Related: Donna Summer Said 9/11 Gave Her Cancer

According to TMZ, the church is expecting approximately 1,000 invitation-only guests to fill the building to capacity. Sources say loved ones from all over the country are flying in to see the Queen of Disco be laid to rest, but there is no word if any of her famous friends will be attending.

The family is reportedly adamant about keeping the service from being a media spectacle.

Related: Donna Summer’s Most Stylish Moments

“The overwhelming outreach from the media, fans and friends alike has been most truly appreciated,” publicist Brian Edwards told ESSENCE.com. “Thank you for your continuing to respect the family’s privacy during their time of loss.”

Summer, 63, died May 17 of lung cancer in Naples, Fla. Edwards said the singer did not smoke.

Courtesy of Loop 21

Loop 21 caught up with singer/rapper/songwriter, Kalenna, formerly of Diddy Dirty Money, to discuss her transition from songwriter to group member, to rising solo star, the image issues she’s faced as a black woman in the music industry, all while being a wife and mother.

On top of that, Kalenna is also the ambassador of The Lupus Foundation, which celebrates awareness of the disease the entire month of May. Having worked with a spectrum of artist ranging from Christina Aguilera and the Pussycat Dolls, to Ciara, Aretha Franklin, Charlotte Church and more since 2004, Kalenna’s built quite a resume. Now, she’s decided to try out a solo career and prove that she’s not just a back up.

Loop 21: Tell us about your project Chamber of Diaries. What message were you trying to convey with that?

Kalenna: Chamber of Diaries was an extension of who I was as a member of Dirty Money. I felt that I created the sound for the group and I wanted the world to know that I wasn’t just this mystery girl. My resume spoke for itself and I wanted the world to know where the swag came from. Diddy is Diddy. Dawn was the girl from Danity Kane and he needed someone to come in with the swag. So when I put Chamber of Diaries together I didn’t mean for it to be a mixtape, I was working on the album. And people were like this is dope and I should put it out.

This week: Updated with D’Angelo, Downtown Julie Brown and more of your favorite celebrities!

]]> http://uptownmagazine.com/2012/05/you-loved-them-then-where-are-they-now/feed/ 7 http://uptownmagazine.com/2012/05/vibes-2012-sexy-issue-cover-girls-just-wanna-have-fun/ http://uptownmagazine.com/2012/05/vibes-2012-sexy-issue-cover-girls-just-wanna-have-fun/#comments Tue, 22 May 2012 16:37:05 +0000 UPTOWN http://uptownmagazine.com/?p=50962 “Well-behaved women seldom make history.” Newly famous reality stars are living proof of this remixed Marilyn Monroe quote.  Four of… >>Read More

“Well-behaved women seldom make history.”

Newly famous reality stars are living proof of this remixed Marilyn Monroe quote.  Four of them, Evelyn Lozada (VH1′s Basketball Wives), Kandi Burruss (Bravo’s Real Housewives of Atlanta), Tamar Braxton (WE tv’s Braxton Family Values) and Chrissy Lampkin (VH1’s Love & Hip-Hop) made the cover of VIBE’s 2012 Sexy Issue.  For the cover story, VIBE gives the floor to these mavens of mayem to find out what’s really behind these women being handsomely paid to seldom behave.

On the role the networks play in the outrageous behavior seen on-screen:

VIBE: So you’re saying the producers orchestrated the violence?

Chrissy: Absolutely. They would go as far as telling the new girl, “Chrissy thinks she’s Queen Bee around here so we need you to step up because nobody here has a strong enough personality. We need you to shut it down.” They were feeding people this negative energy from the door. I have no reason to lie.

On the petition to get Evelyn’s spin off pulled:

VIBE: Star Jones started a petition, lashing out against women and violence on reality TV. What’s your reaction?

Evelyn: [Bursts into laughter] I think she’s going to have to get a whole lot of names. Actually, I like the petition and I like the controversy because I’ve learned controversy is good. But I think she’s irrelevant. And she’s using our coattails to get relevant again. Nobody gives a fuck about her.

On being embarrassed about violent outbursts and other misbehaving:

VIBE: Evelyn, you’ve practically raised a scholar. Yet, you’re on television screaming that you’d have no problem catching a court case. Do you ever look back at episodes with embarrassment?

Tamar: [Interjects] No. It’s television entertainment and at the end of the day that’s what matters. The networks want what makes the papers. But we’re blessed to be in a situation to show people a part of our life, to see us going through different changes, how we can be a better person. People can learn from our mistakes. I’m sure Evelyn didn’t get on TV and want to throw a bottle at somebody. But hey, that’s life. So maybe the next time somebody gets you out of your character you’ll know not to throw a bottle.

Evelyn: As crazy as it sounds, sometimes I’m glad I have the show because it’s sort of like a mirror. Most people don’t get to see the crazy things that they’ve done. So I’ll see it and go… [Grimaces].

Continue reading at VIBE.

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Courtesy of Vibe Vixen

R&B veteran Usher continues to battle through his ongoing child custody trial with ex-wife Tameka Foster. Earlier today, Ursh testified against his other half, claiming that she attacked and spit on his current girlfriend.

RELATED: Brand New Day: Tameka Raymond [Exclusive Interview]

According to TMZ, the “Scream” singer said in an intense testimony that Tameka went ballistic when he showed up at her house with his new gal pal, saying that she yelled, “I’m gonna kick your ass. Bitch, get out of the car. How dare you bring this woman into my subdivision, in my house?”

RELATED: Tameka Foster: “I Never Threatened To Kill Usher”

Continue reading at Vibe Vixen

This year, the men’s mag allowed its readers to decide their “definitive list of the world’s most beautiful women.”

Pippa Middleton, Stephen Colbert (??), Lea Michele, Olivia Wilde and more round out the “hottie” list but it was Israeli model Bar Refaeli who took the top spot.

Who held it down for the Brown sistas? Find out after the jump!

After a week of anticipation, the line-up for Jay-Z’s music festival in Philadelphia has finally been announced.

The list, called Phase 1 of the ‘Budweiser Made in America’ Fest will feature: Jay-Z, Pearl Jam, Skrillex, Miike Snow, Afrojack, Calvin Harris, Odd Future, D’Angelo, Maybach Music (feat. Rick Ross, Wale, Meek Mill), Passion Pit, Santigold, Dirty Projectors, X, Janelle Monae, Prince Royce, Rita Ora, Savoy (DJ set), The Knocks.

Some artists, including Pearl Jam, made it known that they would be a part of the Labor Day Weekend extravaganza: We are pleased to announce that Pearl Jam is headlining Made in America Music Festival curated by Jay-Z. Made in America takes place Labor Day Weekend (Saturday, September 1st – Sunday, September 2nd) at Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia‘s Fairmount Park,” as stated on the band’s official website.

Tickets will go on sale Wednesday, May 23, through Ticketmaster.com and Livenation.com. A limited amount of 2-day passes priced at $99 will be made available. Advance tickets will go on sale Tuesday, May 23, through the Budweiser Facebook Fan Page.

Courtesy of VIBE.com

Capt. Dexter Nelson of the Oklahoma City Police Department said the shootings occurred at about 11:35 p.m. as large crowds were leaving the Chesapeake Energy Arena. One victim was listed in critical condition and seven suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

A pregnant woman was reportedly injured when she was punched and kicked in the crowd outside of the arena.

“Whenever you get about 8,000 people outside of a venue, we are going to be outnumbered,” Nelson said. “You can’t have enough people down here for that.”

The overzealous fans filled in the area to watch the Thunder beat the Lakers 106-90 to advance to the Western Conference finals.

As of Tuesday morning, there have been no arrests and no one is in custody.

Source

After drawing in over 2.8 million viewers during its 2011 debut, VH1’s romantic comedy series, Single Ladies is set to return to the network on May 28. Executive produced by Queen Latifah’s Flavor Unit Entertainment, season two stars Charity Shea (as April), LisaRaye McCoy (as Keisha), and former All My Children star Denise Vasi (Raquel) as they navigate through the dating scene in Atlanta.

During a recent interview with the Huffington Post, LisaRaye opened on filming season two, in addition to missing her friend Stacey Dash, and what provoked her to call out Duane Martin in JET magazine.

Congratulations on the upcoming season premiere of Single Ladies. What can fans expect from season 2 and your character, Keisha?

This year we have a new addition to the cast, Denise Vasi, Stacey Dash is no longer with us. I don’t like to use the word replace, but we added a new character to our cast, she comes from the soap opera world. Her character is different because she comes in to the premiere episode with a bang, gets the wind knocked out of her and clings to her friends. And I feel that’s what the gist of the whole series is about, it’s about friendship.  She comes in and becomes one of us and then it just embarks on how we are we dating in this day and age.

Keisha is a little bit more vulnerable and open this year.  I think when you have a character so strong and opinionated as Keisha you have to find faults and some weaknesses in her. You have to find those wrongdoings in her that will make you root for her. Her and Malcolm get together but then her Malcolm also fall apart too. But her ex also comes back and adds some different spice into her life, which causes problems with Malcolm.  She will also have a fling with a nice gentleman. Also we have some great costars this year, we have La La, Chilli, Eve, Queen Latifah, Paula Patton. We got Lil’ Romeo, T.I., Tony Rock, William Levy. So we really have some people that we’re cranking out this season. And I’m really excited to see the numbers that we do, which lets us know how much the fans like it.

And with success, of course, comes critics. What are your thoughts on media outlets who dubbed season one, “embarrassing.”

 F**k’em! Let them write a show and come up with what they want to see. Until then, the people who love it, tune in.

Continue at BlackVoices…