Brown Sista

Singers Keyshia Cole, Mary J. Blige and Rihanna, were just a handful of Brown Sistas who converged on New Orleans over the weekend for the 2008 Essence Music Festival. The festival, which is now in it’s 14th year, is probably best known for it’s stellar line-up of musical acts, but the three day event also draws hordes of fans who show up for the dance workshops and panel discussions, which draw non musical celebrities like Bill Cosby and Dr. Cornell West. Music however is the force that binds this festival together and as in year’s past, well established and not so well established acts shared the same stage and received equal billing.
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Singer Mary J. Blige was shopping at the Diane von Furstenberg store in New York’s Meatpacking District when a woman at the counter appeared to be in distress over a dress she couldn’t afford. “The girl had a dress on hold (lay-a-way) that she loved, and the bill was $900. She thought it was only $500, and she couldn’t afford it,” a witness told the New York Post’s Page Six.” That’s when Blige swooped in with her Gucci pocketbook and told the saleswoman: “Go get the girl. I want to pay for the balance on the dress,” the witness recounted. The customer at first turned down Blige’s offer but eventually agreed after the singer said: “I know what it’s like to want something and not be able to have it. I insist.” The woman wanted to send her a check for the balance, but Blige said, “Just enjoy it. I’m blessed, so let me do this.” Mary may be the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul, but kudos to her for remembering what it was like before she wore the crown.
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Mary J Blige, Eric Dane and Russell Simmons each have designed a limited edition Ernst Benz watch to benefit Chrysalis, the nonprofit association that helps men and women transition from poverty. The collection, dubbed Time for Change, will offer a numbered series of 24 watches per designer in honor of Chrysalis’ 24th anniversary. Renderings of the watches will be unveiled on May 31 at the 7th Annual Chrysalis Butterfly Ball in Los Angeles on Saturday. Fifty percent of the proceeds from each watch sold — which range from $4,000 to $22,000 — will go to Chrysalis. Several watches also will be auctioned off on eBay in June, while the remainder will hit stores in the fall.

New Line Cinema’s highly anticipated new movie “Sex and the City” finally held their New York preimiere this evening and a bevy of beautiful Brown Sistas were there to show their support. Dreamgirls actress Jennifer Hudson, who also co-stars in the film, was on hand as were singers Mary J. Blige, Michelle Williams, and rapper Lil Kim.
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The Today Show Summer Concert Series stage was graced by the one and only Mary J. Blige. The singer performed a medley of her hits past and present- including Real Love, Just Fine and her new single Stay Down. Check out Mary below as she updates Today host Matt Lauer on her upcoming plans now that the Heart Of The City Tour with Jay-Z has come to an end and to see more of Mary’s performances you can check out the official MSNBC website.
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Brown Sistas from across the Hollywood spectrum turned out in force tonight for the start of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s annual Costume Institute Gala. This year’s event is being held to celebrate the museum’s latest exhibition: Sperheroes: Fashion and Fantasy.Singers Janet Jackson, Beyonce and Mary J. Blige walked the red carpet alongside actresses like Thandie Newton and Paula Patton and all looked fabulous.
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Singer Mary J. Blige, 37, made the list of People Magazine’s 100 Most Beautiful People. Mary, who has been entertaining the masses for nearly 20 years now says: “I’m at my most beautiful when I’m in a good mood, not dealing with any drama, and feeling healthy,” says the singer. But when she wants to get glam in a pinch, Blige has a quick beauty tip. “I put on eyeliner and mascara and some liner on my mouth and some gloss in the middle, and that’s the perfect five-minute face.” Congrats to Mary for making the list. Nice to see People step outside the box when it comes to Black women who they choose to include on their list. Still, only one of the 18 shown on their site is of a sista. I suspect the other 82 will feature the usual Black suspects- Halle, Beyonce and Rihanna.
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It’s been a long time coming but the second single and video from Mary J. Blige’s Growing Pains CD is finally. “Stay Down” comes almost five months after the release of Just Fine and I am sure Mary fans are happy to see that her label, Geffen Records, has not abandoned the project. Growing Pains debuted at the top of the charts and has already sold a million and half units here in the US.
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Not every great performance was held at the Superbowl this year. While Americans were obsessing over football and who would perform at the pre-game show and halftime show, singers Kelly Rowland and Mary J. Blige, were over in the UK performing in support of their new singles, which are doing very well on the British charts. First up is Kelly, whose single “Work” is getting major airtime. She along with Mary performed at BBC2’s Music Show “Sound”.
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