BET will be heating up this winter with the return of “Being Mary Jane” and a new series about HBCU life titled “The Quad.” Peep the new clips inside…

"Being Mary Jane" fans get excited!

After almost a year since season 3 wrapped, we finally know when the hit BET series is returning. “BMJ” will be returning January 2017! A little ways from now, but at least we finally know when we can expect to see it.

For Season 4, Mary Jane, played by Gabrielle Union, will be making moves in a new city (seemingly New York) where she will meet new love interests and y’all know chick will get herself into some ish, as she typically does. Details are still a bit scarce about the upcoming season, but we’re more than happy to know Mary Jane and her antics will be taking over our televisions in a few months.

Peep the trailer for the new season below:

BET has some more heat for their January line up:

Get ready for a brand new series about life at a HBCU!

"The Quad" takes viewers inside the unique, culture-filled world of Historically Black Colleges and Universities that stars Tony Award winners Anika Noni Rose and Ruben Santiago-Hudson and YBF icon Jasmine Guy. It’s expected to premiere in January 2017 and HERE for it.

The series is both directed and written by FAMU alum Rob Hardy, who also directed recent episodes of "blackish," "How To Get Away With Murder," "Empire," "Power" and more.

Below is a synopsis of the new series:

Upon her arrival, Dr. Eva Fletcher (Rose) finds a bold and diverse freshman class that promises to keep her hands full as the newly elected President of the fictional college Georgia A&M. Eva is charged with not only saving the prestigious HBCU from bankruptcy, but also her twenty-year marriage from crumbling while managing a tumultuous relationship with her rebellious only daughter.

Sounds so good.

Peep the trailer above.

“The Quad” will make its debut on January 31, 2017. Mark your calendars!

The cast of "Empire" is all the way #TeamHillary, and they want the world to know.  Check out their powerful brand new campaign ad inside...

In a major new ad directed by Lee Daniels, the upcoming director of Star, along with actors Taraji P. Henson, Bryshere Gray, Trai Byers, Jussie Smollett, Tasha Smith, Gabourey Sidibe and Grace Byers, ask  “What Will You Say”, as they encourage fans to vote for lawyer, Secretary of State, and former Senator Clinton this November.

The actors give some insight into what’s at stake for the African American community in this election -- from criminal justice reform to women’s rights to protecting President Obama’s legacy, it's all a really big deal.

Lee himself has been a longtime supporter of Hillary Clinton and spoke at the Democratic National Convention urging young voters not to sit out the "most important election of our lifetime."

So as part of the $30 million in digital ad reservations running in battleground states across the country, Lee directed a campaign video to sum it all up.  Check it below:

The drama is still stirring in the Braxton-Herbert household...allegedly.  Deets inside about the cops supposedly getting called AGAIN and how Tamar is showing fans she and Vince are all good.

Here we go again.  Back in August, 9-1-1 audio leaked of Tamar Braxton's friend calling the police on husbandger Vincent Herbert after he was accused of biting Tamar's finger during a fight and running away from the hotel they were staying at.

Interestingly, the couple was spotted the next day at the Atlanta airport holding hands like everything was perfectly fine.

But is it all a front?

 

He gets it #amazingtimes #badboyreuniontour

A video posted by Taytay (@tamarbraxton) on Oct 5, 2016 at 12:31am PDT

 

A video posted by Tamar HQ (@tamarhq) on Oct 5, 2016 at 7:08pm PDT

Tamar has been Snapchatting all week all the kisses and hugs and cuddled up moments she and a visibly slimmer Vince have been having.  They even went to the Bad Boy Tour finale together this week. But reports allege that August situation wasn't the only one.

Apparently, there was another physical fight between the couple at their Calabasas home in front of Tamar's sisters.  Daily Mail reports:

DailyMail.com has leaned that several of the sisters were on hand when an altercation between the couple took place at their Calabasas, California, home a few months ago and Tamar's older sister, Grammy winner Toni Braxton called the police. When authorities arrived, they took statements from several of the other family members on hand.

'Again, since there were no physical signs of battery, Vince was not arrested,' the source revealed. 'But these fights are happening more and more.'

 

The site says their source feels Tamar will end up hurt very badly, and they're glad it's all coming out now:

'But her family fears that 13 may be their sister's unlucky number and that if things don't change with Tamar and Vince, she could end up like Rihanna after the Chris Brown altercation or worse,' a source close to the family tells DailyMail.com.

Tamar recently set her Instagram to private and folks assumed it had something to do with her alleged rocky marriage. So Tamar popped back with this post and delete: 

Usually I wouldn't address this STUPIDITY but .... and all the other NON factual blog and radio sites reporting that my Instagram page being private has ANYTHING to do with my marriage…. Can SUCK it!!! Why don't you report on FACTUAL stories such as what is actually happening in North Carolina, the Debate on Monday, my new album coming out SOON and it's Its HOT like a perm on your head sitting too long!!?…I mean DAMN!! my a** was in the damn hospital? (if you must know) along with my let you tell it soon to be 'estranged husband'?? all I was saying …(the OTHER DAY)..is I'm tired of waiting and not felling WELL!!! Like why does it have to be?'Houston she has ANOTHER problem'…she's throwing shade cause WHILE I don't feel well I don't want to see certain s*** on my page? but that means I'm petty cause according to you ALL ..unfollowing folks means DRAMA! Well some people post too damn much!! And I will and do unfollow they a** cause I don't feel like seeing your 147,997,886 zillion posts!!! So that means to keep my blood pressure and pulse up cause 'Tamar you betta keep looking at peoples pages and some food Pages and Instagram store clothes pages all damn day (didn't report that tho) Or I'm petty???..Chile? #gtfoh #takeoff or..oh…She's having one hell of a year'… But if I tell you what is none of anyone's business.(I'm a little under the weather)..its 'She always gotta be the victim'..' She is too dramatic for me' or.. ' she always wants to make people feel sorry for her'..(which is STUPID)!! So I make my page private cause i simply feel like it AND cause y'all think y'all know EVERYTHING!?hell Jesus even needed a break from his friends ( for you unsaved ones.. the disciples) by going to the rock to pray to be BY HIM SELF WITH GOD!! #teamwornthin?? how about some of Y'all need to get u a rock or a stomp and??? and build a tint, a tiny house,or a sleepingbag, or some?#teamimonpainmedsandANYonecangetitrigtnow?? #butanyOLEapologywilldo? here is the thing:…when there is something to repot.. I WILL LET YOU KNOW!! GodBless you and Goodnight Oop.

In other news, "The Real" has reportedly slipped in ratings this season.  Tamar's fans are making it known it's very likely because the singer is no longer a co-host.  The Wrap reports:

The premiere of “The Real” drew a disheartening 0.9 rating/3 share in primary run metered market averages. The premiere numbers put “The Real” 40 percent below its lead-in. The “Real” premiere also slid 10 percent compared to the shows it replaced in its timeslots this year.

Looks like there's now even more room for Tamar's new solo talk show coming out soon...

Photos/Videos: instagram

Laverne Cox and Jhene Aiko have nabbed new magazine covers.  And they're talking politics, love for animals, and more.  Check them out inside….

R&B songbird Jhene Aiko graces the cover of STATUS magazine’s October 2016 issue.

The soulful songstress and animal lover bares it all as she lends her voice to speak out about animal rights, body positivity and living a healthier life. She tells the mag, "I feel like we have more power than animals, so it's up to us to protect them."

You can cop the new issue of STATUS magazine here.

“Orange is the New Black” star Laverne Cox is breaking down barriers for the LGBTQ community becoming one of Hollywood’s “IT” girls.

The EMMY nominated star shines in the Netflix original series, she’s gearing up to star on FOX’s “Rocky Picture Horror Story (Oct. 20th), and it was recently announced she will be joining CBS’s new legal drama “Doubt.” Chick is BOOKED.

On the cover of another magazine....

In between hitting production sets for her new projects, the transgender actress is also heating the magazine circuit. She covers LADYGUNN magazine's newest issue where she talks about advocating for the LGBTQ community, highlighting healthcare and gender politics, how important this upcoming election is and more.

Below are a few highlights:

ON BEING A TRAILBLAZER:

“I’ve blazed my own trail in a way, but there have been other people who have come before me who helped out a lot in terms of me figuring out how to be an artist, but also how to be politically engaged and how to balance that. That’s still a struggle for me. There are a lot of issues that are important to me that I want to talk about. The LGBT Data Inclusion Act, for example, is something I have been talking a lot about, which would require federal governmental agencies to ask gender identity and sexual orientation questions so we can start to begin to gather better data about LGBT Americans. The Equality Act is something that would ban discrimination in employment and public accommodations on a federal level–we don’t actually have those federal protections for LGBT people in the United States. Violence against trans women is something I speak out a lot about. A young girl, who was in the Laverne Cox Presents the T Word, Daniella Carter, recently posted on her social media that she was attacked by three men in Las Vegas. This is a young girl who has already talked publicly about experiencing a lot of violence, the foster care system, and being homeless and she’s still dealing with violence as a trans woman of color. Our lives are so often in danger simply for being who we are as transgender folks. That’s something I want to talk about–and it’s important for me to talk about.”

ON THE ELECTION:

“I’ve traditionally not supported political candidates because I’m more issue-oriented than candidate-oriented. But I think the stakes are just way too high for this election. There are so many–especially in the LGBT community–amazing strides that we’ve made under the Obama administration and partly under the Hillary Clinton State Department. That needs to be protected. I think it’s just really, really crucial. So many rights we have yet to achieve for transgender Americans–I believe Hillary is the person to make that happen because of her track record…We have to vote.“

ON HER ADVOCACIES:

“I feel blessed that I have been able to bring all of me to the work that I do in the media. I think for a while I thought that if I wanted to be mainstream I needed to dumb myself down. It’s really exciting that I don’t have to do that. I don’t think anyone should ever do that, actually. I’ve learned that I can show up and be me. I love pop culture, I’m obsessed with Beyonce.” Laverne confesses, “But I also am an intersectional feminist who is politically engaged. Being able to bring those things as well has been really empowering for me. I think that’s where my power lies right now.”

You can read her full interview here.

Photos: Janell Shirtcliff via LADYGUNN/STATUS magazine

Meek Mill still can’t believe he bagged Nicki Minaj and he’s busy gushing about her in a new interview. Get the deets, plus peep pics of The Weeknd and his girlfriend Bella Hadid taking over Tokyo inside…

Rapper Meek Mill and Young Money femcee Nicki Minaj have been rocking it out together for more than year. But, the MMG artist still can’t believe the “Anaconda” raptress is his girl.

Nicki proved to be that “ride or die” chick by sticking by his side (and testifying in court) during his jail and house arrest stint. And Meek is more than happy that she’s in his life.

The “Dreamchasers” rapper gushed about his love for Nicki while chatting with VICE in a new interview. He talked about how he knew he had  to be with a girl from the hood who would understands his lifestyle.

“Where I come from, I can’t just be from the hood and just have a like a total opposite girlfriend, she don’t know nothing about where I come from… she don’t understand me. So, it’s somebody that’ll understand me, somebody that hustles, you know what I’m saying? Somebody that’s aggressive. You know, these the things I like,” he explains.

Wearing his heart on his sleeve, Meek said being with Nicki is a dream come true because it was something he always wanted in life.

“I always seen it like this,” he said. “I always seen me having one of the top hustling, prettiest girls in the game. That’s how my account was set up,” says Meek. “I could wake up in my bed and just look at Nicki, like man this shit, it gotta be a dream ’cause we used to dream all this shit and it’s just going on right now.”

In the clip, Meek also talks about advice his homie Jay Z gave him while in jail, how he made it out the hood, how jail changed his life, being a good role model for his son and more.

Peep the clip below:

Meek made a stop by the jeweler (in a pair of Louis Vuitton pants) to cop some new ish. Hmm...new ring for Nicki perhaps?

Speaking of couples...

R&B crooner The Weeknd doesn’t flaunt pictures of his girlfriend Bella Hadid often. But, that all changed recently.

The OVO singer, who’s gearing up to release his new LP Starboy in November, posted up several pictures of himself and his 19-year-old model girlfriend as they made their rounds in Tokyo. The “Starboy” singer kept a low profile in a trucker hat, sunglasses and covered his face with a surgical mask.

The couple has raided cities Shibuya and Harajuku during their trip and looks like they’re having plenty of fun.

Peep the pics:

Fun times!

Photos: Getty/The Weeknd's IG/@levelstothisshitto

Chance The Rapper graces Billboard magazine’s newest issue where he explains why he has decided to vote for presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton. Find out what he said, and take a listen to Beanie Sigel’s new diss track aimed at Meek Mill inside….

New kid on the block!

Indie artist Chance The Rapper is starting to pick up mainstream success despite not being signed to a major label. Don’t get it twisted, there are several labels that want to sign him, but, for now, he’s staying independent.

The 23-year-old rapper, who we could probably call a singer as well, covers Billboard’s “2017 Grammys Preview” issue alongside fellow buzzworthy singers Alessia Cara and Maren Morris where they talked about a range of topics, including politics and racism.

As far as politics goes, Chance has already made up his mind who he’ll be punching the ballot for come November.

"Hillary Clinton, by far... I can’t really speak on her policies but I feel a certain connection to Hillary Clinton that’s just not there with Donald Trump,” he said.

It seems many are picking the lesser of two evils.  But  let's be clear, Hillary's imperfections are definitely not on the same low level as Donald's.

The Chi-town rapper then talked about how racism and colorism is still prevalent when it comes to winning a GRAMMY award and the music industry in general.

"Pretty much the same challenges that they face throughout the rest of the world in terms of being overlooked, underappreciated and held back from a lot of stuff." He continued, "Colorism and racism don’t stop when you’re a musician or when you have wealth or when you’re in any given position."

Facts.

Chance -- whose biggest fans are the First Daughters, Beyoncé and other big names -- is currently touring the nation on his Magnificent Coloring World Tour and he explains the inspiration behind it. He said,

"My new tour is based off a few of my favorite Broadway ­productions: Hamilton, The Wiz, The Sound of Music and, more than anything, The Lion King."

Interesting.

With predictions for the 2017 Grammys, Chance could be up for the Best New Artist category. So, what will he be doing if he wins? "We’ll f*cking go crazy for, like, two days straight."

Ha!

You can read Chance’s full interview here.

In rap beefs....

Meek Mill’s rap beef with The Game has shifted to his fellow Philly homie Beanie Sigel. Meek and Beanie had a fall out after Beanie did an interview revealing he HELPED Meek write his rhymes for his “Ooouuu” diss track aimed at The Game.

Following the interview, there were reports that Beanie got knocked out by one of Meek’s Dreamchasers crew members at the “Bad Boy Family Reunion” concert in Philly (on Sept. 24th). Check it:

Since then, Beanie and his State Property Family appeared in a “Philly” cypher during BET’s 2016 Hip Hop Awards. Meek wasted no time to reveal it HIS idea to have a Philly cypher during this year’s awards show:

 

BY THE WAY...... I'm the one who pitched a philly cypher and getting philly more involved with @bet Alley ooping a n#%ga that's throwing shade but still catching blessings!

A photo posted by Meek Mill (@meekmill) on Oct 4, 2016 at 9:03pm PDT

Now, Beans is airing out his frustrations on wax with a new diss track aimed at Meek titled, “I’m Coming,” that premiered this morning on Power 105’s “The Breakfast Club.”

Beanie raps:

“Your face and your feet, hogtied, broom in you’re a**, you in too deep. You f*cking with the crypt keeper, grim reeper. You’re just a tweeter. I’m the knock in the devil’s speaker. STOP! This bigger than OMEEKA I wanted U. N. I. T. Y. Latfiah.”

Take a listen below:

Sheesh!

Photos: Billboard

Queen ish! This is why Lupita Nyong’o is the epitome of #BlackGirlMagic. Peep pics of the Oscar winner looking gorgeous at the Queen of Katwe premiere in South Africa inside…

Whhhhhy is she so FLAWLESS?!

Lupita Nyong’o jetted to Johannesburg, South Africa for the premiere of her upcoming Disney flick Queen of Katwe. The Oscar winner gave life in a funky printed multi-colored Balmain Resort ’17 dress styled with a gorgeous headwrap and makeup to kill.

Stunning!

We've been following Lupita on the Queen of Katwe press tour and this look is definitely one of our faves.

On the carpet...

Queen of Katwe directress Mira Nair was also on the scene to screen her new film about a Ugandan chess prodigy.

The Oscar winner also rubbed elbows with the former First Lady of South Africa Graça Machel. 

It didn't do too well at the box office week 1, but that doesn't mean it's not worth seeing. Round up the kiddies and take them to see Queen of Katwe, in theaters now!

Photos: Lupita's IG & Facebook/@dilokritbarose

New data on the salaries of today's TV actors has been released. And there’s a trend. Minority actors and actresses earn much less than their white counterparts. Surprised? Didn’t think so. More inside….

It’s always about the money! And if you’re black (or part of any underrepresented group), there's a chance you won’t make as much as a white person in your field.

New data backs this up too.

Variety just released new data that lists the salaries of today’s top television stars. And there’s clearly a trend. White actors and actresses earn way more money than multicultural/minority actors and actresses.

So check it, the top paid television stars are actors from the cast of “Big Bang Theory” with some earning $1 million per episode. We can’t knock the show, because it’s a good watch. But, YBF celebs earn a drastically lower salary than those on “Big Bang Theory.” “The Simpsons” voice cast earn up to $300,000 an episode. And Netflix stars like Drew Barrymore and Emma Stone earn a cool $350,000 each episode for shows they just started.

Once you start scrolling down the list of each category, you start seeing more YBF stars. In the drama category, “Scandal” star Kerry Washington (a multi EMMY award nominee) and “How To Get Away With Murder” star Viola Davis (who won an EMMY in 2015 and nominated in 2016 for her role, two Tonys and an Academy Award nomination) earn $250,000 an episode. “Grey’s Anatomy” lead Ellen Pompeo earns $400,000 per episode.  On the same network.  Hmph.

Further down the drama list, we find “Empire” stars Taraji P. Henson (a Golden Globe winner, two-time Emmy winner and Oscar nominated actress) and Terrence Howard (who was nominated for an Oscar) both make $175,000 per episode.  This, on a show that set and broke records in TV history its entire first season.

In the comedy sector, “black•ish” star Anthony Anderson (who was up for an EMMY this year) earns $100,000 an episode, while his co-star Tracee Ellis Ross (who was also up for an EMMY this year) makes $80,000 per episode.

We noticed Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson made it close to the top of the comedy list, earning $400,000 an episode for his role on HBO’s “Ballers.” Given the fact that he’s one of Hollywood’s biggest actors (but so are the others named), that may have something to do with his pay. Or, he has a very good manager.

“Good Morning America” host Robin Roberts also landed pretty high on the Reality/Host/News category making $10million - $14million per year.

After seeing this list, we’re totally not surprised. Black actors and actresses have been speaking out for YEARS about the huge pay gap between those of color and those who are not.  Especially when the talent is equal, or even more heavily weighted on the black actor's side.

Peep the full lists below (click the thumbnails) and see how everyone measured up:

Photos: Getty/Variety

Michel’le was all smiles with the castat the Hollywood screening of her new LIFETIME biopic Surviving Compton. Go inside to peep their red carpet pics, plus shots of “black•ish” cuties Yara Shahidi & Miles Brown inside….

Last night, R&B singer Michel’le hit the carpet at the London West Hollywood to present her upcoming LIFETIME biopic Surviving Compton: Dre, Suge & Michel’le at the Broad Focus Screening event. She snapped it up with the film's stars Rhyon Nicole Brown (who plays Michel'le) and Curtis Hamilton (who plays her son's father Dr. Dre).

Rhyon was slearly good casting, we see the resemblance! 

Cute.

Actor Deric Augustine was also in the mix. He plays rapper DJ Yella in the TV film.

The former “R&B Divas: Hollywood” star brought her daughter Bailei Knight (whom she shares with Suge Knight) along as her date for the evening. Bailei will get an inside look at her mom's life as one of the music industry’s top R&B singers. From what we hear, Michel’le gets down to the nitty, gritty in the film, so we hope her teenage daughter is ready for the realness.

During a recent interview on the "Wendy Williams Show," Michel'le opened up about not being that great of a mother. Not that she was abusive to them, but she said she didn't have much common sense when it came to parenting. Get those deets HERE.

Star Shanica Knowles, who’s allegedly Beyonce & Solange’s cousin, will star in the film as actress Tichina Arnold.  This should be interesting...

Be sure to set your DVRs! Surviving Compton premieres Saturday, October 15th at 8pm EST on LIFETIME.

Elsewhere in Hollywood....

“black•ish” actress Yara Shahidi made her way to the L.A. premiere of teen film The Swap held at ArcLight Hollywood. She kept it cute and age-appropriate in a denim jacket and skirt set with sneakers.

On the magazine front...

The YBF teen is featured in PAPER magazine’s“Beautiful People” issue where she talks about using her platform to speak out on issues that affect her and her peers. And her editorials and nothing short of breathtaking.

This hair!  We're obsessed.  And equally obsessed with how wickedly smart this YBF teen is:

“I think it's nice that the projects I'm on have given me the platform to continue the conversation and then create my own conversation," said Yara. “It's been a cool thing to be able to say, 'This is what my character thinks, but this is what Yara thinks.'"

At another event in L.A.

Yara's on-screen little brother Miles Brown hit up the L.A. screening of the kiddie comedy Middle School: The Worst Years Of My Life held at the TCL Chinese Theatre yesterday. He's so adorable.

"Hollywood Today Live" co-host Garcelle Beauvais was also on the scene in a buttoned up look.

Photos: Getty/PAPER magazine

Chris Brown doesn’t seem worried about the gun charge the authorities are trying to pin on him. Find out what he had to say about it and peep pics of Tracee Ellis Ross hitting the party scene with her brother Evan Ross and his wife Ashlee Simpson inside….

Chris Brown hit the L.A. streets last night for some good times with his homies. The R&B crooner was making his way to dinner at the new celeb hotspot Catch (which is already a hotspot in NYC) when photogs caught up with him to pick his brain about how he feels about the gun case authorities are trying to pin on him.

You’ll recall, police surrounded Breezy’s home after a woman claimed he pulled a gun out on her. After a long standoff, the Grammy Award winner was eventually arrested for allegedly being in possession of a gun. Cops claimed they saw him drop a bag out of a window that had weapons in it.

Well Breezy is confident the case won’t stick. In fact, the case is reportedly not getting anywhere and they reportedly got a second extension to complete an investigation. 

Peep the clip below:

Rapper A$AP Rocky also hung out with Breezy last night:

 

Stepped out for some chill shit

A photo posted by 1 YOU 2 HATE (@chrisbrownofficial) on Oct 6, 2016 at 6:51am PDT

Elsewhere...

“black•ish” star Tracee Ellis Ross hit the party scene last night. The EMMY nominated actress made her way inside Warwick nightclub in L.A. to party it up for her brother Ross Naess' 29th birthday.

Tracee's younger brother Evan Ross also came out to party with his brother and his wife Ashlee Simpson, who was also celebrating a birthday at the joint birthday bash.

Family fun!

Look who's back.....

 

#TMurda is back, y'all - and STILL trying to get her rap game on point! This time she tries her hand at #Broccoli by @BigBabyDRAM and @LilYachty here we go!

A video posted by Tracee Ellis Ross (@traceeellisross) on Oct 6, 2016 at 2:55pm PDT

Tracee's rap alter ego T-Murda is BACK! She's tackling D.R.A.M.'s new hit single "Broccoli" and of course she brings the laughs. Check it above.

Love her!

Photos: Splash/Tracee's IG

The Carters are tag teaming the masses with non stop boss moves.  Find out what Jay Z just announced right as his wife wrapped up one of the most profitable tours ever....

Jay Z (along with wife Beyoncé) is back in NYC and spending pretty much everyday this week in his midtown Manhattan office (pictured above arriving on Wednesday.  Whenever The Carters are back and forth to their offices, we know they've got something up their sleeves. 

Today, Jay confirmed that a few boss moves were just made.

Remember that alleged Jay Z/Beyonce "joint album" we've been hearing so much about being in the works?  Well it loks like Jay may be about to do his own thing first in response to Bey's epic Lemonade album.  And, if true, it could be happening sooner than you think.

According to TMZ, a low key email from a top ticket company announced the tour:

We've seen an email the company sent out to its top customers, which says, "Hear Jay Z's response to Lemonade during his highly anticipated 2017 world tour." The email goes on to mention specific cities Jay will play, and promises to deliver the "best seats in the house."

Here's the thing ... it's been rumored for months Jigga was going to respond musically to Bey's lyrics about "Becky with the good hair" and the cheating allegations that came out of her last record.

Interesting, since we stiil don't believe the all the cheating talk Bey did on the album had anything to do with Jay.  Even her co-writers came froward saying they came up with concepts based on being messed over in their own lives.

Jay's reps said these claims were "ridiculous."

But that's not all.

The mogul made his way to a press conference today to make a couple big announcements.  Fresh off announcing his big tv/movie deal with Teh Weinstein Company, he's already got two big projects on deck.

After Lee Daniels pulled out of directing the Richard Pryor biopic due to shooting his new show "Star," and the whole project fell apart, it seems Jay is stepping in to bring it back to life.  The "Blue Magic" rapper announced he will serve as producer on the movie formally titled Richard Pryor: Is It Something I Said.  Lee is confirmed again to direct, but it's unclear if Mike Epps, who was previously cast to play Richard, Oprah and others are still on board to star in the biopic.  Shooting starts early 2017.

The second project Jay announced he's bringing to life is one for Spike TV, and it centers around a closer look at America's justice system through the compelling real life story of New York teen Kalief Browder.

Kalief was a Bronx high school student who killed himself last year after being held for three years on Rikers Island for allegedly stealing a backpack.  Jay will Exec. Produce the six-part series beginning in January entitled “Time: The Kalief Browder Story.”

At the news conference Thursday with Harvey Weinstein and others, he explained how he first learned of Browder’s case through the 2014 New Yorker article, “Three Years on Rikers Without a Trial,” which chronicled Browder's ordeal. So Jay set out to meet him:

Carter tasked his assistant with finding Browder. “I told her I need to meet this young man,” Carter said.

Carter’s assistant came through quickly. Browder met Jay Z at his New York office. “He told me he was going to college,” Carter said. “I wanted to give him words of encouragement.”

But not long afterward, Carter learned that Browder had killed himself. “I was thrown, of course,” Carter said. “I kept asking myself, ‘Man, the story’s not supposed to end like this.”

Variety reports:

The episodes will feature dramatic reenactments of Browder’s life as well as interviews with friends and family members and archival footage. Browder’s story of being thrown into solitary confinement without even being charged with a crime has galvanized prison reform efforts to ban isolationist policies for juvenile offenders.

–– ADVERTISEMENT ––

The case has become a symbol of a broken criminal justice system. Browder maintained his innocence through his time behind bars, which was extended because his family could not afford the $3,000 bail. He was released in 2013 after his accuser left the country. He was 22 at the time of his death in June 2015.

With the success of Serial and Making a Murderer, (both blew our minds, by the way) this series may be equally influential.  Major moves.

Photos: Splash/Getty

Mary J. Blige is ready to talk about it.  And by 'it', you know we mean her divorce drama!  Check out her new song "Thick of It" inside...

With the circus that was that Apple sit-down with Hillary Clinton behind her, MJB is focusing on her brand new single.

Y'all know she's at her best when she has some drama to sing about.  And after this ish with Kenduthat just went down, we know she's about to be on one.

"This song is so personal it's almost painful to let it out," says Blige. "I don't hold back though, it's not who I am and there's no way I am going to start changing now."

"We all deal with love and the emotions that we get tangled up in, and we gotta survive, grow and remain honest to our best selves," she says. "I feel that with this song and it's the first one off this album I've been immersing myself in for 2 years now. Music just saves me no matter what in life is happening."

"Thick of It" -- which is co-written by Jazmine Sullivan -- will appear on her forthcoming full-length album, Strength Of A Woman, landing later this year.  Get the full song HERE, and a snippet of her performing it live recently below:

Mary's also set to hit the road on the King + Queen of Hearts World Tour with Maxwell in November. Until then, get into the hurt-but-pushing-through-that-ish Mary we all love with the "Thick of It" lyrics below:

Mary J. Blige

"Thick Of It"

---

Love aint just black and white

Aint that simple

It gets hard to tell who'S wrong or right

 When It's dark with us

I swear I barely see the light

Should I stick it out?

Are you worth this fight?

Are we worth this fight?

Cuz I aint no quitter babe

And I be damned if all these years I let you

diss me babe

I was there when no one wanted to stay with

you baby

You know I deserve more than this

I do

Chorus

So tell me who

who'S gonna love

You like I do

Who will you trust

I gave you too much

Enough is enough

Now we're in the thick of it

So tell me

who'S gonna love

You like I do

Who will you trust

I gave you too much

Enough is enough

Now were in the

Now we're in the thick of it

What a hell of a year

If I make it through hell and I come out alive

I got nothing to fear

No more crying and trying

And bring back this loving when nothing is

here

Let me be clear I wasn't perfect

But this shit aint worth it

I'm done with the mess

I confess on the stress

And I know Ima look back and call it a blessing

Cuz I aint no quitter babe

But I be damned if all these years

I let you diss me babe I was there

when no one wanted to stay with you baby

You know I deserve more than

this I do 

Chorus

So tell me

who Who'S Gonna love

You like I do

Who will you trust

I gave you too much Enough is enough

Now we're in the thick of it

So tell me who

Who'S gonna love

You like I do

Who will you trust

I gave you too much

Enough is enough

Now we're in the

We¹re in the thick of it

Bridge

Boy you had someone who really loved you

(boy you had someone who really loved you)

Should have held on held on real tight now

 (held on tight)

And she placed no other one above you

(and she placed no one above you)

But you didn't want to treat her right now

Should've let her go

Should've let her go

Oh no oh, oh no oh

Now I'm letting go

Now I'm letting go

Oh no oh, oh no oh

Chorus

Alicia Keys is opening up on wax about her family life, and she even gives a special salute to her husband Swizz Beatz's ex-wife Mashonda.  Get her new song "Blended Family (What You Do For Love)" inside....

Alicia Keys has caught MUCH heat for the way her marriage with Swizz Beatz went down.  The Deans are sticking to their story that Swizz and singer Mashonda were already split before they got together, but TheYBF.com offered up plenty of evidence to the contrary years ago.  And Mashonda, at one point, wasn't shy about holding her tongue either.

But now, several years and two kids later, everyone has seemingly moved on.  Mashonda now vacays with The Deans and her son with Swizzy, Kaseem Jr., like one big happy family.

Alicia wrote a song about it.  Wanna hear it?  Here it go.

Alicia said about the "Blended Family" track:

My new song Blended Family (What You Do For Love) will be available everywhere at Midnight. I'm so excited for you to hear this song. It means so much to me and our whole family. The understanding, compassion and support we’ve found is a powerful testament to the healing that comes when we choose love. Especially for the kids… the most important part of our lives. Celebrating @mashondatifrere for our commitment to each other with support and true growth.

Mashonda responded with a heartfelt message of her own saying:

Tonight, at midnight, the world will experience our journey through song . "Blended Family" is a true testament of love, growth and healing. I'm BEYOND proud of the work that the three of us most consciously applied to bettering ourselves for each other and our children's sake. This is only the beginning for us. And, it feels so good! Blessings to you @aliciakeys @therealswizzz #whatyoudoforlove #blend #blendedfamily #love #family

The track is her first single off her upcoming album dropping November 4th called HERE.  It's Executive Produced by Swizz Beatz himself.

Photos: Instagram

The "Famous" drama is STILL happening.  Somebody leaked Kanye West's original "Famous" track, the one before the final version that had Taylor Swift's panties in a bunch.  Taylor's fans say it proves Kanye & Kim tried to pull one over on people.  Check it inside, plus John Legend's new song

Does this explain why Taylor Swift went off on Kanye?  Maybe.

Apparently, there was another demo version of his song "Famous."  This one feature Young Thug instead of Rihanna, and had a bit of a different vibe

Young Thug sings along to Nina Simone's sample on the hook, plus Kanye namechecks his ex Amber Rose on the original.

After rapping his already infamous line about Taylor Swift, Kanye spits, "For all my Chi-town ni**as that know me best/I feel like Amber Rose still owe me sex/Why? I made that bitch famous/Not really, but somewhat famous." 

Here's the final version's lyrics that he did release and that we've all come to know, in comparison:

"I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex," (which Swift approved to West on the phone), but the earlier version is a bit more aggressive: "I feel like Taylor Swift still owe me sex [sic]." The line is still followed by, "I made that bitch famous," which Taylor was quite openly pissed about.

We're not hearing much of a difference, but word has it the original demo was played for Taylor when she agreed to him using her name in the song, and not the final version.

'Ye's G.O.O.D. Music artist John Legend is continuing to release new music released his highly-anticipated new single, "Love Me Now," available this week via all digital platforms. The song is from Legend’s upcoming album DARKNESS AND LIGHT. Written and produced by John Legend with Blake Mills (Alabama Shakes) and John Ryan (One Direction), the anthem-like trackc focuses on a driving beat and John's voice.  By the way, he's following up his "All of Me" track where he featured his wife Chrissy Teigen with another focus on his significant other in the cover art.

John says abut the track: “’Love Me Now’ is all about living and loving to the fullest, no matter what tomorrow may bring. I'm so excited to finally share music from my new album! I've put a lot of love and energy into making this album special. I hope my fans can feel it.”

Legend took to Facebook Live yesterday where he played the song for the first time and shared the inspiration behind it, which centers around seizing the moment in life, and loving each other in the present tense.

Photo: Getty

Keke Palmer got on her knees to school TV host Conan O’Brien on how to twerk -- isolated butt cheek style -- during her appearance on his late night show. Peep the clip, and check out these outtakes from Tiny’s super sexy KRAVE magazine photoshoot inside….

Leave it to Keke Palmer to bring the shock factor!

The “Scream Queens” star appeared on Conan O’Brien’s late night for a one-on-one session on how to twerk. A few months ago, Keke posted up a series of SnapChat videos showing her fans how to isolate each butt cheek and make it jiggle. Conan asked Keke how she did it, so she decided to school him on how to do it.

The 22-year-old actress put her knees in the chair with her booty towards the audience and moved her cheeks up and down. Conan hopped on his desk to see if he could do it, but he wasn’t as successful.

Check it below:

Lordt!

Later, comedian/actor Norman MacDonald was totally fawning over Keke where he could hardly speak! He was all wrapped up in her #BlackGirlMagic.  But aren't they all?  *flips hair*

Peep the clip below:

"Scream Queens" airs Tuesdays at 9pm EST on FOX.

For a new photoshoot....

She’s a mom and she’s over 40, but she’s proving she's still got it.

Singer/reality star Tiny Harris hit the set for a new photoshoot with KRAVE magazine recently. And chick upped the sexy level to the MAX, showing off her 6-month post baby bod in a barely there gown. Posing alongside stylist Troy Clinton, she topped her seductive look off with a crown fit for a queen.

Oh...OK Tiny! We see you girl.  Folks are either giving her mad praise or mad judgment after we posted this on our Instagram page. 

But you gotta admit, it's a glow up situation for sure.  For another look, Tiny was sitting pretty in a red hot plunging gown. Can't wait to see the full spread.

If you haven't heard, Tiny has a new talk show with her bestie Shekinah Jo coming down the pipeline after the cancellation of their VH1 show "Tiny & Shekinah's Weave Trip." She announced a few months ago she inked a deal with Telepictures for the show, but details are still under wraps. This should be interesting...subtitles and all.

Photos: Keke’s IG/Screenshot/@troy_clinton/@ erika_lapearl_mua/@npearcypics

Comedian Jordan Peele will make his directorial debut for his new horror film, Get Out. But it's not your typical thriller.  Check out the disturbing trailer inside, plus peep pics and get the deets on Wiz Khalifa’s new clothing line inspired by his son Sebastian inside….

Comedian Jordan Peele is getting his feet wet in the horror genre and he’s ready to snatch EVERYBODY’s edges with his new film titled, Get Out.

The trailer is scary AF! It’s set in present day, with present-day racism filled overtones running rampant throughout.  A racial thriller?  Yep, it's happening. And that’s what makes it even scarier.

The film tells the story of a black man named Chris (played by Daniel Kaluuya) who is in a relationship with a white woman named Rose (played by “Girls” star Allison Williams).

One weekend, Chris travels with Rose to her suburban hometown to meet her parents only to learn that African American men have gone missing from the town at an alarming rate. Things get even more weird when every black person Chris tries to connect with reacts in a bizarre fashion. From there, the trailer flashes several scary scenes where it’s unclear what’s really going on. Just a lot of creepy ish.  And blood.  So much blood.

The “Key and Peele” star wrote and directed the horror project with Universal Pictures behind it.

Take a peek below: 

Get Out will hit theaters on February 24th, 2017. We'll definitely be going to see this.

In YBF kids news...

Rapper Wiz Khalifa is launching a father-son clothing line!  It's inspired by his 3-year-old Sebastian whom he shares with Amber Rose.

The “Black and Yellow” rapper has teamed up with L.A.-based fashion retailer Junk Food Clothing for a new line dubbed BASH, which is Sebastian’s nickname.

“All the designs are based around Sebastian — all of his hobbies and the things that he’s into,” Wiz told PEOPLE. “I just really wanted it to feel personal to him, so when he sees it, he gets excited. He’s 3 years old, so he might not understand the concept of having his own clothing line. But the fact that all of his favorite things are all over his clothes, it makes him feel special; it makes him entertained by what he’s wearing.”

Aww! How cute.

So what inspired the line?

“I shop with him a lot, and we match often,” Wiz explained. “He’s definitely got my sense of style. Everybody tells me how fresh he usually looks, from store-bought stuff, so we’re making his own stuff now.”

Apparently, Bash is really into creepy, crawly, spooky things, so the line will feature cutsey pumpkin designs and more.

“My favorite piece was probably the pumpkin sock because he loves pumpkins so much,” the 29-year-old rapper spilled. “He’s really into Halloween and spooky things, and the fact that we were able to pull off a pumpkin design was really cool.”

We're a sucker for mommy-and-me and daddy-and-me matching outfits.

BASH’s new line will feature shirts, sweatshirts, accessories and a bomber jacket, ranging from $35 to $50 for kids and $45 to $80 for men’s (aside from the bomber jackets, which will be available for $150 and $250, respectively).

The collection will launch October 15th and will be available for purchase online at JunkFoodClothing.com and the store’s Venice, California flagship.

Congrats Bash (and papa Wiz)!

Photos: Screenshot/PEOPLE

We told you there was a rumor that a show about moms of Atlanta celebrities was coming. And here we are. Deets on the new reality show inside….

Yes, this is really happening.

A few years ago, we tipped you offabout a new reality show that would center around mothers of Atlanta celebrities. And now, it’s about to make its debut.

“Celebrities Mamas of Atlanta” is gearing up to give shows like “Real Housewives of Atlanta” and “Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta” a run for their money. The show will follow eight mothers of some of the hottest celebrities in the ATL, set to premiere Sunday, October 9th at 2pm EST on Peachtree TV/CBS.

The show, co-created by Tara Thomas, stars Mama TI (T.I.’s mother), Mama Diane (Tiny Harris’s mother), Mama Camp (rapper K Camp’s mother), Mama Wyatt (R&B singer Keke Wyatt’s mother), Mama Brenda (R&B singer Syleena Johnson’s mother), Mama Holiday (R&B crooner J Holiday’s mother), Mama Shirleen (Raptress/LAHH star Rasheeda’s mother) and Mama Ca$h (rapper Ca$h Out’s mother).

“RHOA” star Kandi Burruss’ mother Mama Joyce was originally rumored to be on the show, but as you can see, she’s will not be apart of the project. We’re looking to see tatted up Mama Cash (with the blue hair) and her antics because it definitely seems like she will be entertaining. And we all know Mama Shirleen don’t play! Remember when she ran over Rasheeda’s husband’s motorcycle and set it on fire?

We’ll see the ladies hit the dating scene, handle their relationships with their famous children, cross things off their bucket list, jumpstart their own careers and more. And we’re sure their celebrity children will be making a few cameos.

Could you imagine your mama hopping on a show like this?  No ma'am!

Peep the trailer below:

“Celebrity Mamas of Atlanta” will premiere this Saturday (Oct. 9th) at 2pm EST on Peachtree TV/CBS. If you’re not in the Atlanta area, you can check out the show on the “WatchJTB” app.

Are you here for it?!

Photos: JTB Productions

The #ForeverDuncan surprise wedding took the Internet by storm recently! Now, the new bride is dishing on how she REALLY felt about it all. Peep the clip inside….

This Maryland couple has people talking, debating, and everything in between all over social media.  When Alfred Duncan got down on one knee to propose to his then girlfriend, fitness trainer Sherrell Woodward, and then surprised her with a wedding later that same day, he set the bar for men everywhere. At least, that’s what folks are saying on social media.

Sherrell had NO idea her now husband had planned out their entire wedding and that she would be trekking down the aisle just hours after he proposed. The two have known each other for 9 years.  And apparently, they have a rocky love story just like most couples.

Nope, she didn't catch the Holy Ghost.  But the happiness she expressed for the impending marriage she's about to embark on was pretty similar.  Our timelines are still filled with pics and videos from Alfred and Sherrell’s special day.

Peep the touching clip below:

Sherrell Duncan is now sharing how she really felt her wedding day. As expected (based on her reaction in the clip), it was a dream come true. She posted a Facebook video explaining all of the emotions she felt on her big day.

“I saw God running all through that man,” Sherrell said. “I’ve never felt that before in my life. He allowed me to see how amazing he works…..I am so happy God chose to love me this way.”

She continued, “I felt the presence of God running all through my husband. My whole heart is at peace knowing I am forever protected by God.”

See her full message below:

Since going viral, the happily married couple has been making media rounds to share their unique love story. Partially to hush the haters and partially to just let their story be a testimony. There are folks who criticized big things (why he waited so long and why folks should stop saying women should be "grateful" a man wants to marry them) to small things (like the color of her wedding dress that HE picked out).

Peep a few clips below:

ABC Breaking News | Latest News Videos

 

Thanks to @thelilmoshow and @djquicksilva for giving us a LIVE reception with MO giving us all the hits and we KILLED IT together lmsao! Thanks!! #ForeverDuncan

A photo posted by Sherrell D. (@sherrellthetrainer) on Oct 5, 2016 at 6:12am PDT

 

Sooooo DOPE! @Regrann_App from @djquicksilva - Did you miss @sherrellthetrainer @alfredthemc #ForeverDuncan on @thefamitm @939wkys ?? See the Full video now which Includes @thelilmoshow singing them their favorite song at www.KysDc.com - #regrann

A video posted by Sherrell D. (@sherrellthetrainer) on Oct 6, 2016 at 1:45pm PDT

 

A photo posted by Sherrell D. (@sherrellthetrainer) on Oct 5, 2016 at 8:54am PDT

 

LIVE RIGHT NOW 95.5 @WPGC! #ForeverDuncan @JCMSWPGC

A photo posted by Sherrell D. (@sherrellthetrainer) on Oct 7, 2016 at 5:40am PDT

Congrats to the couple! #BlackLove

Photos: Sherrell's Facebook

Mashonda has joined Alicia Keys' Blended movement.  And she has a strong statement about blended families on the heels of Alicia's new song.  Get it all inside...

Last night, Alicia dropped her new single "Blended Family (What We Do For Love)." It was an ode to the hardships and the beauty of blended families. While Alicia was transparent about how it hasn't always been easy, she also saluted Mashonda, her husband Swizz Beatz's ex-wife, on the mutual support she and her now have for each other. Hmph.

Alicia has been stripping down everything lately -- from her makeup to her sound. So it's only right she starts to strip away the image she has when it comes to how she and Swizz got together. It seems to be working, as Mashonda has now joined in on promoting the family-focused track. She said today:

 

I'm not here to preach to you about how to be a strong woman. I simply want to talk to you about being a softer woman. A woman that moves through life as light as a feather. Love, Mashonda ~Excerpt from the #BLEND project. _____ @lucindagrangestudio Styled by @newyorkvintageinc Glam @beatzbynivek and @hairbynianj

A photo posted by Mashonda (@mashondatifrere) on Oct 7, 2016 at 9:44am PDT

I'm not here to preach to you about how to be a strong woman. I simply want to talk to you about being a softer woman. A woman that moves through life as light as a feather. Love, Mashonda ~Excerpt from the #BLEND project.

 

Last night, she supported Alicia's newest release by posting:

 

Experience our journey through song . "Blended Family" is a true testament of love, growth and healing. I'm BEYOND proud of the work that the three of us most consciously applied to bettering ourselves for each other and our children's sake. This is only the beginning for us. And, it feels so good! Blessings to you @aliciakeys @therealswizzz #whatyoudoforlove #blend #blendedfamily #love #family

A photo posted by Mashonda (@mashondatifrere) on Oct 6, 2016 at 2:49pm PDT

Listen to a snippet of the track below with visuals:

 

My new song “Blended Family (What You Do For Love)” featuring @ASAPROCKY is HERE! #LinkInBio To me, family has no singular definition and the modern family is made up of all kinds of beautiful people willing to put love first. I can't wait for you to hear this whole body of work. Thank you for listening, thank you for loving, and thank you for believing in the power and magic of the music!

A video posted by Alicia Keys (@aliciakeys) on Oct 7, 2016 at 7:35am PDT

Never disrespect Wale because he goes from 0-100 real quick. But this particular incident wasn’t his fault. Get the deets on the MMG rapper knocking food out of a random chick’s hand and take a listen to Beanie Sigel’s SECOND Meek Mill diss track “Goodnight” inside…

Folks love trying celebrities. And celebs like Wale are an easy target because he’s known for losing his cool in a split second.

Apparently, Wale was involved in a situation where a girl blew smoke in his face as he left Boosty Bellows Tuesday night. He retaliated. No, he didn’t hit her, but he did knock her leftover food out of her hand. And it was all caught on video.

Check it:

Apparently, it was all a misunderstanding. The girl in the neon jacket (Bana Bongolan) in the clip above says it wasn’t Wale’s fault. Bana is the girlfriend to the lady whose food got knocked out of her hand.

Bana told TMZ she got into an argument with a guy inside the club after he called her neon jacket ugly, or something of that sort. She popped back by calling him fat and for whatever reason Wale tried to play peacemaker to diffuse the situation. Unfortunately, that’s when ish went left and she blew smoke in his face.

Wale also spoke with TMZ (while holding his daughter Zyla Moon) and he claims the woman said something along the lines of calling categorizing him as “you people” and that’s what set him off. Bara claims they never said anything racist. Guess it’s his word against hers. Either way, everything seems to be cool now.

In rap beef news...

Beanie Sigel is back with another Meek Mill diss track! Following the release of his first diss record, “I’m Coming,” Beans is back for another roast session for his “friend” turned foe. Ish went sour after Beanie revealed he helped Meek write his rhymes for his diss track aimed at The Game.

On the track, he raps,

“The reason Philly even on the map, me!/ the reason your silly a** raps, me!/ you [sic] motherf***a, and I tried to give you some game that Jay gave me/ to make the transition from the street to the fame/ but you got a little fame and tried to add street to ya name, it ain't the same," Beanie raps mid-verse. He would go on to transition from talking industry to talking the streets, questioning the credibility of the Dream Chasers boss' rhymes. "What ya life like? Feel It In The Air; where them bars at?/ You ain't been through s**t, you can't record that/ the respect I get, you can't afford that/ you ain't been through wars, hugging your boys, crying; might not make it back but you're riding/ you lying!"

Take a listen above.

The Broadstreet Bully isn’t playing any games. What’s good Meek?

Photos: Wale's IG