The 2015 American Music Awards are underway in Los Angeles.  The red carpet was a hot one, literally and figuratively.  Get the YBF stars' fabulous looks inside...

Tonight at the Microsoft Theater in L.A., Ciara showed up and showed OUT in the sexiest dress to take the carpet Sunday night:

The model-singer, who hosted the T-Mobile Music Lounge during the show, stunned in this revealing, body hugging, delicate sexy dress by Reem Acra.

It gave us all kinds of feels when she hit the carpet.  The hot bodied mama gushed about her baby boy Future while chatting it up with Guiliana Rancic over at the E! News stop on the carpet.  She revealed the adorable 17-month-old tot can already count past 10 in English AND Spanish.  But she has to be careful with all those smarts of his.  CiCi says he's at the stage where he repeats EVERYTHING she says.  Ha!
 

Just fire.  The TopShop spokesmodel had to fly solo because her boo Russell Wilson was busy beating the 49ers in a Sunday NFL game.  She did have a cute reaction to finding out, while on the carpet, that her man was WINNING.  Check it HERE.

On the other end of the spectrum, Zendaya went sweet and pink with her red carpet look:

While the 19-year-old "K.C. Undercover" star is crazy beautiful and is seemingly all legs, Zendaya still left some things to the imagination in this hot pink applique Emanuel Ungaro dress.

The CHI Beauty spokeswoman's hot pink Louboutins and flawless hair and makeup finished off the look to perfection.  Speaking of perfection, she just nabbed 2 new wax statues from Madame Tussauds.

Besties Christina Milian and Karrueche Tran hit the carpet looking slightly twinsie like. 

"Grandfathered" star Christina looked hot in a sexy LaQuan Smith dress while Kae rocked a cute look as well and spoke (with confidence) about her new movies and projects coming out....

Tyrese brought an adorable date with him on the red carpet: His 8-year-old daughter Shayla.  When he wasn't dishing to media on the carpet about having his shotgun ready for any guy who tries to come to his house to pick her up, he was talking about his newest R&B album Black Rose that went to #1 in 15 countries.

Wiz Khalifa flew solo on the carpet n blue velvet:

Oh Wiz....

"Vampire Diaries" star Kat Graham looked like a birthday confetti cupcake, in the best way possible.  Underneath all that dress, she's not wearing anything.  And we mean nothing. But it's all for a cause.  She posted to Instagram before taking the carpet:

Tonight I will #GoCommando4ACause to help @Cottonelle raise awareness around global sanitation. Cottonelle is partnering with Water For People to raise funds and awareness around the lack of basic sanitation for families worldwide by asking individuals to #GoCommando4ACause. Kimberly-Clark Corporation will donate $1 to Water For People for every mention of the hashtag #GoCommando4ACause so please retweet!

 
"World's Funniest Fails" host and "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" star Terry Crews was all smiles with his fab wife Rebekah on the carpet:

Before Terry snapped some fun pics, he and Rebekah dished about their relationship and sex hiatus on the carpet.  Check it below:

Tyga hit the carpet solo while his girlfriend (or ex?) Kylie hit the carpet with her sister:

We will say...he cleans up nice when he wants to.

"CSI: Cyber" star Bow Wow kept it casual on the carpet.

TV personalities Rocsi Diaz, Zuri Hall, Terrence J and Guiliana Rancic all held it down fabulously.

Paula Abdul was on hand to hand out an Award she also won years ago.

And a couple folks who missed the red carpet but made sure to show off their looks on the 'Gram:

Diddy came through looking dapper to present the Collaboration Award.

Meanwhile, Nicki Minaj -- who won two AMAs Sunday night -- went her usual skin tight, curve hugging, boobalicious, cut-out route in this Michael Costello 'Elle' dress. 

Photos: Getty/Nicki's IG/Diddy's IG/Zuri's IG

Meek Mill was "still staring at the ti**ies tho" in the audience at Sunday night's 2015 American Music Awards.  See what Nick Minaji & Meek Mill were up to, as well as Tyga and his possible ex....

Nicki Minaj may have skipped out on the red carpet, but she was front and center inside the 2015 American Music Awards at Microsoft Theater last night.  She was nominated for three awards and won two of them - FAVORITE ARTIST – RAP/HIP-HOP and FAVORITE ALBUM – RAP/HIP-HOP.

So the Anaconda rapper had her boo Meek -- whom she thanked in her acceptance speeches -- in the audience cheering her on:

Looks like Nicki tossed him a few kisses as a Thank You for being by her side.  Or she just needed a good photo op.  Either or.

Nicki rocked a Michael Costello creation that had embellishments similar to her boo's jacket cuffs.  Well aren't they cute...

But all wasn't as gravy with rapper Tyga.  After news broke that Kylie Jenner dumped him on his birthday last week, it's been an up and down roller coaster of what's true-what's not.

While Kylie said this weekend "Everybody needs to chill" while posting a snap of her and Tyga laying on her couch together....it seems there still may be some separation at play.

The two, who are usually inseparable, rolled to the red carpet separately and were never seen together all night.  Kylie, instead, hit the red carpet in a revealing outfit alongside her sister.  It seems like she wants the world to know she's definitely single.

Word has it the AMA producers scrambled to separate Tyga and Kylie's seats right before the show as they were originally seated together. AMAs eventually found a way to separate them -- they put the rapper a few rows behind his reality star ex.

Womp!

Photos: Getty

Jennifer Lopez turned the 2015 American Music Awards into her very own personal fashion editorial....and we loved every single second of it.  Get ALL 10 of her looks from her big night as the host inside...

We are rarely ever disappointed in any red carpet choice of singer-dancer-actress-tv host Jennifer Lopez's.  So we knew her fashion lineup as host of the 2015 American Music Awards would be epic.  And...it actually kinda was.

While doing her hosting duties by serving up an  an epic opening number, cute intros for the artists and more, J.Lo -- who said hosting the AMAs is a lifelong dream of hers -- seemed to be in her element.  Chick took us from pretty and proper in a crystal covered ombre princess dress to sexed up goddess in a rope-filled, extra revealing draped gown.  All in a matter of a couple of hours.

There was also a hefty amount of fabulousness in between.

So, we rounded up each and every look J.Lo rocked (and the designer details!) while she hosted Sunday night's AMAs.  Indulge your fashion cravings in the gallery below...

Photos: Getty

Now that the 2015 American Music Awards are over, here's the 6 things you need to know to discuss it at the (virtual) watercooler (social media style or real life) on Monday....

1.  Nicki Minaj shaded J.Lo?

Nicki seems to have shaded the hell out of Jennifer Lopez...at least that's what is seems like.  During Jenny's opening act, she concocted a bomb dance routine using all of the hottest songs of the year.  We all know the original Fly Girl can still shut down most chicks in the game with her dancing even on her worst day.

So when J.Lo got  "Anaconda," she slayed it.  And she did so arguably better than Nicki Minaj herself did. So we're not sure if Nicki gave a semi-eye roll or if she was just being....Nicki.  Watch the video below.  Pay close attention around the 2:12 mark:

2.  Nicki's Never-Ending Booty

Speaking of Nicki Minaj, that walk up those stairs to grab her Awards had people chattering about whether she had yet another booty injection refill for the show:

That Michael Costello dress of hers was everything though.

3.   The Weeknd x Prince

Prince won he Favorite R&B album award 30 years ago, so he returned to the AMAs stage Saturday night to present it to the 2015 winner: The Weeknd.

It was The Weeknd's first AMA so that must have been extra special.

4. The Weeknd can kill a live performance.  Check him out hitting the stage below:

5.  The semi reunions!

One of our fave movies "Clueless" got a shout out when Alicia Silverstone and Jeremy Sisto hit the stage to introduce Gwen Stefani who was on the CLueless soundtrack back in the day.  We were just waiting on a cameo from Dionne/Stacey Dash, but it didn't happen.

Diddy made an appearance to introduce the Collaboration Award.  When he shouted out his ex, host Jennifer Lopez, we were itching for a surprise 8 count from the twosome (or something).  But nope, it didn't happen.

6.  Tyrese in full on daddy-mode.

Tyrese brought his 8-year-old daughter Shayla along for all his media interviews, and she stole the show.  Check it:

Photos: Getty

Rihanna just unveiled a brand new teaser for her upcoming album ANTI.  Get the creepy yet beautiful visuals inside....

RiRi's 8th album is almost here.  Through her reported $25 million partnership deal with Samsung, the Bajan beauty is kicking off the album roll out with a teaser she just released.

In the visuals below, originally released via her app for Samsung devices, you see the ANTI title written in Braille language on a Samsung device while Rihanna roams around a home with a few little visitors.

Check it out below:

The R8 key signals something bigger is coming.  We'll be waiting....

After hinting this weekend that they haven't broken up, despite rumors saying they did, rapper Tyga stepped out with his girlfriend Kylie Jenner after the AMAs last night.  Yep, they're already glued at the hip again.  Pics and deets inside...

After separately doing the red carpet at the American Music Awards, Tyga and Kylie were spotted leaving The Nice Guy afterparty and then spotted leaving Kendall Jenner's apartment.  They had just celebrated Kylie's good friend Hailey Baldwin's birthday as well.

The two looked like they were back to their normal way of doing things.  Over on Snapchat, Kylie was posting pics and video of Tyga dancing and him resting his hands on her leg:

Hmph.  PR stunt...or just young "love"?

Photos: Splash/Kylie's Snap

Uzo Aduba is fabulously gracing the cover of UPTOWN’s newest issue. Come inside to get a peek at what life is like for the two-time EMMY winner and how she stays grounded.

We first met Uzo Aduba on the hit Netflix original series “Orange Is The New Black” back in 2013. She plays the intense, child like character “Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren who has become one of the show’s most beloved characters on the show.

Uzo is so good in portraying the unhinged inmate it has earned her two EMMY awards for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy. Woot! Since Netflix changed the show’s classification in 2015, it awarded Uzo the opportunity to make history as the only person to win the same award in both categories. Work!

The Nigerian beauty now graces the newest cover of UPTOWN magazine where she talks about adjusting to life in the limelight and what drives her to keep going. The 34-year-old actress (who is a classically trained singer as well) also talks about her upcoming role as 'Glinda the Good Witch' in the live adaptation of The Wiz on NBC.  Oh, and we find out who her Hollywood friends are.

Below are the highlights:

On the source of her drive:

"It’s not about being number one, but no Nigerian parent will ever complain about that! My mom always said ‘I have never heard of nothing coming from hard work. I don’t know when it will come, but it will come.'"

On seeking people who allow Uzo to be Uzo:

"When I first started, I met with different agents that tried to fix me in some way, which implied that something was wrong. I appreciate, respect and enjoy the person that I see in the mirror. I have always wanted to be surrounded by people who also appreciate those things. From my lawyer to my glam team, they enjoy me as Uzo and where I stand today. There has never been any pressure to be more or else than who I am."

On having name recognition:

"Before, if someone called my name on the street, I knew that the person knew me. Now, if someone calls my name they may not know me, but they are very clear on what my name is and my resume! That’s new."

On her Hollywood friends:

"I have loved Viola Davis for awhile. She is a phenomenal actor and one that does interesting work and has not been afraid to go over the line. Tracee Ellis Ross is dynamic, her character work is fantastic and she is smart, supportive and super chic. On top of it, she has an incredible generosity. Gabrielle [Union] is a sweetheart and loving and wildly gracious."

On starring in The Wiz:

"I think it’s going to be wonderful. I am working with Queen Latifah! I have admired her versatility and command for years. She is think bigger, think higher, think braver ... I know that I am stepping into the shoes of both the great Dee Dee Bridgewater [from the original 1975 Broadway cast] and the legendary Lena Horne [the 1978 big screen adaptation]. I want to bring a reverence and respect to what they have been and have done. I just want to tell the best story that I can. That relieves the pressure."

Can't wait to see her in The Wiz. You can check out her full interview here.

The Wiz Live! premieres Thursday, December 3rd at 8/7c on NBC.

Photos: UPTOWN

Ja Rule and Porsha Williams chopped it up with Andy Cohen in the clubhouse on “WWHL.” Ja addresses his beef with 50 Cent, meanwhile, Porsha put her cakes on display to address those fake butt rumors and dishes on boyfriend Duke Williams. Watch the clips inside….

Rapper-turned-reality star Ja Rule, rocking an All Saints ensemble, dropped in on Bravo's Clubhouse last night to tape "WWHL" alongside "Real Housewives of Atlanta" star Porsha Williams.  He's still busy promoting his new reality show “Follow The Rules.”

During his chat with Andy, a caller inquired about the current status of his beef with rapper 50 Cent. Obviously, the two aren’t friends, but they aren’t at each others' necks like they were back in the day. Ja said their beef is similar to the Cold War right now and that he no longer has any beef with Fif. Well good for him because they’re both too old for the foolery.

Check it:

Switching gears, the Georgia peach, who looked amazing a red AQ/AQ dress and Tom Ford heels, took a moment to address those rumors circulating that say her “ass”ets are FAKE!

In a previous show, Porsha’s co-star Kandi Burruss was asked about Porsha’s butt being real or fake and she claimed she wasn’t sure. Well, Porsha came with receipts, standing up and jiggling her booty so you know it's real. She said “Kandi came on the show and you asked her and she said ‘she thinks.’ She knows this is cornbread fed! This is all me! This is real Georgia meat!”

Later, she dished on whether she and her NFL boyfriend Duke Williams are still an item and his reaction to the “trophy party.” She also offers martial advice to co-stars Cynthia Bailey & Peter Thomas. Peep the clips below:

On her (ex?) boyfriend Duke:

Advice to Cynthia & Peter:

Afterwards...

Ja and Porsha snapped it up with the Queens rapper's mother Debra Atkins and his mother-in-law. Fun times.

Photos: BRAVO/Porsha's IG

Diddy hit the dance floor last night at the AMAs afterparty....with his ex Jennifer Lopez.  And the two look QUITE cutesy while having a good 'ol time.  Hmph.  Pics inside...

The Moet & Chandon AMA After Party went down with Jennifer Lopez last night at HYDE Sunset.  The host of the night took the party to the restaurant to celebrate her big accomplishment.

While her boyfriend Casper Smart was by her side all night, J.Lo's EX boyfriend (are we the only ones who believe there's always a TINGE of a chance of them getting back together) Puffy was also there celebrating with her.    And they look like they're having a blast.

You know when an ex sees your banging body umpteen years later in a super tight jumpsuit, and he has that "Hey, what's going on big head?" line?  Yeah....we see you Diddy.

Wiz Khalifa was all the way turned up int hr DJ booth with Dave Chappelle.

And Jenny was definitely living it up.  Fun times!

Photos: Getty/@lil_rob_98's IG

Rihanna fans get excited! The Pop princess has announced her ANTI World Tour. Get the deets on her worldwide trek and how Taraji P. Henson and Terrence Howard will spread holiday cheer inside…

If you’re a fan of Rihanna, you’ll be happy to know the Pop princess will be coming to a city near you next year.

The “BBHMM” singer announced the coming of her “ANTI World Tour” that will kick off in February 2016. Nice! Hmm…so does that mean we’ll FINALLY get the Anti album before then? We think so. She just unveiled the brand new ANTI teaser via her Samsung app recently. The new teaser and the announcement of a world tour definitely seems like the makings of an album roll out.

Coming along on the Samsung-sponsored tour will be her rumored boyfriend Travis Scott for the North American leg (how convenient) and then she will bring The Weeknd and Big Sean along as supporting acts for the European leg.

As of now, no dates or prices for tickets have been released, but we hear those details will be coming soon. Tickets for the tour will go on sale Thursday, December 3rd. If you’re a TIDAL subscriber, you will be able to access a pre-sale starting Monday, November 30th.

Get your coins ready! Rih Rih is coming.

In other news...

“Empire” stars Taraji P. Henson and Terrence Howard will be spreading holiday cheer for the holiday season.

After co-hosting the 2015 Guys Choice Awards together, Taraji and Terrence will be teaming up once again to host “Taraji & Terrence’s White Hot Holidays” music special set to premiere December 9th at 9pm ET on FOX.

According to Deadline, the special will feature a duet by the on-screen married couple and modern performances of classic holiday songs by Mary J. Blige, John Legend, Jamie Foxx, and more.

We have just two more episodes of “Empire” before the holiday break. The music special will air the week after the series’ fall finale. Then, we won’t get another dose of the entertaining duo until the series picks back up on Wednesday, March 30th.

Photos: Rihanna's Twitter/Getty

EBONY magazine pays homage to the top 100 African-Americans doing big things in the past year. Come inside to see Jesse Williams, Harry Belafonte and Zendaya cover the new issue and more.

EBONY magazine celebrates its 70th anniversary with a dynamic cover for the December/January issue. The powerful cover urges its readers to “Stand For Something” starring legendary actor/social activist Harry Belafonte standing between socially conscious YBF celebs, “Grey’s Anatomy” star Jesse Williams and Disney starlet Zendaya, symbolizing a passing of the baton of Black power and pride to generations of entertainers to come.

Inside, the magazine pays homage to the outstanding achievements of African-American influencers with the unveiling of the 2015 Power 100 List.

Some making the list, include NBA player and literacy advocate Russell Westbrook, the casts of “Empire” and “Power,” singer/activist Janelle Monae, actresses Regina King, Viola Davis, Jada Pinkett Smith, hair-care entrepreneur Miko Branch, minister at the front lines in Ferguson, Rev. Traci Blackmon and many more. These achievers have had noteworthy accomplishments over the past year, representing a variety of fields, including politics, business, education, media, religion, music and more.

EBONY’s editor-in-chief Kierna Mayo had this to say about the passionate cover and issue:

“It is truly an honor to celebrate the tremendous talents and accomplishments of the honorees on this year’s Power 100 list. From the #BlackLivesMatter movement to technology disruptors to the boardrooms of Fortune 500 companies, all of the selected individuals have made an undeniable impact. They represent outstanding examples of greatness, and provide hope and inspiration for the next generation.”

To honor those who made the Power 100 list, EBONY will be hosting it’s Power 100, 70th Anniversary Gala on Wednesday, December 2nd at The Beverly Hilton in L.A. The soiree will feature a '70s inspired theme as a celebration of Black pride and it will be hosted by TV personality Arsenio Hall. Nice!

Check out the full Power 100 List here.

Photo: EBONY

Tyler Perry is showing off his new trimmed physique, Jill Scott stops by the “Steve Harvey Show” to chop it up and perform and Diddy’s daughters D’Lila, Jesse and Chance are working on a new Sean John girls clothing line. Get it all inside….

Well HELLO new washboard abs coming in and that V-cut!

Tyler Perry has been eating right and burning off calories in the gym.  Now, he wants you to see his results.

Over the weekend, the actor/filmmaker hopped on Facebook to share a new photo of himself shirtless and he clearly has been working on perfecting his bod. Tyler has defined muscles now and we see that V-cut making a cameo as well. Get it Ty.

He captioned a photo of himself on the beach saying,

"I'm 18 lbs away from my goal. I hope I don't blow it this holiday season. Gonna try to stay on it. It's hard as heck to lose weight after 40, but it's so worth it. It keeps the doctor away. Don't let anything keep you from being healthy and strong. I wish my mother had fought back. She turned diabetic at 40 and died at 64. Don't let that be you!! Fight back!!"

We’re not sure if a recent health scare brought on the health kick, but he’s definitely looking good after his transformation. Makes us want to get in the gym.

On daytime television….

One of our faves Jill Scott will be making an appearance on the “Steve Harvey Show” tomorrow (11/24) and we’ve got the deets on her daytime segment.

The three-time Grammy Award winning singer will be joining Steve to help launch his “Thankful Hour” on his show just in time for the holidays. The WOMAN songstress will chit-chat with Steve about her beloved hometown of Philadelphia, the strong women in her family who inspire her, motherhood, her “Blues Babe” foundation and more.

Later, Jilly from Philly will be surprised with a visit from a young lady named Arnetta Johnson (above) who wanted to personally thank Jill for helping her to attend Berklee College of Music. Awesome!

Then, the “Fools Gold” songbird will take the stage to perform her hit track “Back Together” from her WOMAN LP.

Peep a few clips from Jill's upcoming appearance below:

Here are 20 questions with Jilly backstage below:

Check your local listings for the air time of Jilly's episode.

In YBF Kids' news....

How adorbs! 

Looks like Diddy’s daughters D’Lila, Jesse & Chance Combs are following in the footsteps of their pops putting in work to become mini moguls. In the photo above, the three mini divas are seen checking out clothing samples and sketches for a brand new Sean John girls clothing line. With a dad like Diddy, we’re sure these girls know a thing or two about the finer things in life and already have their own sense of style.

No word on when their new collection will be released, but we’ll keep you posted.

EXTRAS:

1. Trey Songz will be performing his hit track "About You" on a float at this year’s 89th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.

Photos: Tyler's IG/Deyanna McElroy/NBC/Diddy's IG

North West was spotted chillin' in her combat boots Monday while headed out shopping with grandma Kris Jenner.  Pics of them inside and other kiddies and parents-to-be....

So freakin' cute! Kris Jenner took North and cousin Penelope shopping at The Grove yesterday. We hope both little cuties already have their Christmas lists ready.  Since Kanye & Kim are their parents/auntie/uncle, we're sure there are multiple lists.

Speaking of celeb parents:

Mel B. was being all cute and super-mommyish.  She had her daughters Phoenix, Angel, and Madison on hand to ride the Westfield Shopping Centre Christmas bus at Sheperd's Bush. 

That little adorable 4-year-old Madison looks like she's a HANDFUL.

Elsewhere in L.A., John Legend, his shorts, and wife Chrissy Teigen took the baby bump to the gym as they were spotted leaving a fitness studio on Monday:

"The Real" co-host has been carrying her pregnancy quite well these days.

Pacific Coast News/WENN/Splash

We can't get enough of Michael BAE Jordan.  Oh, and he kows "we" have all changed his middle name to address his BAEdom.  Find out what the Creed star is dishing up about his stardom and his dating life in the new digital issue of VIBE.  Plus, his co-star Tessa Thompson is STUNNING in Vanity Fair.

From Red Tails, to Fruitvale Station to Creed, it seems like Michael B. Jordan's meteoric rise has been sudden.  But those who really know, ow that little Wallace from "The Wire" has been one to watch.  And it's been a long time coming.

The hot 28-year-old is VIBE magazine's newest digital cover star.  He's talking his body transformation, tightening up his loose lips about his dating life, and what it means to share a name with a basketball giant.

Here are the highlights and hot pics:

On getting that body ripped to perfection

From a Trunchbull-like diet to workouts that will test the limits of anyone’s patience, Michael strived to look as close as he could to a professional boxer. And there were no stunt doubles, either. From super middleweight champion and gold medalist Andre Ward to cruiserweight and five-title holder Tony Bellew, he went toe-to-toe with the pros in real life. “I did everything on this film which was a challenge,” Jordan says. “I’m super competitive. If I could do it, why not?”

On handling his overwhelming success

“You have moments where you sit back and it really hits you. You might have an outer-body experience where you have to appreciate [the moment]. But then it’s back to work,”

On learning to keep his dating life private

“I kind of don’t want to get into the whole dating thing,” he says. “I’m going to keep that to myself."

“It’s something that I’m learning, the nuance between being too honest, not even being too honest, but learning how to protect yourself,” he says. “Your privacy is all you have. I live out my life in the public eye now, so it’s a new territory I’m learning everyday.”

On sharing a name with basketball great Michael Jordan

It’s not hard to tell who “that guy” is in Jordan’s own life. Like Adonis fighting to walk in his own shoes, Michael, who is named after his father, had a similar situation with NBA legend Michael “Air” Jordan. “He set the bar so high of success and his accomplishments and just respecting his own craft,” Jordan says. “I always wanted to have my name mean something based upon the work that I put in. It wouldn’t be just a comparison to that guy, I would have my own legacy.” MBJ also recalls getting teased for his name, even missing out on a few pizza pies because he would get the dial tone after they asked who’s calling. Even his middle name gets picked apart now, swapping out Bakari for Bae, which you can see deep within his Instagram remarks. “I don’t read all of [the comments], but every once in a while if I post a picture or somebody either screenshots something and sends it to me like, ‘You need to read this,’” Jordan says with a wide grin. “It’s pretty funny to hear them go back and forth on the comments.”

Tristan/Mack Wilds on his longtime friend

“There’s not many people that you come across in the industry that you connect with like that, but him in particular, he’s definitely one that I’ve always been around and it’s always been nothing but love,” actor/singer Tristan “Mack” Wilds says on his The Wire peer. “I think that’s the true meaning of family.”

Get the full VIBE cover story HERE.

Michael's co-star Tessa Thompson is getting her own shine.  This time, it's in Vanity Fair's December 2015 issue with a slay-worthy vintage Hollywood style shoot:

Breathtaking!  The Dear White People star joins Michael on screen in Creed on Thanksgiving Day. 

Serve the people then Tessa!

Tessa Photos: Photos by Williams+Hirakawa, Michael: Photos by Peter Dokus

YBF chicks Shonda Rhimes, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Mara Brock Akil, Debbie Allen, and Issa Rae are fed up with missing out on opportunities simply because they’re women. So now, they’re speaking up and shedding light on the issue in a new interview with tons of other women in Hollywood. Find out what they had to say inside…

There comes a time when a woman’s fed up, and that time is now!   Directresses, executives and more are now ready to shine a light on the issue that has plagued the industry since the beginning.

Did you know women make up only 1.9% of the director pool for the 100 top-grossing movies in 2013 and 2014? Mind boggling right? A slew of female executives and filmmakers seem to think so and now, they’re ready to speak out about it.

The NY Times interviewed over 100 female actresses, filmmakers and executives in Hollywood where they expose the ugly truth of sexism that permeates the entertainment industry. Amongst the group of women, YBF chicks Shonda Rhimes, Dee Rees, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Mara Brock Akil, Debbie Allen, and Issa Rae.

It’s time for women to take control of studios and blockbuster films catered to women, but first, we must be made aware of systems holding women back. Sexism is one, and these ladies are no longer letting Hollywood brush it under a rug.

Even with all the success #TGIT creator Shonda Rhimes has garnered, its still not enough to compete against her male white counterparts. She tells the publication:

‘‘The world of movies is fascinating to me because everyone has amnesia all the time,’’ Rhimes told me. ‘‘Every time a female-driven project is made and succeeds, somehow it’s a fluke. Instead of just saying ‘The Hunger Games’ is popular among young women, they say it only made money because Jennifer Lawrence was luminous and amazing. I mean, you go get yours, girl. But seriously, that’s ridiculous. There’s a very hungry audience of young women dying to see some movies. They came out for ‘Titanic’ and ‘Twilight,’ 14-year-old girls going back to see those movies every day. I find it fascinating that this audience is not being respected. In the absence of water, people drink sand. And that is sad. There’s such an interest in things being equal and such a weary acceptance that it’s not.’’

Writer, director and producer Dee Rees (Bessie), who’s currently working to develop a limited series on the Great Migration with FX and Shondaland, talks about the different struggle of a female filmmaker compared to that of a male filmmaker. She said,

‘‘I look at Woody Allen’s prolific career of 30 or 40 films, and I’m watching the clock,’’ she says. ‘‘I’d love to work at a clip of a film a year. We don’t get the benefit of the doubt, particularly black women. We’re presumed incompetent, whereas a white male is assumed competent until proven otherwise. They just think the guy in the ball hat and the T-shirt over the thermal has got it, whether he’s got it or not. For buzzy first films by a white male, the trajectory is a 90-degree angle. For us, it’s a 30-degree angle.’’

She adds,

"A big part of getting a ‘shot’ is about studio execs seeing themselves in you. As a woman and a black filmmaker, I’m often not that person.”

Writer, director, producer Gina Prince-Bythewood (Love & Basketball, The Secret Life of Bees, Beyond The Lights) talks about the guilt she felt leaving her young son behind in L.A. while she filmed a movie across the country. She said,

‘‘I had a lot of guilt; it wrecked me,’’ said the 46-year-old, who also has a 14-year-old son. ‘‘But I’m a director, and I need to feed that part of me.’’

Women are often criticized for putting their work before their children when that hardly ever happens to men. When it comes to creating more diverse films from different points of views Gina said, ‘‘Just get us in the room.”

She also dropped a startling statistic: “Last year there was only 7% of us making movies that fell into the top 250. That means 93% of movies, even with a female protagonist, were from a male point of view…”

WOW.

Creator of YouTube series Awkward Black Girl Issa Rae had this to say: “I’m surrounded by so many smart, talented, capable women in all fields of this industry. They’re eager, they’re ready and they’re everywhere.”

Iconic actress, director, dancer, choreographer, writer and producer Debbie Allen was part of the convo.

As was writer/producer Mara Brock Akil (Being Mary Jane, Girlfriends, The Game).

You can read the full interview here. 

Photos: Art Streiber/NY Times

Ciara just dropped two new tracks.  It's safe to say....a certain someone seems to be her inspiration.  Check out "Oh Baby" and "Special Edition" inside...

The Holidays are upon us.  So Ciara is gifting her fans with brand new music. 

The hot mama seems to be putting her feelings of love on wax in "Oh Baby," and we're sure it was all inspired by her BAE Russell Wilson.

The track starts off with Ciara whispering (as she does), "Ever since I held you baby, everything changed."

Ciara sings:

I don't think I can love another/Quite like I love you.

One thing I discovered...

Every single day and night I think about you.

Well SOMEONE is definitely in love.  And we can't even blame her.  CiCi and Russ have been dating for several months now, and it seems after spending plenty of time together (including a romantic Mexican vacay), they have grown closer than ever.  Peep the tack below:

On a second track called "Special Edition," it seems like CiCi had the Holiday party season in mind as she sings about popping champagne to celebrate life with her family and spending QT with her loved ones.  All with a southern ATL tinge.  Check it below:

Photo: Getty

Chris Brown opens up in a candid interview where he apologizes to his ex-girlfriends Rihanna and Karrueche, he talks about dealing with his own insecurities, how he felt when he first found out he is a dad and his upcoming Royalty being one of best bodies of work. Get the highlights inside…

Chris Brown is back on his grown man ish. And much of it can be credited to his baby girl Royalty.

The R&B crooner dropped in on HOT 97’s radio personality Nessa to promote his upcoming seventh studio album, affectionately titled Royalty. It's expected to drop right before Christmas on December 18th, but fans can pre-order the album this Black Friday (11/27).

While talking about his album, he said he didn’t ask too many artists for features because this body of work defines him as a man and is a representation of his growth.

During the chat, he revealed he and his baby's mother Nia Guzman are on good terms right now after a very public custody battle. He shed a little light on their relationship saying he and Nia never had a relationship, they never even dated, it just happened. [We kind of figured that]. So now, they’re just doing the best they can to raise their daughter.

Breezy also publicly apologized to his ex-girlfriend Karrueche Tran after she said her relationship with him is "hindering her career." CB also opened up about dealing with his own insecurities, how he has matured as a man, the nasty custody battle with Royalty’s mom and more.

Below are the highlights:

On his first reaction after finding out he is a dad:

“You know how you’re on a roller coaster right? And it’s about to go down and you’re like ‘MANNN!’ It was that at first. Then I got the chance to sit with myself and pray. Then I got to see my daughter and I was like I love it. I’m cool. I’m not going to be that statistic. I’ll be the dad.”

On dealing with his own insecurities:

“The interview with me and Tyga [where they went in on Drake & Amber Rose] it was based around my insecurities. Yeah, I was trying to have his back as his boy, but I had to find the underlining meaning and it was insecurity. Everybody has it. For me, I was insecure about what people thought about me, how my peers treated me. I had to find a sense of calm. None of that matters. We doubt ourselves as humans and that’s only based on our fear. With me, I had to stop focusing on bullsh*t and let me focus on what I’m great at and not dime anyone else’s light around me.”

On getting over his insecurities:

“I’ve made peace with my past. I’ve made peace with who I am as a person. I actually like me right now. I don’t have a doubt in my mind of my capabilities or my purpose to be on this earth. I think I’m supposed to have that. It’s supposed to be a negative with a positive.”

On Karrueche blaming her relationship with him having a negative affect on her career:

“If anything that I’ve done with anybody, I make my mistakes and I’m totally in acceptance for any wrongs that I’ve done. I can only wish for the best for that person and whoever lives I’ve messed up. I can only apologize if that’s how they feel. More blessings and much success to them.”

On Rihanna saying she stayed with him to “save” him:

“It’s life. Everybody has to go through certain situations. Where I’m at in my life it doesn’t consist of me being negative or speaking on certain people. I’m just focused on me and wish everyone else the best.”

On the custody battle between his baby mama Nia Guzman:

“It was just me being able to be in my daughter’s life. I think a lot of times young black men, we don’t accept our responsibility because we’re too scared, we’re too young, whatever it is. I just wanted to show people in any situation God gives you certain things to either deal with or run away from. I feel like dealing with it shows more character. It shows your growth as a man.”

On if he’s scared Royalty will date a man like him:

“Yea. Absolutely. I’m going to always have my concerns.”

On being in a space of forgiveness:

“At one point I was just mad and insecure. I don’t know what other people’s motives are, but I know a lot of where it can come from. You can hate somebody because you might be afraid. Not saying you’re afraid of that person, but afraid of solidifying who you are and what you have to do. People lose focus why they’re really upset with a situation. People are envious of me just like I could be envious of someone else.”

On being in a relationship right now:

“I’m more of a singer/R&B kind of guy, so in those words, of course. I think everyone wants to be loved and appreciated. But, sometimes you have seasons that stop you and then bring you back to reality because you might not appreciate it as much. It’s hard to just bring random girls around my daughter. I think the person I will find will have to understand me and I will have to understand them. I’m just letting things happen right now. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t.”

Well good for him.

Check it:

And the inspirational Breezy doesn't stop there. Yesterday, he was busy passing on good vibes via his Twitter account. Peep his tweets (read from the bottom up):

Maybe Royalty has changed him for the better. *shrugs*

Photos: CB's IG

Traci Braxton and Amber Rose make appearances on the talk show circuit shutting down rumors and dishing saucy secrets. More inside…

All families fight. But, when you’re entire family is in the spotlight things are quickly blown out of proportion over something that started off so small.

We’ve seen the Braxton Sisters bicker and fight on their reality show before. So we’re not exactly sure why these recent rumors of the sisters feuding come as a surprise. If you watch the show, you can tell they all genuinely love each other.  Do they always LIKE each other?  Maybe not.

Traci Braxton, stepping in to co-host for her sister Tamar Braxton while she recovers, sets the record straight on “The Real” today. Co-host Loni Love gets right to it asking Traci to address the feuding rumors in which she said:

Look, we’re sisters. We love each other. Just like you guys, y’all are sisters, y’all love each other. And y’all are gonna bicker; you’re gonna bicker all the time. Who wants to get along all the time? ‘Cause I really don’t. I do not have time for all of that. I’m going to tell you how I feel, but don’t get it twisted – we've got each other’s backs no matter what, no matter what.

Sisters fight all the time.  And if you try to come for any of the Braxton Sisters, they’ve all got each other’s backs. Traci continued:

"I’ll pin your tail, right in the corner. What did you say about my sister? You don’t like her shoes? Oh! [Gives the side eye.] But yeah…"

Traci then wished her baby sister a speedy recovery saying:

"Thank you. I love her so much. I want her to have a speedy recovery. I love my sister, that’s my baby sister. She’s my heart. She’s… she's a limb on my body. If something… if one of my limbs is missing, I don’t know what I would do."

Aww...

Check it:

Also on television...

Following this year’s AMA’s, Amber Rose was a guest on E!’s “Fashion Police” where she sat alongside the show’s co-host to dissect each celebrity’s red carpet ensembles.

During one segment, Amber and co. played a game of “Spit It Out” where they have five seconds to draw their first impressions upon seeing a celeb's red carpet look. When it came time to critique singer Harry Styles' AMA ensemble, the blonde bombshell drew a picture of a water bottle explaining, “I drew a water bottle because he gets me so wet. Super hot, love him."

Oh? Amber obviously "aint got no type."

Check the video above.

Photos: Erica Parise /Warner Bros. Television

We’ve got two new trailers for Barbershop 3 and Marlon Wayan’s 50 Shades Of Black. Check ‘em inside….

So who’s ready for another round of shenanigans at Calvin’s Barbershop? We surely are.

Over the summer, we told you Barbershop 3 was in the works, sharing behind-the-scenes pics of production. Now, the three-quel has received the official poster treatment (above) along with a brand new trailer.  Yes, we see Nicki positioned in front of Eve, who has a recurring role in the trilogy, on the poster.  We're sure it's all a marketing ploy to get the Barbz in the theaters. Hmph.

Barbershop 3, titled Barbershop: The Next Cut, will be coming to a theater near you April 15, 2016, twelve years after the sequel hit theaters in 2004. Much of the original cast will be returning including Ice Cube, Cedric the Entertainer, Eve, Anthony Anderson, Deon Cole, and Sean Patrick Thomas. Newcomers include Nicki Minaj, Common, Regina Hall, Tyga, JB Smoove and Jazsmin Lewis.

Director Malcom D. Lee will helm the film from a script written by “black-ish” creator Kenya Barris and screenwriter Tracy Oliver. Also, Ice Cube’s Cube Vision production company will produce the comedy.

This go round, the crew at Calvin's have to come together to help save the community in Chicago as the neighborhood grows more dangerous due to gang violence.

Check out the film's first official trailer below:

Mark ya calendars. Barbershop 3 is coming April 15, 2016

In another new trailer...

Get your laugh on!

Funnyman Marlon Wayans is ready to bring the laughs in the parody film 50 Shades Of Black, a spoof of the blockbuster film 50 Shades of Grey.

We've got the first trailer for the upcoming comedy and it is HILARIOUS. Marlon Wayans, the creator of the Scary Movie and A Haunted House spoof franchises, is dipping his foot into the drama realm and it appears he has another funny flick on his hands.

Marlon has tapped celebs Mike Epps, Mike Epps, Affion Crockett, Kalli Hawk, Fred Willard and more for Fifty Shades Of Black, which is expected to hit theaters January 29, 2016. In the meantime, get your laugh on in the trailer above.

Photos: ET

Mariah Carey was spotted heading to rehearsals for Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade after gushing over her beau on "The Steve Harvey Show." Peep her candids and take a listen to Adele blowing down the house with classroom instruments providing the beat played by The Roots and Jimmy Fallon inside….

Grammy Award winning singer Mariah Carey hid behind a pair of sunglasses and donned a white oversized fur coat as made her rounds in NYC yesterday.

The Elusive Chanteuse songstress trekked with an army of people as she made her way to rehearsals for the 89th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Earlier in the day, the 45-year-old mother-of-twins stopped by “The Steve Harvey Show” to chop it up about her billionaire beau James Packer. During their chat, Mimi revealed how she and her Australian lover met for the first time and the instant chemistry that sparked between them. 

“We first met in Aspen ironically a couple years ago,” said Mariah. “We were at the 'Hercules' premiere. We were talking and laughing and people were getting mad at us and stuff like that. So we hit it off.”

How nice. Steve then started talking about how lucky James is to have MC, in which she replied,

“I'm lucky too. He really is [great].”

Aww….

Check it:

Later, Mariah talked about going trick-or-treating with her twins Monroe and Moroccan along with her ex-husband Nick Cannon and they are successfully co-parenting:

On late night TV...

We all know British singer Adele can blow. But chick proves just how powerful her vocals are with a rendition of her hit track “Hello” with the melody and beat provided by The Roots and Jimmy Fallon playing classroom instruments.

Seriously. She sounds amazing. Check it above.

Photos: Getty