Change can represent a lot in one’s career. From changing your sound as an artist, or stepping out of your comfort zone, it can work out for the best–and sometimes for the worst. (Anyone remember Joaquin Phoenix’s meta attempt at rapping??)  Despite that train wreck, most celebs have had successful career changes and have been better than ever. Here’s a look at some of the best (and not so great) career changes.

Source: karaoke-lyrics.net

Queen Latifah — Best

[Rapper to TV Star, to Academy Award Winning Actress and Jazz Singer]

Queen La went from rapping about “Ladies First” and rocking afrocentric garb, including some pretty sick hats, to acting on a weekly television program that we all loved. If that wasn’t enough, she did big things on the silver screen too, gaining critical acclaim for her work in movies like Set It Off and obtaining an Academy Award nomination for her role as Matron “Mama” Morton in Chicago. Since becoming a household name, she’s been picked as a CoverGirl, and she’s also had the chance to sing jazz music (even though she’s been singing for years) and releasing soul music albums. Latifah proved that staying in your own lane is indeed for suckers.

lipstickalley.com

Were you inspired by Meagan Good and fiancé Devon Franklin’s “saving ‘it’ til marriage” announcement?

Devon sure hopes so!

The duo attended T.D Jakes’ star-studded 35th Anniversary Gala in Dallas over the weekend and talked to Sister 2 Sister about their celibacy decision.

Devon said: We want our marriage to be one of truth, one of love, and hopefully model God’s love. In reality we’re not perfect. But we are striving to live a life of Christ. We are striving to be an example of what his life looks like on this earth, and hopefully through our union people will be inspired, people will see themselves in us.

Meagan said: The relationship is completely different. When you know somebody and you know their heart, it’s not even a question about the physical part of it that comes into play completely later on. You really just get a chance to understand what you’re getting. You don’t just want to be with this person on Friday night, but Saturday afternoon too. That’s just icing on the cake.

Last week, Devon sat down with Oprah Winfrey to talk about his new book: Produced by Faith: Enjoy Real Success without Losing Your True Self. That interview will be aired on OWN’s new show “Super Soul Sunday”.

No snippets have been released yet, but Oprah did have this to say on her Facebook page:

I met a young man a couple of months ago who’s faith was so strong and Light was so bright, that after less than 7 minutes with him I said we need to do a show together. An unlikely candidate to be a spiritual thought leader, (he’s a Hollywood executive) I was so moved by his passion and commitment to faith while functioning in the lion’s den of entertainment I could hardly wait to do a Super Soul Sunday and share his insights, clarity and wisdom with you. He’s in the business of developing movies and talent, but as you will see, is a bonafied dynamo himself… a different kind of spiritual teacher for our times.

Preview: DeVon Franklin on “Super Soul Sunday”

In an all-new “Super Soul Sunday,” DeVon Franklin—a Hollywood executive who does double duty as a preacher—shares his advice on achieving success without losing yourself. The Produced by Faith author talks with Oprah about how he balances his Hollywood life with his faith.

Of course Meagan and Devon aren’t the first couple to wait until marriage to disrobe, but they certainly seem to be the most popular!

What do you think about the attention their decision is getting? Are you inspired by this couple?

Alissa Henry is a freelance writer living in Columbus, OH. Follow her on Twitter @AlissaInPink or check out her blog: This Cannot Be My Life

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Source: priuschat.com

If I could bend y’alls ear for a few minutes and trouble you about something that’s been bugging me for a while: Why is it so damn hard to find a good bottle of lotion?

I know what you’re thinking: there are so many more serious things happening in the world and you want to discuss lotion? Well yes. And secondly, nobody told you to click the link. With that said, as we are all well aware, black folks’ skin is very sensitive to the elements. In the winter our skin suffers from the harsh winds and in the summer, our skin succumbs to the drying effects of the hot sun, and when we’re ashen, the whole world can tell.  As such, we’ve got to lube up to keep from turning into Ashy Larry or the lone tumbleweed rolling through the Atacama Desert.

Besides the NYPD, the Republicans and possibly sitting through another season of “Basketball Wives,” there is no other greater fear for black folks (or black women at least) than to be ashy in public. Am I right? Of course I am. We all spend countless minutes in our rooms, applying various concoctions to ensure the beautiful glow to our red bone to mahogany-complexioned skin.  But most times it is hit or miss. Sometimes you can make it through an entire day looking like the Black Gold of the Sun, while other days, you look more like someone dusted you with a box of confectioner’s sugar.  I can’t be the only one that has difficulty finding a good bottle of lotion nowadays.

Back in the day, say around the late ’70s to early ’80s, it seemed like lotion technology was much more simple. We had a number of black owned skin-care companies, which catered to our special skin needs. We had an ample supply of real cocoa butter and Vitamin E oils to keep us looking shiny and moisturized throughout the year. In fact, you could get an entire 15 oz tub of Queen Helena’s pure cocoa butter crème for around $3. Hell, some of us got away with just rubbing a slab of Vaseline on our face, arms and legs.  Add some Johnson and Johnson’s baby powder to the chest and to the neck (especially the neck) and you were good to go.

However, the tide began to shift somewhere in the ’90s, with the new awareness about the environment, the products that we use and their benefits and/or dangers to our skin. Suddenly, the 100 percent pure cocoa butter and Vitamin E oil wasn’t enough and new advancements in lotion technology brought about a plethora of competition. We needed dual age-defying, cell regenerating treatment that promised to moisturize while erasing blemishes on skin. We needed lotions and oils that mixed with exotic berries, nuts and plants like sweet almond jojoba oil, java plum and Goji berries, picked from the tiny virgin hands of children in Guatemala, which would cleanse the soul of toxins and negative feelings. We needed lotions that were dermatologically tested – or at least featured a tall brunette model in a lab coat and glasses on the bottle – and had special numbering symbols to coincide with your special skin needs.

The only problem was, most of the crap didn’t work. Now I’m not saying (for certain) it was a conspiracy to the highest level of ‘spiracies, but very few actually worked for the purpose that you needed most: the ash. Sure, they made you feel good, but they lacked the vital ingredients needed to offer real protection. Most of those lotions were so thin and watery or had way too much alcohol that they could be considered the sushi of lotion; you put it on and then an hour later you were ashy again. Others smelled the part but failed to do anything but have you smell like a fruit salad.  Not to mention the bees that would follow you down the street. I’m sure my 5 fl. oz bottle of Golden Apple and Guava skin pomade is a major contributing factor to colony collapse disorder.

Last year, I did come across a good bottle of lotion, courtesy of the Aveda line. I recall this because I discovered it while Pollyanna gift shopping for my boss. It was on her wish list and wanting to impress upper management (i.e. A$$-kiss), I decided that I would splurge a bit.  So I’m in the store, standing in front of a very eager sale lady, who without warning, squirts a little on the back of my hand.  I swear to all things pure and wonderful on this earth, the s**t was like silk. I mean it was the softest thing I’ve ever felt come from a bottle. It was so soft that I wanted to lie down, curl up in the fetal position and take a nap on it.  Until they told me the price: $20 for 4.2 fl. ounces. Four ounces. For lotion? Crazy.

I realize that not everyone’s skin type is the same. However, my girlfriend with oily skin has the same complaint. Neither of us remembers our skin care regimen being this difficult back in the day. Of course, I don’t remember worrying about matching my colors or taking regular baths too (I was seven. Shoot me). Maybe things were just a lot simpler back then. Or maybe my skin texture has radically changed as I have gotten older. All I know is that what used to be a quick minute and a ½ process of putting some lotion on, has turned into a time sucking, multi-product production of bath soaps, facial cleansers, crèmes, lotions, oils, pomades and body scrubs. Oh God, don’t get me started on a body scrub. It’s neither soap nor is it lotion -just some weird hybrid middleman involving sugar.

But I’ve found that when it comes to finding the perfect moisturizer nowadays, there is no perfect solution. So until I find the perfect lotion (if there is one), I will be forced to find a lotion for the winter; one for the summer; one for just my hands; one for my feet and another to use specifically for the smell good effect (sorry bees). No wonder women walk around with huge purses.

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I’m a big movie fan, and a big black movie fan at that. Therefore, when new movies come out by black directors and with interesting, hot or amazing actors, I try to support them. But in my years, I’ve seen a lot of overrated movies. This list isn’t to be mean, I’m just being honest about the fact that these nine films got my hopes up pretty high, only to leave me feeling jilted, confused, and of course, disappointed.

Source: cnn.com

Red Tails

I know we here at Madame Noire, like many people, pushed really hard for this film. It was mostly done in the hopes that we could make Hollywood see that big budget black films could be marketable. And while it was a valiant effort, this movie was just not what I was expecting. The action sequences were pretty good and the men were FINE with a capital F, but the dialogue was horrific. Allegedly they were trying to make the characters sound like individuals from films back in the ’40s, but I’ve seen movies from the ’40s (thanks college film class) where people didn’t talk so cheesy (i.e., “Thank goodness those Red Tails were here!”). I’m not saying it was the worst film ever, and I do appreciate the information it provided me on the Tuskegee Airmen, however, within the first 10 minutes of watching, I was blown away by the writing (and not in a good way). And that love story they threw in there? Raaaaaandom.

I have to give it to Keyshia, she is one of the few people who can look great in almost any hair color, and she’s done most of them! As versatile as her hair has been over the years, we had to give her some props with an album that looks back on all her big hair hits! However, because we’re not bias, we’ve also got to showcase a few of her big hair what the hot messes!? You know, so you guys know what NOT to try. In the end, it’s always all love though! So check her out and take notes…

You know, when I flip through my parents’ records and listen to their old albums, I can say they didn’t own one with a singer with a questionable or crappy voice. Back in the day, singers could SANG, and I’m sure if they couldn’t, someone would have told them to sit down. But in this new era of music, where you’re no longer trying to sell your voice but your a** in too-little designer clothes, just about anybody can claim they’re a singer. Well, you might claim it, but baby, that doesn’t make it so. Here are some folks that I think are great people, but should leave singing responsibilities to the real singers out here (I see you MTA performers!).

No, it's not okay if you have crazy black friends.

Over on the web site Good, Senior Editor Cord Jefferson has penned a rather PC tract begging young white people not to don blackface this Halloween season, as every year there is some tear-soaked scandal in which this happens. The young whites cry that they didn’t know it was wrong. The black folks cry, “Why are we still being treated this way?” Lots of anger and accusations of oversensitivity and insensitivity are hurled back and forth. And then by Thanksgiving, the whole thing dies down. Until the same time next year, when it all happens again.