It’s been one week since Summer Walker dropped her highly anticipated debut album Over It, and we’ve had the candid record on replay since.

The project featuring 18 songs, and a host of our favorite artist, including Jhene Aiko, Usher, and Bryson Tiller, covers the complexities around unrequited love, and the beauty of a budding romance.

And In honor of the release, Walker and R&B singer, Ari Lennox, recently sat down to discuss what they’re over. Surprisingly, the hair chameleon admits she’s over lace front wigs, and you may understand why.

During sex, “it will come right off,” Walker warns. Take a listen to the hilarious conversation in the clip below.

“Over It” with me and @arilennox is live Watch and Listen only on @applemusic: apple.co/summerb1

A post shared by Summer Walker (@summerwalker) on Oct 9, 2019 at 11:07am PDT

The post Summer Walker Says She’s Over Lace Front Wigs appeared first on Essence.

Good news – ESSENCE’s “Ask An OB-GYN” series is back to bring you very public answers to some of your most private questions. When sexual and vaginal health concerns arise, renowned Obstetrics and Gynecology physician Dr. Tosha Rogers wants to ensure you have the answers you need to feel at ease. If you have a sexual health concern or question you want to swing her way, we’ve got you covered.  Email relationships@essence.com with “Ask An OB-GYN” in the subject line and ask away!

Q: I just found out the guy I’m seeing has herpes and we want to be intimate. Are condoms enough to protect me?

A: Herpes is a virus of the skin only. It carries such a stigma because it’s the genital skin and the virus does not go away. For starters, when getting STD testing, you must always specify that you want to be tested for herpes. Unfortunately, when you tell your medical provider “test me for everything,” herpes is usually not on the list. So now your partner has it. Are you certain you were tested for it also?

Herpes is passed by sexual contact, not intercourse. That means there does not need to be penetration for you to contract herpes. Whenever his genitals touch your genitals, you are at risk. If your partner is not having an outbreak, the risk of transmission is only 5%. Most males have outbreaks on the “inside” of the penis and not the outside where it’s visible. So to answer the question, condoms will not completely protect you from contracting herpes. I would recommend not having sex if your partner feels an outbreak, using condoms at all times-including foreplay, and having your partner take Valtrex daily to decrease the risk of transmission.

The post Ask An OB-GYN: Are Condoms Enough To Protect Me From Herpes? appeared first on Essence.

Crissle West and Kid Fury are breaking down their hours-long podcast into a bite sized version for TV.

The Read, premiering tonight on Fuse, sees the duo dissecting hip-hop and pop culture with tons of humor and shade. And much like their podcast, the two will continue to salute Black excellence and give their take on the latest headlines.

“We plan to have a lot of fun with the celebrity interview segment,” West told ESSENCE. “We plan on approaching that in a really different and fun way. We shot a really fun interview with someone we really admire, so I really can’t wait for people to see that.”

Fury added that the pair will steer clear of the usual questions because not only are they boring, “we just don’t care.”

“You’re here to work. I’m here to work. Let’s talk about cereal or something fun,” he said. “That’s the way I’m approaching it anyway.”

Watch ESSENCE’s full interview with West and Kid Fury above and tune into the premiere of The Read tonight at 11 p.m. on Fuse.

The post Kid Fury And Crissle West Talk About Bringing ‘The Read’ To TV appeared first on Essence.

After over 30 years of testifying to Bebe Winans music, we thought we knew everything about one half of gospel’s dynamic duo Bebe & CeCe Winans. He’s from a big family. Check. He’s from Detroit. Check. He was born Benjamin Glenn. Hold up, what?

“That’s what’s been the joy of doing the book, Born for This, as well as the musical, because people don’t really know our story,” said BeBe Winans during a recent episode of Yes, Girl! podcast, that’s available now.

“But my father’s parents were never married, so he was born out of wedlock and his father denied it was his child. My father took on his mother’s name, which was Laura Glenn,” said Winans to hosts Charli Penn, Cori Murray and guest cohost Julee Wilson. Although Winans’ father had a rocky relationship with his father, he loved his grandfather, I. W. Winans.

“Before my great grandfather passed, he came to my father and said, you love me, right? And my father said, yes, I love you. He said, well, I want my name to remain in this earth. He said, change your name. And my father said yes,” said Winans. “And he marched us down to the courthouse and he changed our names from Glenn to Winans.”

More reflections from his life are revealed in Winans’ book, Born for This: My Story In Music (available October 15). The autobiography comes on the heels of his new album, Need You. The album, which is comprised of 11 tracks, is a mix of gospel classics, R&B, and a cover of Luther Vandross’, “Power of Love/Love Power.”

“I think this is my best work ever,” Winans shared. “I’ve always been more passionate about writing than singing,” he continued. “So if I had to choose, I would have always chosen writing. But there are songs on this album that will remind you of some of those other songs. But it’s my journey of what’s happened the last 10 years of my life. You know, I think that it would hit home.”

The post Bebe Winans Reveals The True Story Behind His Famous Family Name appeared first on Essence.

With only two months left in the year, Rihanna continues racking up a number of big wins.

Last night at New York City’s revered art institution, the Guggenheim Museum, the fashion and beauty industry disrupter celebrated the release of Rihanna, the lavish large format book that features 1000 photos — many never seen before images from her days growing up in Barbados to candid moments between her global jaunts with friends and family.

As Rihanna welcomed invited guests—including many Navy fans—to the book launch, she acknowledged the book’s many contributors and artisans, including the Haas Brothers, who she said “they decided to do something this huge and dream this up with me.”

But the celebrated multihyphenate couldn’t finish her next acknowledgment after simply saying three words, “my bestie Melissa.”

The crowd erupted into thunderous applause for her long time friend Melissa Forde, who has a number of photographs featured in the book. “Thank you for these intimate images of life,” said Rihanna. “I didn’t even know the camera was here.”

She also thanked her tour photographer Dennis Leupold, who has shot a number of ESSENCE covers including Idris Elba, Taraji P. Henson and the cast of Black Panther, by calling him “a legend in his own right.”

And if Rihanna, which is 504 pages and weighs 15 pounds, wasn’t special enough, the artist has created three other unique editions. Already available, the Fenty x Phaidon edition, “This Sh*t is Heavy,” includes a copy of the book and a tabletop bookstand inspired by Rihanna’s hands. On November 20, the Luxury Supreme edition is signed and numbered by Rihanna and a “Drippy + The Brain” gold toned bookstand covered with a bespoke black vermiculated fabric (together it weighs 126 pounds). Lastly, the Ultra Luxury Supreme edition, entitled “Stoner,” includes a Portugal marble pedestal.

Rihanna will be available on October 24.

The post Rihanna Launches Another Big First: A Visual Autobiography appeared first on Essence.

Don’t come for Sen. Kamala Harris unless she sends for you — a fact that Donald Trump Jr. has learned the hard way!

The president’s son felt the burn after trying to make fun of the Democratic presidential candidate on Friday by asking why she was the only one who laughs at her jokes.

“She is the most disingenuous person in politics … after Hillary,” he tweeted.

But Harris was quick with the clapback: “You wouldn’t recognize a joke if one raised you.”

You wouldn’t know a joke if one raised you. https://t.co/zUV3MLkmVm

Bloop!

Earlier this week, Harris unveiled her newest plan to give federal paid leave to working Americans. This includes up to six months of family leave and medical leave. The initiative is apart of what she has dubbed her “Children’s Agenda.”

The post Kamala Harris Displays The Art Of The Clapback With Donald Trump Jr. appeared first on Essence.

Naomie Harris recently opened up about being sexually assaulted by a “huge star” during an audition early in her career.

The ESSENCE digital coverstar revealed that an unnamed actor groped her while they read their lines, choosing to do it in plain sight of the film’s director, who did not intervene. She was in her 20’s when it happened.

“I was in an audition and he put his hand up my skirt,” she told The Guardian “What was so shocking about it was the casting director was there and the director, and of course no one said anything at all because he was — he is — such a huge star.”

Now 43, the Oscar nominated actress says the #MeToo movement has been a game changer and “men know that they absolutely cannot get away with things now that they wouldn’t even have thought about before,” she said.

Catch Harris in the latest digital issue of ESSENCE.

The post Naomie Harris Reveals A ‘Huge Star’ Sexually Assaulted Her During An Audition appeared first on Essence.

Pusha T has added his rap vocals to the award-winning theme song for the HBO show Succession.

Composer Nicholas Britell, who won a 2019 Emmy for his work on the HBO drama about the family that owns one of the world’s largest entertainment conglomerates, decided to create a remix after being inundated with requests from fans, according to Variety.

The new track titled “Puppets (Succession Remix),” dropped on Friday, two days before the Succession season 2 finale set to air on Sunday.

“It was an honor to be asked to put a verse on the iconic theme to ‘Succession.’ It’s awesome that one of the hardest beats of the past couple years came from a TV score,” Pusha T said in a statement. “I was excited at the opportunity to put my spin on it. I have so much respect for Nick and his team’s attention to detail and the pride they take in their work.”

“The greatest rappers are true virtuosos,” said Britell. “If I was going to collaborate with anyone on this track, Pusha T was the dream choice.”

Catch the new track below

The post Pusha T Joins Remix Of Award-Winning Theme Song Of HBO’s ‘Succession’ appeared first on Essence.

A white middle school student from Connecticut was recently kicked out of the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington D.C. after spitting on a black visitor.

The student and his class from Shelton Intermediate School in Connecticut  were promptly ejected on Friday, Buzzfeed reports.

And now the school’s principal, who was on the trip, is saying the student’s actions were stupid, not racist. 

“The incident at the African American Museum involved a student spitting over a balcony,” said Principal Dina Marks on Twitter. “It allegedly hit a visitor, a person of color. It was an act of stupidity, disinterest, & immaturity, completely inappropriate, but I believe, not racially motivated against that person.”

The incident at the African American Museum involved a student spitting over a balcony.It allegedly hit a visitor, a person of color.It was an act of stupidity, disinterest, & immaturity, completely inappropriate, but I believe, not racially motivated against that person.

In a community letter posted online Friday night, the school’s Superintendent said the unidentified student “embarrassed himself and his school.”

“This kind of action is not a reflection of who our students are, or who we are as a community,” SuperintendentChris Clouet  wrote. “This is not the time or place to talk about consequences.”

“But this is now, regrettably, a pattern of behavior that is disrespectful and does not serve anyone well — including the student who acted inappropriately and embarrassed himself and his school,” he added

Greg Johnson, president of the Ansonia Valley NAACP,told the Hartford Courant that the location of the incident was racist in itself.

“He didn’t spit on anyone at the Washington Monument or the Lincoln Memorial,” Johnson said. “It’s an embarrassment not only to Shelton, but to Connecticut.”

The post A White Student Spat On A Black Patron At The National Museum Of African American History And Culture appeared first on Essence.

Black Hollywood were out for the Queen & Slim screenings that filmmakers Lena Waithe and Melina Matsoukas held around the country this week.

The duo’s first feature film made its first stop a The Creative Collective’s CultureCon with a screening and Q&A hosted by Kid Fury and Crissle in Brooklyn before traveling to Los Angeles to be screened at The Underground Museum. 

Solange hosted the LA screening, which was a star-studded event with the likes of Kelly Rowland, Lance Gross, Michael Ealy, Miguel, DeWanda Wise Keith Powers, Estelle and more in attendance

Dubbed “the Black Bonnie & Clyde” in film circles, Queen & Slim stars Daniel Kaluuya and newbie actress Jodie Smith-Turner, who play a couple forced to go on the run after a fatal altercation with a police officer on their first date.

The world premiere of the flick will kick off the AFI Fest 2019 at their opening night gala on November 14 before its nationwide theater release on November 27, 2019.

The post Solange, Kelly Rowland And More Turn Out For Star-Studded ‘Queen & Slim’ Screenings appeared first on Essence.

A Fort Worth police officer shot and killed a Black woman inside her own home early Saturday morning.

The police were responding to a welfare call after a neighbor reported that the front door of the residence of 28-year-old Atatiana Jefferson was open, CBS Dallas-Fort Worth reports. 

When officers arrived, they searched the perimeter of the house and saw a person standing inside the residence, near a window. That is when one officer drew his weapon and shot Jefferson.

When we tell you we don’t have to be anything other than Black to be killed by those sworn to “serve and protect,” believe us. The first time. You’re denial continues to harm us, because the police keep killing us. Just for existing. #AtatianaJefferson https://t.co/Cv865G7Nfe

Officials said the officer shot through the window “perceiving a threat.” 

Jefferson died at the scene, WFAA-8 reports.

Fort Worth PD released body camera footage from the incident taken from the angle of the officer who fired the shot. The white officer, who remains unnamed, has been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation. He had been with the Fort Worth Police Department since April 2018.

“A young woman has lost her life, leaving her family in unbelievable grief,” Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price said in a statement. “All of Fort Worth must surround Atatiana Jefferson’s family with prayers, love and support.”

This gentleman is heavy on my mind + heart this morning. He called the police concerned about his neighbor. The police murdered her. If you believe in a Power Higher than yourself, join me in prayer + peaceful meditation for James Smith. #AtatianaJefferson pic.twitter.com/0iDjm0uhwT

James Smith, the neighbor that called the the non-emergency police number to request a welfare check at his Jefferson’s house says he doesn’t understand the officer’s response. 

“I called my police department for a welfare check. No domestic violence, no arguing, nothing that they should have been concerned about as far as them coming with guns drawn to my neighbor’s house,” Smith told WFAA-8. 

The tragic shooting comes over a year after Dallas police officer Amber Guyger shot and killed her 26-year-old neighbor upstairs neighbor Botham Jean after mistakenly walking into his apartment. She was found guilty earlier this month and sentenced to 10 years in prison.

The post A Fort Worth Cop Killed A Black Woman Inside Her Home appeared first on Essence.

Pose star Billy Porter helped Saturday Night Live‘s parody of CNN’s LGBTQ Town Hall.

The Emmy-winning actor played an ultra-dramatic announcer on SNL’s version of the Democratic town hall, which took place Thursday in Los Angeles.

And his introductions of all the candidates were hilarious!

For New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker: “He may live in the projects, but ladies, he ain’t no project. It’s Cory Booker!”

@Lin_Manuel @WoodyHarrelson pic.twitter.com/kcKacEwSLQ

For South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg, who is openly gay:“Yes! Representing the house of booty-gig, it’s mayor Pete.”

For former HUD Secretary Julián Castro: “From the house of urban deliciousness, it’s Julián Castro!”

And for former Vice President Joe Biden, Porter said: “And now, the Delaware Daddy, whose only vice is the choo choo train…it’s Vice President Biden y’all!”

It’ been a big year for Porter, who made history last month when he took home the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his role as Pray Tell on the hit FX series.

Now, he is confirming that he is joining Sony’s upcoming adaptation of Cinderella as the Fairy Godmother. 

We can’t wait!

The post Billy Porter Channeled ‘Pose’ For His ‘Saturday Night Live’ Spoof Of The Democrat Candidates appeared first on Essence.

Former NFL star DeAngelo Williams is doing his part to fight breast cancer by covering the cost of mammogram screenings of over 500 women.

The former Pittsburgh Steelers running back has been paying for the screenings since2015 through his non profit, The DeAngelo Williams Foundation.

Williams is dedicated to supporting breast cancer awareness since his own mother, Sandra Hill, died from the disease in 2014 at the age of 53. According to Today, he has also lost four aunts to breast cancer.

“To all the survivors and those going through it, we love you all,” he said in a recent PSA about his work fighting breast cancer. “You are not alone.”

This is dedicated to my mom, my aunts & women everywhere affected by Breast Cancer. I love you. #WeAreInThisTogetherhttps://t.co/bAwaanlfzV

Williams started sponsoring the free mammogram screenings through the “53 Strong for Sandra” program. At each event, the foundation sponsors mammograms for 53 women.

 The foundation has held screenings in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Memphis, Tennessee; Jonesboro, Arkansas; and Charlotte, North Carolina and has plans to host a free mammogram screening event in every state.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.

The post Former NFL Player DeAngelo Williams Sponsors 500 Mammograms appeared first on Essence.

Ashley Blaine Featherson is best known for her role in Netflix’s Dear White People as Joelle Brooks but, those who are up on their web series game know her as the co-creator and star of Black&SexyTV’s Hello Cupid. When Blaine isn’t dazzling us on the screen, she’s collaborating with Ment Cosmetics to bring that extra glow to brown skins girls with her Mented x ABF Collection. 

Eloquent, contemporary, and sleek describe Blaine’s style. Wowing us with a beautifully patterned Cynthia Rowley set or a Hanifa jumpsuit, she gives off boss lady vides at every turn. As the true definition of less is more, you can always count on her for an effortless slay.

Check out our favorite looks from Ashley Blaine below. 

The post Ashley Blaine Featherson’s Style Is Pure Elegance appeared first on Essence.

A prequel of the crime thriller movie Training Day in the works—but sadly, Denzel Washington does not appear to be attached to it.

Washington won his second Oscar in 2002 for his role as the slick-talking rogue cop, Alonzo Harris, in the crime thriller about two LAPD narcotics officers patrolling gang-ridden neighborhoods in Los Angeles.

Now, Collider reports that Warner Bros. is planning to bring it back.

“Sources tell Collider that the prequel will be set nearly a decade earlier in late April of 1992—two days before the Rodney King verdict was delivered. Los Angeles was already a powder keg just waiting to explode that week, and the verdict led to the L.A. riots.”

The studio would likely be on the hunt for another actor to play a younger Alonzo Harris, though the project is still in its early stages.

A production team and director have yet to be announced.

The post ‘Training Day’ Prequel Is In The Works appeared first on Essence.

When diving into the atmosphere of Atlanta, its permeating with culture, music, and fashion. This weekend, A3C festival took place in the ATL, which has a distinct community that is at the helm of hip hop. With the festival focusing on the insiders that are leading the music industry, it didn’t have to look far as the city holds some of the industries most unsung heroes.

With artists like Young Thug curating a new wave of Atlanta rappers, his label “YSL” holds some of this generation’s biggest rap stars—including 21-year-old rapper, Lil Keed.

“I got introduced to Keed while on tour doing wardrobe for Young Thug. I met him one day and we clicked like brothers. I’ve been helping ever since,” said his stylist, Zoe Dupree.

Lil Keed released his debut album, Long Live Mexico this year, and with his career skyrocketing, so is his style.

“Keed’s style is dope and laid back. He has his days where he wants to be dripped out and his days where he wants to be relaxed and chill,” said Zoe.

During A3C, ESSENCE got a chance to hang out with Lil Keed before he headlined Fader Fort, and his daughter made a special appearance.

Check out these photos below:

The post Here’s What Its Like Getting Ready With Rap Star Lil Keed appeared first on Essence.

Marijuana breathalyzers may finally hit the streets in 2020, after years of research, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

Created by Hound Labs in Northern California, investors are banking on a “massive market” for the breath test, known as the Hound. The project was done in collaboration with the University of California at San Francisco and Berkeley, and funded by Intrinsic Capital Partners, a Philadelphia growth equity fund,The test will retail for approximately $5,000 per unit.

According to Dr. Mike Lynn, CEO of  Hound Labs, the Hound—which doubles as an alcohol breathalyzer—will be able to detect marijuana in the system if it has been smoked or ingested within the last three hours, known as “the peak impairment window.”

“The fundamental challenge is that THC exists in breath in concentrations that are something like a billion times less than alcohol,” Lynn, a veteran emergency department physician and reserve deputy sheriff, told Digital Trends. “That means you need a breathalyzer that’s literally a billion times more sensitive if you’re going to use it for marijuana. It’s like identifying 25 or 30 specific grains of sand on a beach that’s well over a mile long. That’s a pretty tough scientific [problem to solve].”

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have also developed a prototype for a marijuana breathalyzer, but it must undergo further testing before it’s ready for manufacturing and use by law enforcement, the Philly Voice reports.

Which Communities Will ‘The Hound’ Target?

Marijuana has been legalized for recreational use in 11 states plus the District of Columbia; 33 states plus D.C. have approved medical marijuana. 

Still, as ESSENCE previously reported, Black people are nearly four times as likely to be arrested for marijuana possession than their white counterparts—particularly in occupied Black and Brown communities that are blatantly targeted for broken-windows policing and surveillance—despite being no more likely to smoke or ingest it.

When anti-blackness is institutionalized, a tool allegedly conceptualized to create safe environments can lead to more harm for vulnerable and targeted communities. With police officers already disproportionately targeting these communities, it stands to reason that marijuana breathalyzers would cause a spike in racially discriminatory arrests.

Even though history already shows us this, with the marijuana breathalyzer scheduled to hit the streets in 2020, time will tell.

The post Marijuana Breathalyzers Could Hit The Streets As Early As 2020 appeared first on Essence.

Howard University and Amazon Studios will launch Howard Entertainment, a program that will create a pipeline for Black and other marginalized students to study and train with entertainment executives.

Set to launch in January, the program will combine hands-on experience with opportunities to network with Amazon’s industry partners.

Howard University President Wayne A. I. Frederick said in a statement, “The vision of Howard Entertainment is to offer a one-of-a-kind experience for students interested in all aspects of entertainment, from project greenlighting, to PR and marketing, to entertainment law and finance.”

“This relationship aligns with Howard’s strategic goals of enhancing academic excellence and inspiring new knowledge. Collaborating with Amazon Studios will enable us to marry academia and industry efforts to build a robust workforce of diverse entertainment industry leaders. With Howard’s proven track record of developing some of Hollywood’s most notable actors, comedians and musicians, this next level collaboration will enable us to have even greater impact.”

The program will be an immersive two-semester experience in Los Angeles that will allow students to participate in a fellowship while taking academic courses in the spring.

Jennifer Salke, Head of Amazon Studios, called the program an opportunity to “help us make the best decisions in all aspects of the business.”

“Amazon Studios has been working to create new pathways into the industry for talented students of all backgrounds and we are proud to team with Howard on this new program supporting aspiring entertainment leaders. As we strive to delight our Prime Video customers, we’re ensuring there are diverse perspectives and experiences around the table to help us make the best decisions in all aspects of the business.”

The post Howard University Teams With Amazon Studios For Howard Entertainment appeared first on Essence.

Real Housewives Of Atlanta star Cynthia Bailey is looking forward to forever with sportscaster Mike Hill. In a sweet new post, the couple revealed that their roughly one year away from saying “I Do.” With the planning underway, the pair, who affectionately nicknamed themselves “Chill,” announced that their wedding will be on October 10, 2020.

In a recent Instagram photo, Bailey and Hill hold hands in matching black t-shirts and jeans. “This time & day next year 10/10/20, I will officially be Mrs. Cynthia Denise Bailey-Hill!,” the model shared with her followers, adding the hashtags “#CHill #2020 #headoverhillswedding #letschill.”

SAVE THE DATE this time & day next year 10/10/20, I will officially be Mrs. Cynthia Denise Bailey-Hill!@itsmikehill #CHill #2020 #headoverhillswedding #letschill#godswillnotours #chillwedding2020

A post shared by Cynthia Bailey (@cynthiabailey10) on Oct 10, 2019 at 6:37pm PDT

The couple became engaged back in July at the opening of her new business, the Bailey Wine Cellar. The proposal was reportedly filmed for season 12 of the popular reality series, which airs next month. It has not been confirmed whether or not the wedding will air on RHOA. However, it would be a fitting choice since Bailey debuted the relationship on season 10.

Bailey has previously vowed never to marry again after divorcing ex-husband Peter Thomas in 2017. However, in a previous video interview with ESSENCE, Bailey explains how she came to have a change of heart. “When I first started going through my divorce process, there were times where [I thought] I will never put myself through this,” she said. “But then everyone got mad at me including Steve Harvey that got me together. So my choice now is, I’m always looking for love. If that love ends up being a marriage and if that’s God’s will, I’ll get married again.”

We just know Ms. Bailey will make one beautiful bride!

The post ‘Real Housewives Of Atlanta’ Star Cynthia Bailey and Mike Hill To Marry October 2020 appeared first on Essence.

The annual return to “The Mecca,” Howard University is always a great time with everyone from Foxy Brown and the late Notorious B.I.G. to Drake gracing the HBCU’s sacred grounds […]

The post Stomp The Yard: Celebrities Show Up And Showed Out For Howard Homecoming appeared first on Essence.