompson. The Keeping Up with the Kardashians star had two children with Thompson, but their relationship was severely strained by Thompson’s repeated infidelities. Nevertheless, Thompson’s 13-year NBA profession didn’t end there, and he’s currently on the Cleveland Cavaliers roster.

As for her younger sister Kendall, she briefly dated Brooklyn Nets player Ben Simmons from 2018 to 2019. Simmons was named Rookie of the Year in 2018 and an All-Star in 2019. However, the next seasons became difficult for Simmons after his Philadelphia 76ers team lost to the Atlanta Hawks within the Eastern Conference semifinals in an especially close seven-game series in 2021. He apparently felt that blamed for the Game 7 loss, Simmons never played for the 76ers again before being traded to Brooklyn. He ultimately missed the whole 2021-22 season, even after arriving in Brooklyn mid-season. Since then, battling knee and back injuries — which resulted in each knee and back surgeries — Simmons has played in only 57 games over the past three seasons.

Following this relationship, Kendall dated Phoenix Suns player Devin Booker for 2 years from 2020 to 2022.

It is currently unclear what her relationship status is, but it surely looks like she is likely to be rekindling her relationship with Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny in 2023. They were spotted together in Paris, holding hands in June of this 12 months.

Shedeur’s relationship status is uncertain, because it appears he and actress Storm Reid have quietly split after making their red carpet debut last 12 months.


This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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