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The Queen has a new movie opening in theaters May 14th featuring rapper/actor Common as her love interest. Queen Latifah plays Leslie, a physical therapist who falls for basketball player Scott McKnight played by Common, whom she’s helping recover from a career-threatening injury. Things get complicated because Scott is drawn to Morgan (Paula Patton – she was in the movie, Precious & is Robin Thicke’s wife), the gorgeous best friend of Leslie who has her sight set on being an NBA trophy wife….so Leslie has to choose getting Scott, her lucrative job or her bestie, Morgan. Also in the movie is Pam Grier the original Foxxy Brown.

Peep the trailer below….

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“Some women have gay-dar. I’ve got ho-dar!” Wow! Alrightie then!

So will you be watching “Just Wright” when it comes out this May? Holla back & share your thoughts on the movie trailer! Muchas gracias!

Muah & ♥ ya for it!

Photo: Zimbio / Getty Images

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Colin Fernandez penned this article in the United Kingdom’s Daily Mail:

Nelson Mandela has been accused by his former wife of betraying South Africa’s black population.

In a savage attack, Winnie Mandela said he had done nothing for the poor and should not have accepted the Nobel peace prize with the man who jailed him, FW de Klerk.

I think I nearly lost my mind when I read Colin Fernandez’s use of  the words “savage” & “attack” to describe Mama Winne Mandela’s alleged accusation of Baba Nelson Mandela. I am appalled that in the 21st Century, a journalist would still those words to describe Africans or people of African descent! Particularly troubling to me is the use of the word savage. What was so “savage” about her “alleged” accusation (that is still to be confirmed by the ANC itself)? I was so mortified that her sentiments were reduced to “savage attack”. Strong, harsh, scathing, yes. But savage, NO! Absolutely not!

Mr. Fernandez please allow me to refresh your memory on the definition of the word, savage: fierce, ferocious, or cruel; untamed: as in savage beasts. uncivilized; barbarous: as in savage tribes. Regardless of what you may feel towards Mama Winnie Mandela, the word “savage” in this context is insensitive because it conjures up images of Africa/Africans that I fight to dispel. It was hard to read the article further (real talk)…

The 73-year-old said her ex-husband had become a ‘corporate foundation’ who was ‘wheeled out’ only to raise money for the ANC party he once led.

She said Archbishop Desmond Tutu was a cretin and claimed the sacrifices of Steve Biko and others in the fight against apartheid were being overlooked.

The comments were made in an interview yesterday with Nadira Naipaul, the wife of novelist V S Naipaul.

Mrs Mandela became notorious in 1991 when she was jailed for six years for the kidnap of Stompie Moeketsi – a sentence later cut to a fine.

Stompie, 14, had been murdered three years earlier by members of Mrs Mandela’s bodyguard, the Mandela United Football Club.

She also caused outrage by endorsing the punishment of apartheid collaborators with ‘ necklacing’ – putting burning tyres around their necks.

Yesterday she said: ‘This name Mandela is an albatross around the necks of my family.

‘You all must realise that Mandela was not the only man who suffered. There were many others, hundreds who languished in prison and died.

‘Mandela did go to prison and he went in there as a young revolutionary but look what came out.

‘Mandela let us down. He agreed to a bad deal for the blacks. Economically we are still on the outside. The economy is very much “white”.

‘I cannot forgive him for going to receive the Nobel with his jailer de Klerk. Hand in hand they went. Do you think de Klerk released him from the goodness of his heart?

‘He had to. The times dictated it, the world had changed.’

The Mandelas, who divorced in 1996, were married for 38 years – although together for only five.

Mrs Mandela criticised her country’s Truth and Reconciliation Committee – which she appeared before in 1997 and which implicated her in gross violations of human rights.

She said: ‘What good does the truth do? How does it help to anyone to know where and how their loved ones are killed or buried?

‘That Bishop Tutu who turned it all into a religious circus came here. He had a cheek to tell me to appear.

‘I told him that he and his other like-minded cretins were only sitting there because of our struggle and me. Look what they make him do. The great Mandela. He has no control or say any more.

‘They put that huge statue of him right in the middle of the most affluent white area of Johannesburg. Not here [in Soweto] where we spilled our blood.

‘Mandela is now like a corporate foundation. He is wheeled out globally to collect the money.’

She said her daughters, Zenani, 51, and Zindzi, 50, had to struggle through red tape to speak to their 91-year-old father, who led South Africa from 1994 to 1999.

Wow! All kinds of wow! I am told Mama Winnie Mandela is in the U.S on a visit. Peep her recent CNN interview with Roland Martin (thank you Ms. Makwakwa for heads up on this video!)…

“Africa is the new Asia“

Waiting to get some inside scoop on the alleged accusation story. Stay tuned!

Jennifer Hudson at Sir Elton John’s Oscar After Party

As you know, plans are going forward with the biopic movie based on Winnie Mandela. Jennifer Hudson is still scheduled to play the lead role of Winnie Mandela in the movie despite rumblings from South African actors. Wonder if this latest alleged accusation will make it in the movie.

Am I being overly sensitive about the word “savage” or what? Holla back & share your thoughts on this developing story! Muchas gracias!

Muah & ♥ ya for it!

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Here is some post-prison new music from T.I

T.I – I’m Back

T.I. – Im Back

I recently got this music video and just watched it! I wanted to share it with you because its from Thembi Seete, former member of the legendary South African kwaito group Boom Shaka who rocked it back then! Also hot music producer, DJ Cleo is featured in this video and you know he was nominated for South African Music Award Record of the Year for Good Music and Best Urban Dance Album for Es’khaleni 6.  Not sure when Thembi dropped this vid for the “Just like T.H.E.M.B.I” song but take a look at it…(interesting lyrics & video but too much autotuning *sigh*)

Thembi Seete

It’s another DJ Cleo production
For all the ladies, shake your behind
Just like T.H.E.M.B.I

Rocafella like chica

Can you make it snap?
Cos I can make it clap
Actually, follow me, my body is like a map

Don’t sleep on African artists now…Rocafella like chica? Really though? Ok.

So what do you guys think of the two songs? Holla back & drop your comments below!

Muah & ♥ ya for it!

]]> http://faraitoday.com/2010/03/09/new-music-t-is-im-back-south-africas-thembi-seetes-just-like-thembi/feed/ 0 http://faraitoday.com/2010/03/08/flicks-celebs-hit-up-the-2010-vanity-fair-oscar-party/ http://faraitoday.com/2010/03/08/flicks-celebs-hit-up-the-2010-vanity-fair-oscar-party/#comments Tue, 09 Mar 2010 02:44:17 +0000 farai http://faraitoday.com/?p=5825

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While the world went to bed after the Academy Awards, celebs partied it up last night at lavish bashes such as the Vanity Fair party…

Jennifer Hudson

Amber Rose (Kanye West’s girlfriend)

Rosario Dawson

Keisha Whitaker (Forest Whitaker’s wife)

Jennifer Lopez

Jamie Foxx & Stacey Dash (well, well, well, lookey here!)

Gabrielle Union

Will Smith & Jada Pinkett Smith

Venus Williams

Uncle Rush – Russell Simmons

P Diddy

Gabby Sidibe & Oprah

Fun times! Kudos to all the winners!

Photo: Getty

]]> http://faraitoday.com/2010/03/08/flicks-celebs-hit-up-the-2010-vanity-fair-oscar-party/feed/ 0 http://faraitoday.com/2010/03/08/the-2010-academy-awards-kanye-west-moment-the-real-reason-behind-elinor-rogers-oscar-beef/ http://faraitoday.com/2010/03/08/the-2010-academy-awards-kanye-west-moment-the-real-reason-behind-elinor-rogers-oscar-beef/#comments Mon, 08 Mar 2010 23:03:37 +0000 farai http://faraitoday.com/?p=5817

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So what really peeves me the most about Elinor Burkett’s Kanye’ing Roger Ross Williams at the Oscars last night, is that the beautiful story behind their short documentary “Music by Prudence” was completely Kanye’ed by their Oscar win drama! Like, the world is more focused on those few minutes of drama on the stage than the inspirational story of Zimbabwean disabled musician, Prudence Mabhena & her band, Liyana (it rains – in Ndebele) who are also disabled.

Elinor Burkett & Roger Ross Williams

Roger Ross Williams & Prudence Mabhena on red carpet at the Oscars!

Here is the story from their Oscar winning documentary. It is a remarkable story of triumph, persistence and faith in the face of obstacles. Roger recalls his journey in making “Music by Prudence“…(get some tissue coz it’s one of those) *sniff, sniff*…

When “Music By Prudence” was announced as winner for Best Short Documentary, several seconds into Roger Ross Williams’ acceptance speech,  he was bogarted by producer Elinor Burkett.  Here’s their explanation on what went down last night at the Oscars:

People are already saying you “pulled a Kanye.” What happened?

BURKETT: What happened was the director and I had a bad difference over the direction of the film that resulted in a lawsuit that has settled amicably out of court. But there have been all these events around the Oscars, and I wasn’t invited to any of them. And he’s not speaking to me. So we weren’t even able to discuss ahead of the time who would be the one person allowed to speak if we won. And then, as I’m sure you saw, when we won, he raced up there to accept the award. And his mother took her cane and blocked me. So I couldn’t get up there very fast.

Can you explain the reason behind the conflict?

BURKETT: The movie was supposed to be about the entire band, Liyana. And the [band members] were very clear they did not want to participate if it ended up being just about one person. The director and HBO decided to focus solely on Prudence . . .

And that led to the rift. But didn’t you see him at other events to discuss what would happen if you won?

BURKETT: He won’t talk to me! This whole week, there have been events thrown by the International Documentary Association, and he hasn’t passed any of the invitations on to me.

The movie was my idea. I live in Zimbabwe. Roger had never even heard of Zimbabwe before I told him about this. And you know, I felt my role in this has been denigrated again and again, and it wasn’t going to happen this time.

How do you feel about the final product?

BURKETT: The final product, it’s not that it’s bad. It’s not what I envisioned when I came up with this project. And it’s not what we promised the boys in the band. It’s just not what we wanted it to be.

About 15 minutes later, Salon reached director-producer Roger Ross Williams by cell phone as he celebrated backstage with family and friends. We asked for his side of the story.

How did that happen?

WILLIAMS: Only one person is allowed to accept the award. I was the director, and she was removed from the project nearly a year ago, but she was able to still qualify as a producer on the project, and be an official nominee. But she was very angry — she actually removed herself from the project – because she wanted more creative control.

But couldn’t you decide ahead of time who would speak?

WILLIAMS: That was handled by the publicist for the academy. I don’t know what they told her. The academy is very clear that only one person can speak. I own the film. She has no claim whatsoever. She has nothing to do with the movie. She just ambushed me. I was sort of in shock.

You seemed to run up there pretty fast. Didn’t you see her coming up the aisle? What did you think was going to happen when she got there?

WILLIAMS: I just expected her to stand there. I had a speech prepared.

She claims she found the movie’s story, that she brought it to you.

WILLIAMS: No, not at all. The truth is that she saw the band perform [in Zimbabwe], and told me about that, and then I opened up a dialogue with the [King George VI School & Centre for Children with Physical Disabilities] school and went on my own – which you would’ve heard about in my speech — and spent $6,000 going to Africa shooting myself. And when people expressed interest in the film, I asked her to come on board. And then I regretted that decision. Then she sued.

It was quite a tussle. Does this diminish the Oscar at all?

WILLIAMS: Absolutely not. It’s such a career achievement, to win an Academy Award. This is what the business is. There are times when there’s disagreement and dispute and you always hope that people will rise up to the occasion. It doesn’t diminish it. She disowns it and doesn’t want any part of the film. I’m so proud of the movie .

OK, did your mother try and block her with her cane?

WILLIAMS: My mother got up to hug me. And my mother is 87 years old. She was excited.

What are people saying about it?

They’re saying it looked like she pulled a Kanye.

WILLIAMS: She did! She pulled a Kanye. And it’s a shame, because this is such positive, happy film.

So what do you think about this Oscar “Kanye” episode? Was Roger wrong for shutting Elinor out from all the events? Was Elinor justified in what she did, cutting him off during his acceptance speech? Holla back & leave your comments below!

Muah & ♥ ya for it!

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Prudence Mabhena

Roger Ross Williams and Elinor Burkett just won an Academy Award for Best Short Documentary for “Music by Prudence” about a disabled Zimbabwean singer/songwriter Prudence Mabhena who offers a message of hope through her music..

Williams raced to the stage after “Music by Prudence” was announced as the Oscar winner.

“Two years ago when I got on  an airplane and went to Zimbabwe, I never imagined I’d end up here,” Williams said from the stage.

In the audience, Prudence Mabhena beamed from her wheelchair despite the drama onstage…

Roger Ross Williams:

Oh my god. This is amazing. Two years ago when I got on an airplane and went to Zimbabwe, I never imagined in my wildest dreams that I’d end up here. This is so exciting. This is so exciting. So exciting.

Elinor Burkett:(in a Kanye West move)

…Let the woman talk. Isn’t that the classic thing? In a world in which most of us are told and tell ourselves that we can’t. Liyana, the band behind this film, teaches us that we’re wrong. Against all odds they did, so we can. So the bottom line is, to me, my role models and my heroes, Marvelous and Energy, Tapiwa, Goodwell, the whole rest of the band and especially Prudence.

Roger Ross Williams:

And Prudence who is here. Who is back there. Prudence is here tonight. This is for Prudence.

Congratulations Empress for inspiring the world with your music!

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Mo’Nique just won her very first Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in Precious!

Her acceptance speech was very concise and pointed.

First, I would like to thank the Academy for showing that it can be about the performance and not the politics. I want to thank Miss Hattie McDaniel for enduring all that she had to so that I would not have to. Tyler Perry and Oprah Winfrey because you touched it, the whole world saw it. Ricky Anderson, our attorney of Anderson & Smith, thank you for your hard work. My entire BET family, my Precious family, thank you so much.

She thanked the Academy for showing that politics do not win over talent, Hattie McDaniel for making the way,Tyler Perry, Oprah, her attorneys her entire BET and Precious families, and told her husband Sidney:

To my amazing husband Sidney, thank you for showing me that sometimes you have to forego doing what’s popular in order to do what’s right. And baby, you were so right. God bless us all.

As one of my FaceBook friends said, “Congratulations Empress“

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Screenwriter Geoffrey Fletcher just won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for the movie “Precious“.  It was his first nomination and his first win. His acceptance speech was  a truly heartfelt speech – “Believe in yourself and you can achieve.“ Precious the movie was one of the most provocative and deeply moving films this past year.

I don’t know what to say. This is for everybody who works on a dream every day. Precious boys and girls everywhere. All the cast and crew, anyone who’s kept believing in me. My two brothers, supported me in every way. My role models, my heroes, Buddy and Todd. My mother, Bettye, angel of my world. My father, Alphonse, who spent so much time with us and taught us everything. I’m sorry I’m drawing a blank right now, but I thank everyone.

Congratulations Geoffrey!

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The 82nd Academy Awards are underway at Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California. So without much fuss & ado, let’s check out the Red Carpet fabness…

*Hit REFRESH for Updates on Red Carpet Pictures! (LIVE STREAM video below…)

Miley Cyrus make up is too fresh! Heart it!

South Africa’s Charlize Theron in this unforgiving gown with unusual rose-shaped pieces of fabric over the bust

Precious leading actress Gabourey Sidibe wore a royal blue gown with a criss-crossed rouched bust, off-shoulder sleeves, and flowing chiffon with some metallic silver embellishments along the waist & bust.

Flawless make-up on the Queen! Light smokey eyes…

Cameron Diaz in a true dreamgirl gown by Oscar de la Renta- I really like this gold gown on her!

Invictus‘ Morgan Freeman with producer Lori McCreary and daughter Morgana

The View’s Sherri Shepherd

Gabourey Sidibe, one of my fave red carpet looks!

Your Sex In The City chic, Sarah Jessica Parker in a Chanel Couture gown. I think this gown can grow on me

Demi Moore, love this nude colored gown on her!

George Clooney & his model girlfriend Elisabetta Canalis (her gown is actually quite simple)

Jennifer Lopez looking very curvy in Giorgio Armani Prive’ gown

Queen Latifah in a lavider one shoulder gown

Lenny Kravitz & his date, daughter Zoe Kravitz

Miley Cyrus wore a beautiful gold strapless gown by British designer Jenny Packham.

TV Personality, Shaun Robinson

Actress CCH Pounder

Quentin Tarantino & The Blind Side’s Quinton Aaron

Quentin Tarantino, he is up for Best Director for Inglorious Besterds & Best Picture

Precious Executive Producer, Tyler Perry in a Prada Tuxedo.

Lenny Kravitz played a male nurse in the movie Precious

Anthony Mack from The Hurt Locker which is up for Best Picture

Lee Daniels & his date, his adoptive daughter Clara. Lee is wearing Oswald Boateng

Heart her make-up (but are those gray hairs on her? What!?!)

The Hicks! (Sidney & Mo’Nique)

Musician Joel Madden and Nicole Richie. Very vintage, old Hollywood look on her! Her boho-style gown with loose sleeves, an empire waist, & sweeping train was designed by celeb favorite Reem Acra

Avatar’s Zoe Saldana

Man of the hour, Avatar Director, James Cameron and wife actress Suzy Amis

Zoe Saldana – in the movie Avatar which is up for multiple awards including Best Picture. Zoe is in a Givenchy Spring 2010 Couture gown – Bananas! Heart this gown!

Nicole Ritchie looks fab in her metallic grey colors!

Nicole’s metallic grey make-up is great & hair pulled back to really highlight her pretty face!

Absolutely heart Actress Jennifer Lewis

Lee Daniels & Mariah Carey repping for Precious (He is up for Best Director)

She did not write her acceptance speech because she said she did not want to go ahead of the Universe!

Sydney Hicks & Mo’Nique who is definitely picking up the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress!

Said Mariah, her Precious role was so out of the ordinary for her!

Nick Cannon & Mariah Carey repping for the movie Precious. She wore a flowing Valentino gown,  nude Christian Louboutins, sparkly jewelery & a sequined clutch to match.

It’s a boy they said and his name?…Julian decided from a fun road trip they recently were on…aaww!

Paula Patton & hubby Robin Thicke who will be performing in South Africa next month!

Precious’s Paula Patton – she is really glowing at 7 months! She wore a fire engine red gown by Carolina Herrera.

Disney’s Anika Noni Rose. Her movie is up for Best Animated Feature

Welcome to our LIVE COVERAGE of the 82nd Academy Awards at Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California!

Watch LIVE stream of the Red Carpet…

Who are some of your fave celebs to win an OSCAR tonight? Let us know your picks & leave your comments below!

Muah & ♥ ya for it!

Photo: Getty Images

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Count down for the 82nd Academy Awards has begun….& here some flicks of the celebs in L.A pre-partying it up!

Penelope Cruz

Stephen Belafonte and Mel B pose for a picture at the Ernest Borgnine Pre-Oscar party at Universal Studios Hollywood in Universal City, California.

Tatyana Ali at the Ernest Borgnine Pre-Oscar party

Mel B

Singer & actress, Samantha Mumba (her dad, Peter Mumba is Zambian)

Lee Daniels and U.K based Ghanaian designer Ozwald Boateng at the Chanel And Charles Finch Pre-Oscar Party Celebrating Fashion And Film at Madeo Restaurant  in Los Angeles, California.

Nigerian actor, Chiwetel Ejiofor & his date at the Chanel And Charles Finch Pre-Oscar Party Celebrating Fashion And Film

Very cute black strapless jumper suit on Keri Hilson…really like this on her!

Her hair & make-up team are the business!

Stay tuned for our Oscar coverage this evening….

Photo: Getty Images / Zimbio