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Tag: Beyonce

  • Beyonce Crops Kelly Out Of Photo, Prompting Rumors

    Beyonce posted a photo on Instagram on Thursday featuring herself and Aaliyah with the hashtag “TBT. Curiously enough, Kelly Rowland had posted the same photo just hours earlier, but with one small change: she was in the picture, too.

    The fact that Queen Bey cropped Kelly out of the pic before she posted it has gotten tongues wagging, especially since the two women have been rumored to have friction between them before. Kelly even addressed it–sort of–in the song “Dirty Laundry”, which she did a live performance of last year and broke down in tears.

    “Bird in a cafe/ You’d never know what I was dealing with…Went our separate ways but I was happy she was killin’ it/ Bittersweet, she was up, I was down/ No lie, I feel good for her but what do I do now?” she sang.

    Although there’s never been any public animosity between the ladies, it’s not hard to see–and hear–that Beyonce’s sudden, enormous success after she split from the rest of Destiny’s Child got under Kelly’s skin a bit.

    Neither have commented on the photo scandal, but Rowland has been busy working on new material and getting engaged, which she announced to Queen Latifah last year on her talk show.

    “He asked me first on Skype,” she says, “and I was like, ‘We’re so far away from each other.’ But it was so late, I remember we were both just kinda like, honestly, just staring at each other. And he asked me, and it was just that simple to say yes. I was like, ‘I got my best friend to ride through life with.’ He really is my best friend.”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Maria Shriver Talks Women’s Issues with President

    Yesterday we reported that pop star Beyonce contributed a well-written excerpt to Maria Shriver’s “The Shriver Report,” which highlights women’s issues in America. She focused mainly on the imbalance between men and women’s salaries and the inequalities within the workforce.

    Well today, Shriver and President Barack Obama will sit down to discuss the poverty issue that surround many women these days, and Jay Carney, the White House spokesman, said the President looks forward to seeing Shriver’s latest report, “A Woman’s Nation Pushes Back from the Brink,” so he can learn even more about the problem, and read what the report specifically says.

    “As the President knows well, investing in and supporting women over their lifetimes is one of the best ways to tackle income inequality and achieve greater social mobility,” said Carney. “And he looks forward to learning about the findings of the report.”

    In the report’s introduction, Shriver said that although many American women continue to work hard, become more educated and seem to be doing everything right, many still can’t get a financial leg up to better their situation or their families.

    “These are not women trying to have it all,” wrote Shriver. “These are women who are already doing it all, working hard, providing, parenting and care-giving. They’re doing it all, yet they and their families can’t prosper, and that’s weighing the U.S. economy down.”

    The people who work on “The Shriver Report” gather information from several American colleges and universities to create their data, and they also speak to community leaders, financial experts, and everyday women who struggle with their finances on a regular basis. Shriver also reached out to several celebrities to write excerpts for the report, and some include Eva Longoria, Hillary Clinton, Lebron James and of course Beyonce.

    Sadly, the report shows that one-third of women in the U.S. are either living in poverty or close to it, so the report is timely not only for that reason, but also because President Obama is supposed to touch on the poverty issue as a whole in his next State of the Union address.

    Image via Facebook

  • Beyonce Talks Women’s Rights in Column

    Singer, actress, designer, and all around likable person. It seems there are many reasons to love Beyonce these days, because some people appreciate her talent and handwork, while others simply admire her physical attributes. But it’s possible the 32-year old singer has developed a new crop of fans. Fans that not only like her diligent approach and her artistic choices, but admire her level of feminism as well.

    In a recent excerpt written in journalist Maria Shriver’s The Shriver Report, Beyonce talks about inequality for women in the workforce and fair pay. “We need to stop buying into the myth about gender equality,” she writes. “It isn’t a reality yet. Today, women make up half of the U.S. workforce, but the average working women earns only 77 percent of what the average working man makes. But unless women and men both say this is unacceptable, things will not change.” Shriver retweeted the excerpt a little after it was published.

    Plus, the Houston, Texas native said men have to do their part when it comes to balancing out the playing fields at work. “Men have to demand that their wives, daughters, mothers and sisters earn more, commensurate with their qualifications and not their gender,” she wrote. “Equality will be achieved when men and women are granted equal pay and equal respect.”

    She then points to a few more statistics regarding the earning potential between men and women and speaks about the need to change “old attitudes,” which she says aren’t changing fast enough.

    But it’s not only salaries the pop star discuses, she also talks about the need to uplift girls and let them know they should demand equal rights from early on. And little boys have to be conscious of those rights as well, she says. “We have to teach our boys the rules of equality and respect, so that as they grow up, gender equality becomes a natural way of life.”

    Good going Beyonce!

    Image via Facebook

  • Beyonce’s Mom Parties with Kris Jenner

    When most people have a 60th birthday party it usually involves a few friends, a quiet dinner and a few gifts, but not when you’re the mother of the biggest pop star on the planet, which is why Tina Knowles, Beyonce’s mother, had more of a birthday extravaganza rather than a simple birthday party.

    The star studded event was held at Muriel’s Jackson Square in New Orleans, which goes for at least $100,000 a night, says TMZ, which of course is mere pennies for Tina’s famous daughter and son in law.

    Before the celebration even got underway, a marching band escorted Tina and her other famous daughter Solange into the event, and reportedly, Beyonce stayed in the background for most of the evening, coming through a secret entrance to avoid paparazzi and to keep the spotlight on her mother instead of herself.

    Guest at the event included R&B singer Monica, Jennifer Hudson, Kelly Rowland and Jay-Z. And what would a celebrity filled party be without at least one Kardashian or Jenner in attendance, and this time, it was Kris Jenner who showed up, which of course made the paparazzi salivate with glee.

    And though Beyonce avoided the lens during the shindig, she decided to jump into a photo with Jenner, Tina and Hudson, which Jenner eventually posted on her Instagram account. “Happy birthday Tina!!! Beautiful night,” she wrote when posting the image. A second picture captures Jenner standing in between Hudson and Monica and quite frankly, Jenner looks great and pretty youthful, considering she’s standing next to two women almost half her age.

    It’ll be two more years before Jenner herself turns 60, which is bound to be an event of gigantic proportions, because just think, if she’s doing this much whooping it up at Christmas parties, celebrity events, and other people’s birthdays, imagine what her 60th will be like. It’s safe to assume that it won’t be just a few friends, a quiet dinner and a few gifts. That’s for sure.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Sisters Do A Beyonce Cover That Will Rip Your Heart Out

    Sisters Chloe and Halle are two extremely talented girls. At just 14 and 12 years old, they’ve already found their voices and are using them to speak up about the challenges young girls face these days when it comes to physical beauty…via a Beyonce song.

    The girls did a cover of “Pretty Hurts” that is so achingly beautiful it might just bring a tear to your eye. And while it’s a little alarming that girls have to worry about being perfect both inside and out or be subjected to ridicule and bullying, it’s nice to know that the opposite message has gotten through to at least two of them. Girl power!

    Chloe and Halle take requests via their social media pages, so check them out and share their stuff.

    Image via YouTube

  • Solange Knowles Performs In Australia To End 2013

    Solange Knowles ended 2013 doing what she does best – performing and doing it fashionably.

    Beyoncé’s younger sister performed at the Falls Festival in Australia over the weekend. In true fashionable form Solange performed in a red high-neck crop top and matching culottes and sported thigh length hair.

    Solange, along with The Roots, Vampire Weekend, MGMT, and many others performed at the festival which runs in Lorne, Victoria from December 28, 2013 – January 1, 2014, Marion Bay, Tasmania from December 29, 2013 – January 1, 2013, and Byron, New South Wales from December 31, 2013 – January 3, 2014.

    The Falls Festival began in 1993 when creator Simon Daly was “sitting around an annual NYE campfire with guitars, music, friends and family” and decided to “extend the invitation to everyone and host a music festival.” The festival also has nights of dancing they have dubbed “Boogie Nights,” as well as performances from comedians.

    After performing, Solange rang in 2014 in Tasmania. Like so many around the world she turned to Twitter to wish everyone a “Happy New Year” and even posted a picture of herself to her Instagram.

    Before saying goodbye to 2013, Solange, along with the editors of saintheron.com, listed their favorite songs, movies, and books of 2013.

    One of many songs that made Solange lose her “religion on the dance floor” was Ty Dollar $ign’s “Paranoid” featuring B.o.B.

    Her sister Beyoncé’s “Partition” and Fantasia’s “Without Me” were just a couple of songs that always made Solange feel “some type of way” – which she clarified to mean “reaaally good” if anyone was confused.

    Fruitvale Station and Behind the Candelabra were two unforgettable films from 2013 for Solange, while Taiye Selasi’s ”Ghana Must Go” was one of her favorite reads of the past year.

    You can watch the video for Solange’s single “Losing You” below.

    Image via Solange’s Instagram.

  • Beyonce Under Fire For Using Audio From Shuttle Disaster In Song

    Beyonce is taking some criticism this week for her song “XO”, off her newly-released self-titled album, because of an audio sample used in the beginning.

    The sample is taken from a statement made by former NASA public affairs officer Steve Nesbitt just after the horrific explosion of the space shuttle Challenger in 1986. “Flight controllers here looking very carefully at the situation. Obviously a major malfunction,” he says in the clip. The song, which was written by Ryan Tedder and Terius Nash, is about a doomed relationship.

    “My heart goes out to the families of those lost in the Challenger disaster. The song ‘XO’ was recorded with the sincerest intention to help heal those who have lost loved ones and to remind us that unexpected things happen, so love and appreciate every minute that you have with those who mean the most to you,” Beyonce said in a statement. “The songwriters included the audio in tribute to the unselfish work of the Challenger crew with hope that they will never be forgotten.”

    The decision to include the audio clip is troublesome to many, including June Scobee Rodgers, the widow of Challenger Space Shuttle Commander Dick Scobee and a founder of the Challenger Center for Space Science Education.

    “We were disappointed to learn that an audio clip from the day we lost our heroic Challenger crew was used in the song ‘XO,’” she said. “The moment included in this song is an emotionally difficult one for the Challenger families, colleagues and friends. We have always chosen to focus not on how our loved ones were lost, but rather on how they lived and how their legacy lives on today.”

    The video for “XO” was shot at Coney Island in August, and the singer said she didn’t want it to look “perfect”.

    “If it was my choice, I would never have a permit. I would just get in the car, get a camera, and we’d just shoot, and trust me, we tried,” she said. “I’m trying to rebel against perfection. It’s fun because you never know what’s going to happen.”

    The singer hasn’t announced any plans to take the clip out of the song.

    Image via YouTube

  • Beyoncé Makes Fans Dreams Come True

    Beyoncé Makes Fans Dreams Come True

    Beyoncé isn’t just an amazing musician. She’s a woman with a light inside of her that clearly touches her fans and admirers. The giving star kept the holiday spirit alive within her as she made one young girl’s wish come true.

    On Christmas Eve, a video was posted on the singer’s YouTube page of the singer making dreams come true. in the video clip, a young girl named Taylon gets to attend a Beyoncé concert earlier this month thanks to the Make-A-Wish-Foundation.

    Catch the video here.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frz8L1KiSoE

    This isn’t the first time the shining star has made her fans’ wishes come true. On Sunday, Nov. 10, at a sold-out world tour show in Perth, Australia, the performer made one 13-year-old girl’s night.

    “I have a very special young lady here,” said Beyoncé, extending the mic to Sophie. “Tell everybody your name, beautiful!”

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzcarTDmU3Y

    The Queen Bey dedicated “Irreplaceable” to Sophie Kotkis, a young girl who was legally blind. She not only dedicated the tune to the girl, she enlisted her to help her sing along.

    Check out more stories about other giving artists here.

    Image Via YouTube

  • Beyonce Vs. Target and Amazon

    Beyonce Vs. Target and Amazon

    The big music news of the week has been Beyonce dropping her album Beyonce without announcing it first. This is newsworthy for many reasons. For one, not creating buzz before you release new music is unheard of, as it increases the chances of the album not doing well. However, this is Beyonce and we all know better, which leads us to number two.

    Of course the album is doing amazingly well, shattering iTunes records and claiming the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Charts. Featuring 15 songs and 17 videos, it’s pretty safe to say the singer’s fifth record is a success. Perhaps the biggest news of all, is that she has done it without the help of mega retailers Target and Amazon, who have refused to sell the record – the third reason why this event has been so popular in the news world.

    Target and Amazon are waging a musical and financial war against the star for releasing her album on iTunes first, by refusing to sell the album – Amazon is selling the MP3 version, Target won’t sell either the CD or digital versions. By giving iTunes a one-week exclusive to sell the album, Beyonce has enabled them to sell 600,000 units at $15.99 each. That’s a whopping $9.5 million in just seven days.

    Although $10 million is a lot of cash to the average person, it’s not much by Target and Amazon’s standards, which leads experts to believe there’s a method to their madness. This action sends a major message to other artists that if they give iTunes an advantage over them, Target and Amazon won’t sell their records.

    So how did Beyonce react to the news? By visiting a suburban Boston Wal-Mart – the arch nemesis of both Target and Amazon. Not only did the songstress make an appearance – and give a message of her own to the retailers – but she made the holidays of shoppers that much better by handing out $50 gift cards to everyone in the store.

    See more about Bey’s Walmart experience here:

    All hail Queen B.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Beyonce Surprises Her Fans Yet Again

    Beyonce Surprises Her Fans Yet Again

    It’s been a week of surprises for Beyonce’s fans, as last Friday she turned the music world on its ear by releasing her fifth self-titled album with no warning, and just seven days later she surprised more fans by showing up at a Walmart in Tewksbury, Mass. unannounced.

    The R&B superstar was at the store to do a little last minute Christmas shopping for her daughter Blu Ivy and to purchase a physical copy of her brand new album.

    And did Beyonce simply pick up her album, buy a gift or two and then leave? Not at all, as the 32-year old singer also took the time to handout $50 gift cards for everyone in the store.

    “Hello Walmart shoppers, it’s Beyonce,” she said on the store’s intercom system. “For everyone in the store right now the first $50 of your holiday gifts are on me,” which of course was to the delight of the holiday shoppers, as they screamed and cheered in complete joy. In total, the “Crazy in Love” singer handed out 750 gift cards, easily brightening the faces of 750 Walmart shoppers.

    From there, Beyonce made her way up and down the aisles, stopping to buy a doll for her 23-month year old daughter and also stopping to hug one of her younger fans, a toddler named Ariana.

    “Hi beautiful, do you want to give me a hug,” said the former Destiny’s Child member, as she picked up Ariana and gave her a big squeeze, which probably made every guy in the place a little envious. “Oh my goodness, what a sweetie pie you are,” she continued.”

    It’s possible the Walmart visit was Beyonce’s way of sticking it to Target, as a spokeswoman announced it would not be carrying her album since it was already released digitally.

    “At Target we focus on offering our guests a wide assortment of physical CDs, and when a new album is available digitally before it is available physically, it impacts demand and sales projections,” said Erica Julkowski, a Target spokeswoman. “At this time, Target will not be carrying Beyonce’s new self-titles album ‘Beyonce.’ ”

    However, that didn’t stop the singer’s Christmas cheer or her desire to give, as she doled out a whopping $37,500 worth of gift cards to shoppers, which more than likely made everyone’s holiday season just a little more eventful and exciting.

    Image via Wikimedia

  • Gilligan’s Island Remake Coming To Big Screen

    Gilligan’s Island was one of the most well known television shows in the 1960s, and now with the talks of a remake, people everywhere are wondering who will be cast for the parts.

    Caprice Crane, daughter of Tina Louise, who played Ginger, has some interesting suggestions on how to put a new spin on the show. What about making the professor gay? This certainly would put a modern spin on the remake, but what would people think about changing the whole identity of the character they grew to love? Crane thinks it is an excellent idea. “My mom was constantly coming on to the Professor on the show, and he was never into it,” she said. “So the Professor could be the gay one. It would explain a lot. It would be fun if they shake it up, make it worthy of today’s times.”

    Crane also dished on who she thought should be cast for Ginger’s role, claiming that Christina Hendricks would be the obvious choice. “I’m in love Jennifer Lawrence.” she said. (Who isn’t?) “She’s so fresh and charming and I love her ideas. The last go-around when this was being discussed, Beyoncé was suggested—and I think that would be a good idea. But Christina Hendricks is the obvious physical choice.”

    Crane reveals that she has mixed feelings about a remake, and also stresses that it is going to be hard to find someone to fill her mother’s shoes. “I hope they get to do what they want,” Crane said. “Part of me thinks I don’t know why everybody has to remake everything, but part of me thinks it’s great, give it a fresh twist and make it fantastic. They’re going to have their work cut out for them finding someone who is as awesome and gorgeous and funny as my mom,” she said.

    What do you think about the Gilligan’s Island remake? Leave your comments below.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Beyoncé’s New Album Destroys iTunes Records

    A few days ago Beyoncé pretty much broke everything when she released a surprise album – and not just any surprise album, but a fully realized, self-titled album that also includes 17 accompanying music videos. The album, which initially launched as an iTunes exclusive, is only available as a complete package. iTunes will start selling individual tracks later this week.

    Now, we’re learning that Beyoncé’s surprise gamble payed off. Apple has announced that the album is the fastest-selling album in the history of iTunes. In its first 3 days of availability, BEYONCÉ sold a staggering 828,773 copies – 617,213 of which were sold in the U.S. (also record-breaking).

    The album also went #1 in 104 countries and has taken Billboard’s top spot as well.

    The album (and all the videos) is $15.99 on iTunes.

    The fifth full-length album from the singer has received near-universal acclaim and features a handful of guest stars including Justin Timberlake, Frank Ocean, Jay Z, Pharrell, and Timbaland.

    Image via iTunes

  • Kelly Rowland Is Headed Down The Aisle

    Kelly Rowland Is Headed Down The Aisle

    Kelly Rowland has been seeing her manager, Tim Witherspoon, for years, but the couple managed to keep it quiet. Now, she’s ready to let the world know she’s found the one…and he put a ring on it.

    The couple got engaged last month, and Rowland talked about the unusual method Witherspoon had for asking in an interview with Queen Latifah.

    “He asked me first on Skype,” she says, “and I was like, ‘We’re so far away from each other.’ But it was so late, I remember we were both just kinda like, honestly, just staring at each other. And he asked me, and it was just that simple to say yes. I was like, ‘I got my best friend to ride through life with.’ He really is my best friend.”

    The former Destiny’s Child singer made headlines earlier this year when she broke down in tears during a performance of her song “Dirty Laundry”, which talks a bit about how she felt when Beyonce went solo and left her bandmates in the wake of her success.

    “Bird in a cafe/ You’d never know what I was dealing with,” she sang. “Went our separate ways but I was happy she was killin’ it/ Bittersweet, she was up, I was down/ No lie, I feel good for her but what do I do now?”

    Image: YouTube

  • Jay Z Plays Tribute to Nelson Mandela

    Jay Z Plays Tribute to Nelson Mandela

    Beyoncé wasn’t the only one in the family to honor the late Nelson Mandela. During Jay Z’s concert at the Staple Center in Los Angeles on Dec 9, the rapper dedicated song, “Young Forever” to Mandela.

    He took a break before singing to say, “we want to dedicate this song to Nelson Mandela. A great man, spent 27 years in prison, came out to be president. All dreams are possible.”

    Jay Z went on to say,”tonight I’m living my dream in front of y’all. So anyone out there who got a dream, y’all chase that motherf—er down as hard as you can.”

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWfgLIS22vU#t=0

    Jay Z is currently performing on his Magna Carter World Tour.

    Photo Credit: YouTube

  • Beyoncé New Album Rising High on Charts

    It’s no surprise Beyoncé’s new self-titled album has sold over 430,000 units in just over one single day. This seemingly guarantees the album the no. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 once the chart’s top 10 is revealed mid-week.

    The Queen is truly ruling the charts.

    Click here to preview the album.

    The iTunes exclusive album is selling for $15.99. The “visual” album contains 14 tracks and 14 accompanying videos, along with other bonus video content. Unfortunately the songs on the album cannot be purchased individually until Dec. 20.

    Check out a clip of “Blow” here.

    There hasn’t been a set date for the album to be physically available in stores however, it’s been said it will be ready for purchase just in time for the holidays.

    Photo Credit: YouTube

  • Beyoncé’s Surprise Album A Global Number One Hit

    For about a year, critics and fans alike have been after singer Beyoncé for her lack of new music. Her decision to go on tour without releasing a new album caused a minor scandal. There was a leaked or featured song here and there, but it made her camp seem disorganized and unsure of what to do. No one knew what to make of Beyoncé’s actions or of her plans. It turns out this is what Mrs. Carter wanted all along.

    The bombshell that came on Friday in the early hours signaled a very personal statement: She was a grown woman, and she could drop an album whenever and however she wanted. Clearly Beyoncé knows better than the rest of us as the signs are pointing to a wildly successful endeavor. The album boasts fourteen tracks and seventeen videos. It may also be one of the most complete and thematic projects of the entire year.

    Within the first few hours of release, her self-titled album had already sold 80,000 copies. It is a number that was on the heels of the first week of sales enjoyed by Britney Spears’ “Britney Jean”.

    Presently Itunes ranks Beyoncé’s album as number one in over one hundred countries. It’s also anticipated that when the dust settles, she will enjoy a debut at number one on the Billboard charts. That and the last laugh.

    After all, this has been the year of “hype”. The year of accidental-not-so-accidental leaks. The year where so many pop artists couldn’t trust their fans to make up their own mind about the music or count on them to show up and spend money. It seemed that pop star power was judged by who had wore the best outfit, had the biggest scandal, and the most outspoken opinions on everything other than music.

    When an artist can simply drop an album in the middle of the night without warning and go to the top of the charts within hours, that’s pretty much needs to be said regarding their selling power.

    The album was a surprise. But the impending success? Perhaps we should have seen that coming.

    Image: Beyoncé’s Facebook

  • Beyoncé Secretly Drops Self-Titled Album Today

    The Queen B is no stranger to marching to the beat of her very own, very glamorous drum. But the gorgeous, music extraordinaire did something no one could’ve predicted. Beyoncé dropped a bomb-an entire self-titled album, featuring 14 new tracks along with 17 stunning music videos to boot.

    According to a spokesperson for B, this was a fully designed plan. Nothing about this drop was arbitrary. Looking for a sweet little Christmas gift for the lady in your life who has everything? Grab her this new collaboration of work. The album will be offered as a cohesive piece, including music and videos all in one.

    Her label claims the album is exclusively available on iTunes while manufacturing of physical albums begins Thursday and a double disc CD/DVD will be available before the holidays.

    Below you can preview the incredible hot new album with featured guests including Frank Ocean and her very own, Jay Z.

    Photo Credit: YouTube

  • Celebrities Honor Nelson Mandela Via Social Media

    Nelson Mandela was an influential man. He was a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary who became imprisoned. Then later in his life, he became a philanthropist, serving as the President of South Africa. Mandela was the first black African American to be an elected official. He lived a life of struggle, hard work and dedication. Mandela passed away yesterday, Dec. 5, 2013.

    Not only did Mandela leave behind a family, he left behind many dedicated followers and admirers.

    Beyoncé was one of the many celebs who wished Mandela’s legacy goodbye via social Media.

    Along with Beyoncé, reality star, Khloé Kardashian payed tribute to Mandela.

    Other stars took to Twitter to show their respect of the hero.

    Mandela lived to be 95-years-old. His legacy will live on.

    Photo Credit: YouTube

  • Jay Z And Beyonce To Undergo Vegan Challenge

    As a way to celebrate his birthday and do something in order to change his life around a bit, Jay Z has decided to start a vegan diet. His wife, Beyonce, will join him as the high-powered celebrity couple decide to go vegan, and he is describing the diet as a spiritual and physical cleanse.

    Jay Z is excited about the cleanse, and is embracing the new plant-based diet. He has said that it will go for at least 22 days, which will lead him to Christmas, however the rapper says that he does not know what will happen after that. The idea of becoming vegan permanently certainly seems to be an option for Jay Z, who has one of the most popular songs around right now with “Holy Grail.”

    He is determined to live a better lifestyle, and see what effect the new diet will have on his body. He said that the idea began when a friend of his, Marco Borges, had challenged him to embrace a plant-based breakfast everyday. Borges is an exercise physiologist and founder of 22 Days Nutrition, which is a vegan, organic, and gluten-free food and lifestyle company.

    Jay Z will keep his fans updated about how the diet is going, and initially announced it through a blog post on his website, Life And Times. In his statement about the diet, he said “So you can call it a spiritual and physical cleanse. I will post my progress…Any professional vegans out there that have any great food spots, please help out!”

    He is certainly going all out, and seeks help from others, taking the new diet very seriously. He asked for advice on places to go, and people have already been commenting on the post to give him advice.

    Jay Z, who just turned 44, decided to embark on the challenge one day before his 44th birthday, in order to make the challenge last for 22 days, and ending on Christmas day seems to make it even more special for him. He is doing it for 22 days, because as he mentions later in the post, “Psychologists have said it takes 21 days to make or break a habit. On the 22nd day, you’ve found the way.”

    Any time celebrities decide to become vegan, it certainly sets an example for others, and sometimes people who are not aware of the issues involved with animal cruelty will become more aware as well.

    Jay Z and Beyonce join a long list of celebrity vegans, who have been outspoken about the issue, and why they have chosen that particular lifestyle. Some celebrities that have already become vegan are Ellen Degeneres, Woody Harrelson, Brad Pitt, Olivia Wilde, and several others.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Marisa Tomei: One of Many Celebs Getting Older Today

    Who knew? December 4th is a big day for Hollywood. Academy Award winner Marissa Tomei turned 49 on Wednesday. And she’s in good company.

    Also blowing out birthday candles today are actors, rappers, comics and models. Talk show host and former Victoria Secret/Sports Illustrated model Tyra Banks is celebrating a milestone birthday. She is now 40. If you’re looking for the person who is probably throwing the biggest bash, search no further than rapper/producer/mogul/Nets owner Jay-Z, who is 44.

    Jay-Z and Beyonce have a very special goal in mind in honor of the “Empire State of Mind” singer’s birthday. He wrote on Tuesday on his Life + Times blog that the couple was going vegan. “On December 3rd, one day before my 44th birthday I will embark on a 22 Days challenge to go completely vegan, or as I prefer to call it, plant-based!! This all began a few months back when a good friend and vegan challenged me to embrace a “plant-based breakfast” every day. It was surprisingly easier on me than I thought. Why now? There’s something spiritual to me about it being my 44th birthday and the serendipity behind the number of days in this challenge; 22 (2+2=4) coupled with the fact that the challenge ends on Christmas day…It just feels right!”

    (image)

    And the list of December 4th birthdays continues. Looking for a laugh, former Saturday Night Live standout and Portlandia star Fred Armisen is 47. And finally, another Oscar winner is celebrating a birthday today, Mr. Lebowski himself, Jeff Bridges is 64.

    (image)

    Images Via Facebook, Facebook, Facebook

  • Jay Z Releases New Men’s Fragrance: Gold Jay Z

    Just when you thought Jay Z could not possibly do anything more as a business mogul, he comes out with a new fragrance for men. He debuted his new fragrance, which he calls “Gold Jay Z” on Friday November 1st. It will be sold starting November 20th at Barneys in New York.

    The new fragrance will launch at the store, as a part of his holiday collaboration with the store. After its release at Barneys, “Gold Jay Z” will hit all of the other department stores in time for the holiday shoppers on Black Friday.

    The fragrance will also be accompanied by a multi-platform ad campaign.

    When purchasing Jay Z’s new fragrance, customers can look for the fancy packaging as a it comes in a sleek white bottle and a black leather gift box, and has words including “power, success, courage” etched in the gold top. In case future customers are wondering, the fragrance contains hints of yellow ginger, cypress, vetiver and bourbon vanilla (among many others).

    Jay Z is already well established as a business mogul, and in addition to his career as a hip hop artist, he has started a clothing line, a sports agency, and several other business ventures.

    In order to create his new scent, Jay Z collaborated with Firmenich perfumer extraordinaire Ilias Ermenidis. In relation to their partnership Ermenidis said “He has a natural cool that people want a piece of. In developing Gold Jay Z, I wanted to capture both the vibrant ambitious part of Jay Z’s charismatic persona and his effortless style that he naturally embodies through a fusion of notes chosen by Jay Z.”

    Eariler this year, he released his latest album titled “Holy Grail,” which also featured a documentary film that went along with it. The hit song from the album, “Holy Grail” had a music video which also debuted exclusively on Facebook, the first time that a song has ever done that.

    As if he does not do enough on his own, he was also listed, along with his wife Beyonce, as Forbes’ highest paid celebrity couple.

    Jay Z is arguably the most successful celebrity who has used his money and power to make moves in the world of business, and does not show any signs of quitting that yet.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ky3RYmyT3mY

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