Source: Me with the silkies...

Just a week ago, folks were talking about the locs Rihanna wore for her performance on “American Idol.” Always one to change up her style, no one was shocked by the transformation, but it was definitely an interesting look, even for her. But Rihanna made it known that she’s not jumping on a bandwagon. In fact, she said that she’s wanted locs since she was a wee gyal:

“Their HOT! [I wanted them] since I was 14, but mama Fent’z wasn’t havin it!”

And while most people thought she looked great with them (aside from the awkward straight bang), I couldn’t help but notice that a few people weren’t feeling the look. Not because she looked a mess of some sorts in their opinion, but because they felt that rocking fake locs was an attempt to make a fad out of dreadlocks. And they weren’t having that.

“Not to[sic] fond of it. As a person who wears locs, I don’t consider it a style but a natural way to treat hair. When we wear it for “show” it makes it a fad. My locs are not a fad.”

I knew at least one person was going to have something to say against the look on her, but this individual’s comment struck me because I could see where she was coming from, but also could see how harmless wearing fake locs could be as well. You could say that I’ve been on both sides of the fence.

I remember when I posted a picture of myself with locs last summer on Facebook. People loved them! People were giving them all kinds of nice compliments, but boy oh boy were they shocked when I revealed that they were fake. Folks who had rocked dreadlocks for years thought they were real until I told them to touch ‘em (most were men with short attention spans of course). People would tell me they loved my hair until I quickly let them know that they weren’t real. Even though I wasn’t REALLY trying to fool anybody since that wasn’t my reason for getting them, I was fooling a few folks indeed.

The deal was, I had just recently gone natural a few months before, and as part of an old summer ritual, I was looking to protect my hair, and of course, looking for a break from doing it. After doing some research into different options, I ran across silky dreads and thought they looked amazing. I had always wondered what I would look like if and when I decided to lock my real hair, so spending $300+ on this temporary option sounded like an expensive option, but one I definitely wanted to try. When I did, though I got off to a rough start, I was able to style them in funky ways, able to guard and protect my hair, and when I took them out three months later to prepare for a wedding (though they could have stayed for 6 months or been worn until I grew my own locs to a good length), my hair had grown immensely. The greatest thing about them was that they pushed me to quit faking it and start making it by transitioning to real locs.

Corrine and her dad in 2009; Source: blackcelebkids.com

Another day, another opportunity to highlight a celebrity’s beautiful child. I know you remember Corrine Bishop, the daughter of Jamie Foxx. She was the little girl walking arm in arm with him on red carpets after his star power blew up post-Ray and his Academy Award win. Well, she’s not so little anymore! Now an 18-year-old, Corrine, like many celeb kids, is trying to get her foot in the door, but not in the door of music or acting (well, at least not yet…). Instead, she’s getting her model on for a photo shoot, and thanks to the good folks at BlackCelebKids.com, we’ve got photos to share from it.

I don’t see a whole lot of Jamie on her face like that, but Bishop is indeed a beauty! Those eyes are gorgeous, and she’s giving the camera a lot of fierce-ness without being too over-the-top, under-dressed or provocative.  She better work! We’re thinking she will have a long career ahead of her, but what do you think? Check out the photos below!

Source: BlackCelebKids

Source: BlackCelebKids

Source: BlackCelebKids

Source: BlackCelebKids

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Source: dawnnlewis.com

TV of the ’90s was undeniably dope, especially the black comedies. There was a little bit of everything available for everyone, no matter your age or status in life, and they definitely showed our people in a more positive light. A Different World was one of those shows. And if you’re nosey like me, you probably want to know what the people who were on the show are up to, and what they’re looking like. We’ve got you covered…

Kadeem Hardison

Source: feelny.net

Can I first say that I love that some of the characters had middle names. For instance: Dwayne Cleophus Wayne. Kadeem Hardison’s character was clearly a fan favorite with his flip-up sunglasses/glasses that everyone was wearing back in the day and his kind heart. He was the nice guy everyone was rooting for (remember the wedding episode?). After doing a lot of movies like A Vampire in Brooklyn with Eddie Murphy and shows like Between Brothers, nowadays, you can catch him doing a lot of TV guest work. He was a recurring guest on Everybody Hates Chris for a while as sadity and crazy Judge Watkins (I miss that show!), was Lynn’s pastor boyfriend on Girlfriends, played Fantasia’s dad in the TV movie, Life Is Not a Fairytale: The Fantasia Barrino Story, and was most recently on the NBC show Parenthood. At 46, he’s still looking pretty good.

Source: lastagetimes.com

And when I say vibrant, boy do I mean vibrant. Alicia Keys wasn’t the only one stepping out and showing out for Paris Fashion Week in the City of Lights, aka, the most romantic place on earth (conveniently she was there with Diddy). Check out her multiple looks from her time in the city this week and let us know if you would steal her looks, or if homegirl should stop it.

For the Givenchy Ready-to-Wear show on March 4, Cassie brought out her best fur and found a way to really jazz up an all-black look. From the simple ankle-strap heels, black skirt, and loose blouse, she stayed with the black is beautiful look. The accessories really made her outfit pop. Aside from that fur stole/cape, check out the fly pointy manicure and Alexander McQueen clutch. She also went with a sharp cat eye and minimal jewelry.

Toni’s been really feeling herself lately, ya’ll! And we don’t blame her, she still looks great (not that she would be looking bad at 44). The beautiful star hit the stage and the red carpet in some pretty revealing ensembles this week, and we’ve got the lowdown on them both. We want to know which you prefer (if you actually end up liking one more than the other).

For a recent performance at the Nokia Theatre in LA during a concert, she opted out of something short and sassy and went for something colorful and long. Rocking a high-waisted gown by House of Chapple on Sunday, she did her thing for the crowd and had jaws dropping. In a bright purple Prince would be proud of, the dress was sheer and funky with dizzying prints and sequins all over. But I’m sure your eyes are on that shocking split on the side. Not only did it show off her underwear (or possibly the lower half of a bodysuit underneath), but it also showcased her strappy, sparkly heels. Very over the top, but that’s Toni’s style, you know?

Kelly Rowland has been in the spotlight since she was a teenager, standing next to Beyoncé and the girls of Destiny’s Child since the ’90s. In that time we’ve seen her hair transform from uber-short pixie cuts to looks and lengths that reached way down her back. If we’ve learned anything about her hairstyle choices it’s that she likes wigs A LOT and that she definitely likes to change it up. If you want to see her ever-changing looks, check homegirl and her hair out from the past few years as we go through the good and the bad.