Entertainment
Marion Jones Returns to the Starting Block – Essence
It’s been quiet on the Marion Jones front for the past decade… until now. With the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, the former fastest woman in the world is back in the highlight, sharing her unique journey, identifying as LGBTQ+, and the way she’s redefining success. ESSENCE had the opportunity to sit down with Jones to discuss her second act.
In 2000, Jones was on top of the world at the Sydney Olympics. The reigning track and field queen won five Olympic medals Team USAthree gold and two bronze. But just a few years later, Jones was embroiled in a doping scandal. It led to 2008 with a six-month prison sentence, stripping her of all her Olympic medals, in addition to all “her performances until September 2000. [being]…erased from the record books.”
Two years later, Jones returned with great athletic ability, continuing her profession in basketball, her other passion. She played for nearly two seasons in WNBA with the Tulsa Shock before he passed away.
Jones later settled right into a life away from the press, but in June of this 12 months, during Pride Month, Jones opened up about Instagramsaying, “I wanted to share with you…I identify with the LGBTQ community, I have for a long time…It’s something that has shaped me as a person…as a child, I started to feel different as a woman of color, as a queer woman. As a woman who is almost 50, I now feel comfortable in my skin and being myself.”
“The news that I identify as gay is not new to my family, to me, or to my community, but I know that because I made the decision to step away from the spotlight for over a decade, the world has not been in the loop,” Jones told ESSENCE. “For so long, I have hidden certain elements of who I am, who I was… and where I am in my life now, this is full transparency.”
“I share with people that their comeback from hard times is bigger than their failure, and I have to be completely transparent,” Jones said. When asked, “Why now?” Jones responded that “it’s time for people to hear who I am, but even more so for people who may be struggling with their own identity to see that they’re not alone.”
A well-recognized sense of determination was palpable on Jones’ face during the discussion, especially when she stepped down onto this 12 months’s field of athletes competing for medals in Paris. “I’m here to cheer them on, to pray for them, and I really hope that they use this platform that they have, which is a very, very short season,” Jones shared. “I hope that they realize that sports, their events, their disciplines, are for a short time.” Her advice: “Start preparing for life after sports by making sure that the people around you are pouring into you because of who you are, not because of what you can do for them.”
As for the next ten years, Jones is happy about what’s ahead: “I’m in a place now where I feel comfortable in my skin and I know that the choices I’m making now are really about helping people live better and stronger lives.” The 48-12 months-old recently launched a brand new partnership with Driven Inc., a training program for professionals and entrepreneurs. She says, “We teach entrepreneurs the tools to get through tough times and win at life.”
“I even have the opportunity to do what I like and train people by way of physical fitness, but I also can teach them how to get back up, how to get back up, how to cope with the consequences, [and] “Get over it,” Jones said. “Not many people can understand or relate to being an Olympic champion or a convicted felon, but everyone on the planet has dealt with some form of failure.”
“Failure looks very different to everyone, and everyone has struggled at some point to deal with it. I’ve reached the highest levels of success, but I’ve also fallen many times because of the choices I’ve made. I just know how to get back up. I know the tools to win again, and that’s what I’m so excited to share with people.”
“Failure doesn’t have to last forever,” Jones stated firmly. “People are bigger than their mistakes in life, and that doesn’t define who they are.”
Entertainment
Kendrick Lamar Releases Surprise Album ‘GNX’; group chats are going crazy
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.
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.
Entertainment
New music this week: Tyla, Lola Brooke, Coco Jones and more – Essence
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.
Entertainment
Serena Williams is cutting short divorce talks for a second time after the couple reunited and put months of rumors to rest
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.
“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?
We got married here 7 years ago. Now we will take these two out for donuts. Happy anniversary 🎉 Thank you for giving me two of the best people we’ve got ever met. You are a tremendous mom. I’m very glad to have met you @serenawilliams @olympiaohanian @adiraohanian pic.twitter.com/5ntPujrYDh
— Alexis Ohanian 🇦🇲 (@alexisohanian) November 17, 2024
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.
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