RIP Ali-Olllie Woodson, actor, fmr lead singer of The Temptations

You know the song, sing a long. An unforgettable voice will never be forgotten.

Reelblack TV talks to the stars of Are We There Yet? Premieres This Wednesday

Reelblack TV's Monica Peters caught up with actors ESSENCE ATKINS (Smart Guy, Half & Half) and TERRY CREWS (Everybody Hates Chris), the stars of the new TBS sitcom ARE WE THERE YET.
Are We There Yet? premieres Wednesday, June 2, with back-to-back episodes at 9 and 9:30 p.m. (ET/PT).

RIP Gary Coleman -- Part of the Best Memories of My Childhood

This man experienced a LOOOOTTTTTTT in his 42 years on this Earth. Now he can finally be at peace.

Rap Up TV talks M.I.A & Music with Rye Rye

Diddy Dirty Money is giving away 30 headphones in 30 days - Enter Now!!!

"Diddybeats embody the celebration of the finest in music, luxury and pop music. In other words, these incredible sounding in-ear headphones represent all things Diddy." - diddybeats.com

Click here to enter the sweepstakes. Contests ends June 12th @11:59 (PST)

{via Interscope}

Q&A: Key City Vintage 'Classic Americana'

HHM likes to shine the spotlight on entrepreneurs doing the damn thing. Sam Gold, a Dallas based graphic designer, has turned his love of old school men's sportswear into an online boutique stocked with vintage Ralph Lauren Polo hats, backpacks, shirts, sweaters, even the iconic teddies. Key City also has on hand classic sports merchandise snapbacks, jerseys, that will never be played out (think throwback jerseys a couple of years ago). Key City has those items you probably always wanted in your closet.

What is the inspiration behind Key City Vintage?
Key City Vintage is just an extension of the KYC collective which is a group of musicians and artists. We're all about doing what we love and trying to find creative ways to do it and for me I am a fan of RL (Ralph Lauren) and vintage clothing in general.


When did you start collecting vintage Ralph Lauren Polo?
I started really in high school. At first I did not to the extent of Polo, I just really liked the brand. My friend kind of got me into the vintage Polo thing like 2 years ago.


Why do you think the Ralph Lauren brand is so iconic in terms of streetwear?
I think its because RL is great quality, and it can be worn so many different ways. For the urban/streetwear kids, I think a lot of it has to do with color schemes and graphics that certain pieces have, the reds, blues and yellows of the 90's Polo kind of capture a lot of the retro style people are trying to rock.


How long is a typical shopping trip to find pieces for the website?
*Laughs* Pretty much when I’m not at the day job I’m looking around. Its honestly a ton of fun for me, a lot of gas though.


Do you have a Hip Hop mogul or general business mogul that you look up to for inspiration and why?
I was talking to a friend the other day and we were talking about how its cool watching Dame Dash kinda re-invent himself and adapt to the new way of hip hop, so I guess I would say him.


Which music artists are you feeling right now?
 Hmmm, gotta love the old school hip hop, Big L, Wu, but as far as new acts, Dom Kennedy’s chill.


Make sure you check out Key City Vintage at keycityvintage.blogspot.com follow the Key City movement at http://www.keycitycrew.com/ and on Twitter @keycity.

Program Note: Inside the Actor's Studio with Sean Combs

Sean 'Diddy' Combs will be interviewed by James Lipton on "Inside the Actor's Studio" premiering tonight on Bravo at 7pm EST. Combs new movie "Get Him to the Greek" hits theaters on June 4.

Lupe Fiasco starts the 1st Annual Run to the Sun at Midnight

Lupe will be driving cross country (he won't be alone) from Chicago to Los Angeles in a 2010 Chevy Camaro SS to raise awareness and in support of a few worthy causes: kids, the homeless, food banks, and to stop the violence.

{via lupefiasco.com}

Converse x UBIQ Paint Your Chucks Event May 22 (Philly)

Stop by UBIQ tomorrow (5/22) and purchase a pair of Chucks to rock for the Summer and you'll have the opportunity to customize your Chucks to your liking. There will be an art staff on hand to design for you or you can do them yourself. Art supplies will be provided. Music by DJ Shorty Wop and Free Food All Day! Starts at 1pm.

UBIQ
1509 Walnut Street
Philadelphia
www.ubiqlife.com

Leaders of the New School "Sobb Story"

Forgot to post a throwback earlier this week. I was remembering when a Nissan Pathfinder was my dream car and thought about this song yesterday. Although Busta emerged as the star obviously, I loved Charlie Brown, lol. Enjoy!

Happy Birthday Biggie...Baby Baby Uh

I'm still thankful I got to see Biggie perform live back in 1995 on the Jodeci tour. I chose to post "Get Money" and a clip from the film "The Show". If you never saw "The Show" you really need to check that out, I think its important because it captures a time in Hip Hop that we will never ever see again. I live in Philly and wish I would have went, but I was only 13 at the time, lol, my parents wasn't having it. #R.I.P B.I.G

Happy 85th Birthday to El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz

Coming Soon: Purple Stuff TV

Purple Stuff TV, created by Brandon Broussard, is a sketch comedy show in likes of SNL, In Living Color, and Chappelle's Show. Peep the trailer that landed the show a six figure pilot deal.

Event: Hip Hop Cinema Café May 22 (WDC)

HIP HOP CINEMA CAFE:

SATURDAY MAY 22, 2010

2PM-4PM

Historical Society of Washington, D.C.

801 K Street, NW at Mount Vernon Square

Washington, DC 20001

Deep Crates Volume 2: The Art of Beatdiggin'

64 minutes 2007 Jeremy Westfield

Deep Crates 2 documents the history behind diggin’ for samples & creating hip hop beats. The second DVD installment takes you back to the origins of sampling records with the cultures founding pioneers. Worldwide diggin’ spots from the USA, Canada & Japan are exposed and record knowledge is dropped from some of hip hop’s most elite DJ’s / Producers.

After film you are invited to participate in an audience discussion around the film with some of the best voices in the DC’s Hip Hop Community!

Panelists: Slimkat78, Producer & Judah, Producer

Moderated by: Dru Ryan

http://www.hiphopcinemacafe.com/

Event: Assouline & Condé Nast Traveler Cocktail Reception May 19th (LA)

ASSOULINE & Condé Nast Traveler invite you to celebrate Condé Nast Traveler Room with a View with an intimate cocktail reception, Wednesday, May 19th, 2010 @6:30pm, ASSOULINE, 8475 Melrose Place, West Hollywood. RSVP:  rsvp@cntraveler.com.

About Room with a View  Retail $65.00
Nothing compares to the moment when, after arriving in a foreign city, the hotel room's drapes are drawn back to reveal the world outside - a world that, neatly if barely contained by the window's geometry, seems to belong to you alone. Conde Nast Traveler's "Room with a View" column, featuring frame-worthy vistas from all over the world, has been whetting the appetites of armchair tourists for 20 years. This compendium gathers the most breathtaking sights of all time, from Balinese beaches to Asia's bustling metropolises to African savannahs teeming with wildlife rather than nightlife.



Take, for instance, the bathtub vista from the Royal Park's Urban Spa room in the 971 foot-high Yokohama Landmark Tower, or Room 609 at Badrutt's Palace Hotel, the perfect box seat for the Cartier Polo World Cup on Snow, played on the frozen Lake of St. Moritz below. Room with a View presents 140 of these stunning photographs that, along with the magazine's concise commentary, are sure to stoke the imaginations of even the most seasoned travelers.

Click Here for More.
For my fellow Fashion nerds, make sure to check out Lacoste: The Element of Style, a picture book that covers 75 years of the fashion brand Lacoste.
 
Since the birth of the iconic alligator - the world's first clothing logo and the symbol of its French tennis-great namesake - in 1933, Lacoste has been nearly synonymous with sport. When champion Rene Lacoste put his favored tennis uniform (a white pique polo shirt) into production for the mass market, it revolutionized the standard stiff and starchy athletic attire, ushering in an era of sport styles that were as comfortable and functional as they were chic.
 
This book is available in four colors, Red, Navy, Green, and Royal Blue with a special pique hardcover. A White edition is available for purchase at Assouline retail locations. Retails for $50.

Video: Punchline TV talks to Law & Order star Anthony Anderson *Exclusive* (Live from the Bathroom??!!!)

PunchLine TV premiered two new exclusive interviews with Anthony Anderson and Royale Watkins today on http://www.punchlinetv.com/. The Law and Order star, Anderson, sits down and talks about his early comedic years and receiving an honorary doctorate degree. Known for his break out comedy routine on Def Jam Comedy, Royale Watkins speaks on his embarrassing stage moments. The two friends are currently producing The Mixtape Comedy Show which takes place every third Sunday at a New York comedy venue and streamed live on the web. For more information and to watch the worldwide exclusive interviews, visit http://www.punchlinetv.com/.

About PunchLine TV
PunchLine TV was created in 2008 by up and coming comedian, Merv Jay. PunchLine TV is a media platform which showcases stand up and in depth interviews of veteran and new jack comedians in documentary style.

PunchLine TV is currently aired once a month on NYC TV Channel 74. Additional interviews and featured blogs are posted online at http://www.punchlinetv.com/.

PM Dawn "I'd Die Without You"

This song was on my mind so heavy since Sunday. "Boomerang" is one of the best film soundtracks. It set the standard for Black films in the 90s. Who remembers buying soundtracks for damn near every Black film back then?

Happy 77th Birthday to Min Louis Farrakhan

YouTube Gems!!!!

Random Musings...

"If 2pac and Eazy-E were alive today, Lady Gaga would work at McDonalds." - Random YouTube comment I thought was funny.

Whoever wrote that must be fed up with GaGa. I for one am not. I think she's awesome. If it wasn't for Andy Warhol, Grace Jones, and Madonna, then just maybe Lady GaGa would be a cool ass music teacher in a New York City private school. The woman does have tremendous talent and is a bit overqualified for McDonald's unless she was managing it or maybe working at the headquarters (she's great at marketing). McDonald's is a company that will probably never go out of business.

I have to admit my panties have been in a bunch lately...just saying. Could've been that Mercury retrograde business or realizing I'm 2 months away from turning 30 years old and all that talk 10 years ago about where do I see myself in 10 years is null and void. So I will no longer partake in those conversations or answer those dumb questions that ask where do you see yourself in 3, 5, or 10 years? Let alone answer that upon first meeting someone and if you're reading you should stop asking. Its a dumb question because you never know what tomorrow will bring or even 5 minutes from now.

Success should never be based on what school you get into/went to, a career path or the amount of money you make. It should be based on who you are as a person, how good you treat yourself and others. Success that is measured by worldly and material things is a cess pool that will suck the life out of you. 10 years ago I didn't understand that sentiment nor did I care. I was a college student with multi-million dollar dreams and a broke reality. Today I am life's student with multi-million dollar dreams and a 'It doesn't take much, I have what I need' reality. I want millions so I can create change because causes cost money. This is all apart of growing up and learning to live your best life. You must realize how much bullshit filters through your mind on a daily basis and even at a much faster pace now with the added additions of social media.

We keep tabs on people we don't even know and those we probably never thought we would hear from again after high school graduation. True Story: I have Facebook friends I went to high school with and I can't recall ever having a conversation during those four years. So why are we connected on Facebook these many years later? I feel obliged to tell you 'congrats on your new job or baby', 'happy birthday', and 'have fun in designated vacation spot'. Why do I have lifelong friends from the college I transferred from after two years and none from the college I graduated from? This is something I just thought about. Oh yeah that was on purpose, LOL.

At 30, do we really care what celebrities are doing in their daily lives? All I've learned is how mis-educated most of them are and they have no desire to improve themselves outside of hitting the club to make that doe. That sounds like a slave. Its a shame so many of us look to celebrities to make us happy. They're NOT who they portray themselves to be. I love to hear that a certain celebs are assholes because at least they are being true to who they are. We all wear masks at one time or another. I just think I'm at the point where I want to take my mask off for good, throw it away and just be free to be me.

Check out Philly In The Know's Interview with the GM of Pharrell's Kidult.com

Waheedah of Why PR & Marketing and radio segment and blog, Philly In The Know recently interviewed OJ Lima, General Manager of the teen news site, Kidult.com. As I previously posted about before, Kidult,  founded by Pharrell Williams and media maven, Mimi Valdes, will be hosting its First Annual Youth Leadership Conference June 26th in New York City.

Check out Waheedah's Full Interview Here!!!

RIP Lena Horne...Beauty, Grace & Dignity

One of my many inspirations for my charaters in "The Black Magnolia Society". Her picture sits on my visual board. I don't recall never knowing who this woman was since I was a toddler. If you've never seen "Stormy Weather" or "Cabin in the Sky" to name a couple, those are two must see films.

Rob Dyrdek Foundation hosts SK8 4 Life, Opens Doors of the Fantasy Factory May 22 (Los Angeles)

On May 22nd, Rob Dydrek and the Rob Dyrdek Foundation will open the doors to the Factory for an exclusive event and filming of the final episode of the season for MTV’s Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory. The event is being held to raise much needed funds that will provide new skateboards for underprivileged children in Los Angeles and to build a new skate plaza for the Boys and Girls Club – encouraging today’s youth to be safe, active, healthy.

Your all-inclusive day at the Fantasy Factory will include:

•Participate and be filmed in the final episode of the season for MTV’s Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory

•Participate in activities seen on MTV’s Fantasy Factory

•Musical performances, including a super-performance by Travis Barker, N*E*R*D, Rob Dyrdek and more

•A skate demo by Rob Dyrdek and top skaters

•A behind-the-scenes look at the Fantasy Factory

•Amazing food and beverages

•Giveaways for all guests

For More Information log on to:

http://www.robdyrdekfoundation.org/

MusiCares Nashville Flood Relief

The Recording Academy® and its MusiCares® Foundation which provides a safety net of critical services for music people in crisis have established the MusiCares Nashville Flood Relief Fund.

Emergency assistance already has begun, and 100 percent of every dollar raised will be immediately distributed to help those in the Nashville music community that are victims of the floods.

Donations to MusiCares Nashville Flood Relief may be made at www.musicares.com/NashvilleFloodRelief.

MusiCares' initial assistance will provide funds for food and clothing, gasoline and transportation, clean-up efforts, relocation costs, medicine, and other critical supplies. To apply for assistance, please contact the South Regional office at 615.327.0050 or toll free at 877.626.2748. A list of resources for flood victims is also available at the above link.

via  The Recording Academy and MusiCares.

Save The Date: 14th Annual Summer Groove - July 14-18th, 2010 (Miami)

Seminole Hard Rock presents the 14th Annual Summer Groove hosted by Alonzo Mourning and Dwayne Wade, July 14th-18th, 2010 in Miami, FL.

July 14th - Groove Golf Classic
July 15th - Groove Youth Sports Conference
July 16th - Groove Youth Basketball Clinic | Groove Comedy Show
July 17th - Groove Youth Empowerment Summit | Groove Benefit Gala
July 18th - Groove Block Party | Groove All-Star Basketball Game

For more information & tickets log on to http://www.thesummergrove.com/!

Jamiroquai "Virtual Insanity"

This song is timeless. Jamiroquai was sending us a message, I knew that 13 years ago or so but damn was this song so on point.

"Futures made of virtual insanity
now always seem, to be governed by this love we have
For useless, twisting, our new technology
Oh now there is no sound for we all live underground..."

Keeping Up with The Moguls: Diddy, Pharrell &....Oprah at the Met Costume Ball After Party (May 3, 2010)

I wonder if Pharrell is trying to cozy up to the Big O to get on her show before it goes off the air...hmmmm??? Black folks getting the party started as always *sigh*

More Photos @ BBC Blog

DiddyBlog.com Coming Soon...Peep the Trailer

The King of inspirational tweets will be launching his own blog real soon. Of course the ultimate pitch man had to promote the only way he can. LET'S GO!!!

www.diddyblog.com from Diddy Blog on Vimeo.