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Watch This Week’s Episode of ‘ESSENCE Live’ Now!
Tamar Braxton on what to expect this season of ‘Braxton Family Values,' NeNe Leakes reveals which cast members she’d replace on ‘RHoA,’ Raheem DeVaughn gives you a sneak peek of what at Essence Fest
Tamar Braxton on what to expect this season of ‘Braxton Family Values,' NeNe Leakes reveals which cast members she’d replace on ‘RHoA,’ Raheem DeVaughn gives you a sneak peek of what at Essence Fest
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00:00Today on Essence Live, the brothers from Empire, Jussie Smollett, Trey Byers, and Yaz,
00:05Grace, the June cover of Essence Magazine, and we have a special behind-the-scenes exclusive with The Lion Kings.
00:11The season finale of Scandal is just hours away, and we have entertainment blogger Awesomely Lovey here to talk all things Olivia.
00:18Fresh off the emotional Real Housewives of Atlanta reunion, I sat down with Nene Leakes, and yes, she threw a little bit of shade.
00:24And honey, that is shade, honey. And if you didn't catch that shade, girl, you better catch that shade.
00:30And speaking of shade, a love contract? Really, Diddy?
00:33Tamar Braxton joins us this week as we spill all of the tea in Slater Shade. Essence Live starts right now.
00:48Hello, Essence. I'm Dana Blair. Welcome to Essence Live, your go-to destination for insight on our stars, our styles, and our lives.
00:55Don't forget, you can join in on the fun using the hashtag Essence Live.
00:58Joining me in studio is one of the stars of the hit reality show, Braxton Family Values, which premieres Thursday on Wee TV.
01:05Singer, model, fashion designer, entrepreneur, co-host of The Real, Ms. Tamar Braxton.
01:09Why, thanks. You forgot banjo bye.
01:11Oh, wait. Hold on. And the list goes on. And the list goes on. How are you today?
01:15Hi. How are you?
01:15I'm good. Thank you. Thank you so much for joining us.
01:18Thank you for having me.
01:18I'm just going to jump right into it.
01:20Yes, please.
01:20Next new season of Braxton Family Values is starting, and the teaser is very, very intense.
01:25It's all over the net.
01:27Lots of secrets and emotional moments.
01:30Trina's reluctant to share some information about Gabe.
01:32She is a secret squirrel.
01:33Talk to me. What can we expect this season?
01:35Well, you know, I have to be honest and tell you that you would definitely mirror your life with your sister
01:42or someone you would call your sister because it's really about building friendships, building trust, and building a relationship all over again.
01:52Are there, is there any scoop that you can share with us?
01:54Well, Trina's definitely getting a divorce.
01:56Okay. All right. Uh-huh.
01:59And let's see. It's, you know what?
02:02This is the first time ever we have a very special guest that's coming on for like two episodes.
02:07Okay. You still be the guest?
02:08I will not.
02:09I thought I was going to get you a scoop, Essence.
02:12So, you know, in the past we've seen moments where you've debated whether or not you wanted to stay on the show or not.
02:18Whether that was for personal reasons or to maintain some relationships with your sisters.
02:22What keeps you going?
02:23Well, you know what? At the end of the day, it's really all about family.
02:27And it's about me getting along with my family and having a relationship with my family because that's what I want at the end of the day.
02:34You know, that's success to me.
02:35Gotcha.
02:35And so, you know, when things started to kind of, you know, get in the way and we started to argue and bicker about silly things, you know, I just felt that, you know, okay, well, maybe if I don't do the show anymore, then I can have a relationship with my sisters again.
02:49And I totally understand that and kind of preserving that.
02:51I also want to jump to the last two years have been extremely busy for you.
02:54A Grammy-nominated album.
02:56Three Grammy-nominated.
02:57Won't we do it?
02:57Oh, oh, oh.
02:59Uno dos tres.
03:00A beautiful baby boy.
03:01Thank you, yes.
03:02Which is the cutest little thing since sliced bread.
03:04A fashion line.
03:05Yeah.
03:05The real.
03:06Yeah.
03:06How do you find time for everything?
03:08Well, you know what?
03:08I look at it like, you know, you find time for things you like to do.
03:12And I really like what I do.
03:13I love the girls on The Real.
03:14They're crazy.
03:15I get to be the girlfriend, you know, on The Real.
03:18And on Braxton Family Values, I love working with my sisters and my mom.
03:22And I get to be Tamar, the little sister.
03:25And Tamar and Vince, you get to see the entrepreneur, the mother, the wife.
03:29And, you know, Tamar the singer is just who I am.
03:31Yeah.
03:32So it's great.
03:33I love it.
03:33And the new clothing lineup.
03:35Yes.
03:35We were discussing before the camera started to roll the shoes and things of that nature.
03:38Tell me about the clothing lineup.
03:39Yes.
03:39And what made you want to go into that arena?
03:41Well, you know, Tamar collection is something that I've always wanted to do.
03:44Mm-hmm.
03:44And when the opportunity presented itself, I mean, I just couldn't say no.
03:48It was amazing.
03:49Like, I'm wearing Tamar collection right now.
03:50Oh, yes.
03:51I'm so comfortable.
03:52This is vegan leather.
03:54I see the T on the buttons.
03:55Yes, T on the buttons.
03:56And my shoes, I'm telling you, they're so comfortable.
04:00You can wear them all day.
04:01I've worn them all day at The Real, and I didn't get an extra coin.
04:05No coin, no coin, nothing.
04:06No coin, no nothing.
04:07And I was checking out the site before the show, and the price point is very, very reasonable and affordable.
04:12Yes, because, you know, that's what I'm all about.
04:14Like, a lot of people think what I do on my time off is shop and spend my money.
04:18I'm not here for that.
04:20I'm not here for that.
04:21But I like value.
04:22And you know what else I love with value?
04:23I love quality.
04:24And so I wanted to, you know, have a line where I can, you know, show that, you know, you don't have to spend a whole lot of money to look amazing.
04:32It's about how you feel.
04:33And once you, you know, don't you know when you bought something on sale, girl, you feel amazing?
04:37Oh, I feel like I just feel on the world.
04:38That's how you feel when you have bought something of mine.
04:40I'm like, tell the world.
04:41Except it's not always on sale, but I do have lots of sales.
04:43It's not like I'm having a sale right now.
04:45Okay.
04:45It's $20 off the pants, $20 off the shirts.
04:47And I do have lots of shoe sales, which I love.
04:50Which a girl needs shoes.
04:51Right.
04:51A girl needs shoes.
04:52But, you know, when you have that great feeling after you bought something and then you put it on and you feel amazing and you're like, girl, I got this for $80.
04:59You got to tell everybody.
05:01Yes.
05:01Like, you need to get this.
05:03Yes.
05:03So, you know, I love that feeling.
05:05I just wanted to share with not just my Tay Martian friends, but with everybody.
05:08What's your favorite piece?
05:09Do you have one?
05:10Oh, I have a couple of them.
05:12I love my denim jumper.
05:14That's very comfortable.
05:16I love my vegan leather pants because you can be real cute and sexy.
05:20And, you know, I flew in them for six hours and I wasn't uncomfortable.
05:24Okay.
05:24It's all about comfort and budget friendly with me.
05:28And, yes, I have to say those two.
05:30Right now is my favorite piece.
05:31And where can we find your collection?
05:32Right now my collection is at tamarcollection.com.
05:35Okay.
05:35And come visit.
05:37Definitely going to check that out.
05:38And, of course, we're going to move right on to that fabulous voice of yours, which you're probably most known for.
05:44We're loving the new song that you have out with Future.
05:46Yes.
05:47Tell me about the album.
05:48What's happening?
05:48Because you're, of course, Essence family.
05:50You were at our 2014 Essence Festival.
05:52I was.
05:53So we want all the inside scoop on the new album.
05:54Yes.
05:55Well, the new album is coming out this summer.
05:57Okay.
05:57We had to postpone it a little bit because, you know, I wanted to have a chance to support my record because I really believe in this record in particular.
06:04And I had to wait till the real wrapped.
06:06And, you know, I got some other things under my belt where I can go out on the road and, you know, see my Tamarishing friends and stuff.
06:12You have a lot going on, I can understand.
06:14Any other collabs on the album?
06:16You know what?
06:16It's just me.
06:17Yeah.
06:18I mean, it's Tamar Brackson, isn't it?
06:19Mm-hmm.
06:20You came to see me.
06:21Are you giving us any more, what is it?
06:23Hot sugar-ness?
06:24Yes.
06:24Well, of course, darling.
06:26But it's not hot sugar anymore.
06:28Right.
06:28You know, it's a little sugar cane.
06:30So.
06:31A little sugar cane.
06:31So, yeah, you get a little bit of that.
06:33I'm a Louisiana girl.
06:34I can appreciate a little sugar cane.
06:35I know.
06:35Well, thank you so very much for stopping by and chatting with us.
06:39Thank you for having me.
06:39You have to come right back.
06:40You know, you have to.
06:41Yes, I do.
06:41I do.
06:42All righty.
06:43Thank you so much.
06:44Still to come is my exclusive interview with NeNe Leakes.
06:47But first, Zendaya has accomplished more in her first 18 years than most people do in a lifetime, including guesteditingessence.com.
06:54Yes, Zendaya is only 18.
06:56She was born in 1996.
06:57So, Essence Entertainment editor Yolanda Sanguini decided to test her knowledge on the 90s.
07:02Take a look.
07:05So, tell me, you know, you were born in 1996.
07:11Yes.
07:12Which I can't believe.
07:13Oh, my God.
07:13Everyone says that.
07:14I'm sorry.
07:14I'm a baby.
07:15You are a baby.
07:17So, because 1996, I want to know how much you know about the year 1996 and how much of a 90s baby that you are.
07:22Okay.
07:22Yes, I'm going to ask you a few questions for our quiz.
07:26Ready?
07:26All right.
07:27All right.
07:28This NBA player led the Chicago Bulls to its first of three consecutive NBA championships.
07:34Guys, why are we talking to me about sports?
07:38Is it like Michael Jordan or something?
07:40Because I'm going to sound more stupid.
07:41Okay.
07:42You got it.
07:43Okay.
07:43Good.
07:43All right.
07:44My dad's going to be like, ugh.
07:46She better have gotten that one right.
07:48Cuba Gooding yelled, show me the...
07:51In this...
07:51Guys.
07:53Oh, my God.
07:53This is terrible.
07:54Well, the movie's called Jerry Maguire.
07:57He said, show me the...
08:00Money?
08:02Yes!
08:06Show me the money.
08:08George Clooney played a doctor in this number one TV show.
08:14Clearly, I was just born, so I probably didn't watch it.
08:18ER.
08:19ER.
08:19I should have known that.
08:20I should have known that.
08:21Yeah.
08:22Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men collaborated on this song that spent 15 weeks on Billboard's Hotline.
08:28Okay.
08:29I don't know if it's the song, but it's...
08:32I listen to it all the time, too.
08:34It's really beautiful.
08:35It's so beautiful.
08:36I know what the video looks like.
08:37They're in the studio, and they're all singing together, and they're going off.
08:41Yes.
08:42And it's...
08:43One...
08:45Three day.
08:49Three day.
08:50There we go.
08:51Okay.
08:51All right.
08:54All right.
08:55So, you have five seconds to show me how to properly do the breakout dance of 1996, the
09:01Macarena.
09:03Uh...
09:04Mm-hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm
09:08Hey, Macarena!
09:10That was in 96?
09:11What the heck?
09:12I know.
09:13That was a long time ago.
09:14All right.
09:14We love having you, so thank you for coming.
09:16That was fun.
09:16I'm Zendaya, and you're watching Essence Live.
09:19Welcome back.
09:22Joining me to get us ready for tonight's season finale of Scandal is Essence Entertainment
09:26director Corey Murray and bodacious blogger Awesomely Lovey.
09:30Ladies, thank you so much for being here.
09:32Yes, I'm excited to be here.
09:33We're scandal ready.
09:37All right, I'm just going to go ahead and jump right into it.
09:40What are your expectations for tonight's season finale?
09:43Will Olivia and the Gladiators finally take down B613 and Papa Pope?
09:47Lovey, let's go start with you.
09:49Somebody got to die.
09:50Oh, I agree.
09:51She just cut through.
09:52I feel like somebody got to die.
09:54I really do feel like Jake needs to die.
09:56I know, I know, I'm sorry.
09:58I know I hurt your feelings.
09:59Wait a minute, hold up.
10:00Scott Foley and I do Starbucks runs in my head.
10:02We're dating and we have a Yorkie in the park.
10:04Me and his abs go together.
10:06But, but I do think he should die.
10:09Because I feel like it will move it forward because it will kind of like raise the stakes
10:13a little bit, right?
10:14That's true because he wouldn't be Liz's protector anymore.
10:16Boom.
10:17You're just going to leave her out there in the open with Papa Pope and her mama under
10:20the basement that knows where everybody's at at all?
10:22First of all, Papa Pope better not die.
10:24That's the one person I, Shinda, me and then fight with Papa Pope.
10:27You cannot get rid of command.
10:29Oh, listen, that's you.
10:30Well, somebody's in B613.
10:32What are your predictions, Miss B613?
10:34Well, I don't think they're going to take down B613 because it's been around too long.
10:37We need that super secret agency.
10:40I do think Melly may lose a limb.
10:43I think there's going to be some torture.
10:45No.
10:45A limb?
10:46Okay.
10:47I think someone's going to come in.
10:49Maybe it's Russell.
10:50I don't know if Russell's really dead.
10:51Okay, somebody said.
10:54I'm going to have to sip on that one.
10:56Russell is like, he's like B612.5 because he failed.
11:04Really?
11:04I have no regrets.
11:05No.
11:06How do you stab somebody 20 times they don't die?
11:09I think either Russell did it on purpose and didn't kill Jake on purpose, which is kind
11:13of weird.
11:14Usually if you stab someone 12 times, you mean for them to die.
11:16And how you miss the heart, like, you know, like, I'm not a soldier or nothing, but I
11:20can probably figure out.
11:22Right.
11:22So like, you do all this.
11:23But they had that moment.
11:23They did have that moment at the end of the last episode where they're imitating Papa Pope.
11:27Yes.
11:27So it's like they bonded and came together.
11:29Yes.
11:30Yep.
11:30Okay, so let's talk.
11:31Okay, I know we'd be wanting to talk about the hotties, but let's talk about Liz.
11:34She keeps having these flashbacks.
11:35Does she need an Iyanla intervention?
11:37Iyanla needs Iyanla.
11:39Well, Liz needs Iyanla to fix it.
11:40She needs Buddha to fix it.
11:42Jesus.
11:42Everybody.
11:43Everybody.
11:43Yeah.
11:44I feel like somebody said maybe Command is going to live to take over his position.
11:50All right, I didn't think that, but you made me think, I wonder if it's her mama.
11:53Mama Pope is going to be the one that's going to sit down with her and say, listen, girl,
11:57you're going to have to snap out of this.
11:58They're going to have a real mother-daughter thing, and that's what's going to hold her
12:02to her mother.
12:03Okay, so there have been hints, as we're talking about, that one or more characters, or more,
12:07it's the or more, are going to meet their demise.
12:10I'm going to play the prediction game.
12:11I'm holding y'all to it.
12:12I will come for you on Twitter a little bit later.
12:14Come for me.
12:15Who do you think Shonda is going to take out of the finale?
12:18Take out in the finale?
12:19Jake.
12:20Jake?
12:20Yeah, I'm counting on Jake.
12:21You have like a plan B?
12:23Plan B, I would say maybe, nope, it's got to be Jake.
12:27Jake?
12:27I can't see anybody else dying.
12:29Corey?
12:30Dang, that's tough.
12:33All right, just for the sake of the game, Huck.
12:35Oh, Huck!
12:36No, no.
12:38Huck is messed up in the head, y'all.
12:40No, no.
12:41I think he's teetering.
12:42I can't even let that happen.
12:43I think, no.
12:44Corey, we have to reassess our entire relationship and professional friendship.
12:47Huck better not die.
12:48If Huck dies, I'll come for you, Corey.
12:49I'm telling you.
12:50Now, I'm going to throw this out here.
12:51I know we're running short on time, but I'm going to throw this out here.
12:53We haven't seen Mama Pope in quite some time.
12:55Right.
12:56Coming in with one of those powerful monologues.
12:58Right.
12:58And we haven't really seen Huck's wife and kid in quite some time.
13:03Any predictions or things?
13:04I dropped the gem.
13:05Did you catch it?
13:06You did.
13:06I caught it.
13:06Did you catch it?
13:07I did.
13:07I did.
13:07Okay.
13:07So, what are we thinking?
13:09Do you think they're going to bring them back in the finale?
13:10Maybe Huck's wife will die.
13:13I can see her dying.
13:14That's too easy, though.
13:16They can't do anything to Javi because I think he's really cute.
13:17Yeah.
13:18No, that means Shonda probably will kill him because you get attached to him.
13:21She's like George R.R. Martin.
13:22It's a problem.
13:23Don't get too attached to me.
13:25Don't get too attached.
13:26Don't get too attached.
13:26She's a grandmother, the Russian grandmother.
13:28She killed him.
13:28Exactly.
13:29And the kids died, too.
13:31Boom.
13:31Don't say this because he's young.
13:33Shonda won't kill him.
13:34You know what?
13:35I'm going to come back to you, ladies.
13:36Thank you so much.
13:37I'm so sorry that we're out of time.
13:38See, I'm wearing my scandal shirt, though.
13:40Shout out to her scandal shirt.
13:41Oh, yes.
13:42Oh, yes.
13:43See, that's why I'm wearing the shirt.
13:44Popcorn, wine, and scandal.
13:46All right.
13:46There we go.
13:47All right.
13:48Now, Lovie, you're sticking around for Slater Shade.
13:50I am.
13:50And before I let you ladies go, Corey, this week you attended several of the network up
13:55front, which is an annual presentation where TV execs give the press and potential advertisers
13:59a glimpse of the upcoming season.
14:01Anything pique your interest?
14:02Three things.
14:03Okay.
14:04The Will Packer produced show People Are Talking that's going to be on NBC.
14:07Oh.
14:08Completely funny.
14:09Forgive me for not knowing the actor's name, but he's going to be our new comedic actor
14:13that we love.
14:14Okay.
14:14Morris Chestnut, Fox's Rosewood.
14:17Remember that scene in Best Man Holiday where we saw the-
14:20The V?
14:21Yo.
14:21He gives us that.
14:22Yeah.
14:22Running on the beach in Miami.
14:24I'm watching it just for that.
14:25With, like, the sun glistening?
14:26Yes.
14:27I'm watching it just for that.
14:27Love that.
14:28Mm-hmm.
14:28And also, Anjanue Ellis, Secret Weapon in Hollywood, is on Quantico, starring a Bollywood star.
14:34She's not the- Anjanue's not the lead, but this show looks amazing.
14:39Nice.
14:39And that's also on ABC.
14:40Okay, awesome.
14:41Thank you so much for that.
14:42Our sister publications, Entertainment Weekly, and People joined forces to host a party celebrating
14:47all of the television upfronts held in New York, and it was a star-studded event.
14:51Corey, are you planning to attend any more this week?
14:53Are we going to keep you running all over the city?
14:55Any more upfronts?
14:55No, the last one I did this morning was The CW, and I was quietly happy because I love
15:00Jane the Virgin, so I was sitting there clapping for Gina Rodriguez, but no, I'm done.
15:06You're done.
15:06Now I just have to wait for the seasons to begin.
15:09September?
15:09Yep.
15:10Yep.
15:10And everybody, of course, scandal finale tonight.
15:13Oh, my God.
15:13You can interact with everyone via Twitter.
15:15Thank you, Corey.
15:16Coming up, we've got NeNe Leakes, but first, here's a special behind-the-scenes look at the
15:19Brothers of Empire from their June Essence magazine cover shoot.
15:22Let's watch.
15:23If the waitress gives away their reservation, cookie is going to go off.
15:51It's going to get ugly.
15:52Cookie will yell.
15:54Lucius will shoot you in the eye.
16:02Kanye comes in making a ruckus at Empire.
16:05Cookie is going off.
16:06You ain't got the answers, GZ.
16:08You ain't got the answers.
16:10Kanye!
16:12You ain't got all the answers, Kanye.
16:14You ain't got all the answers.
16:15Lucius!
16:21First of all, I didn't know that the Lions had a church.
16:23Lucius is going off.
16:26They got like a chapel inside of Empire Entertainment.
16:29Lucius already doesn't like my wife.
16:31There's no debunking in the Lions family.
16:35Something tells me that Lucius don't first.
16:42Well, if I brought a girlfriend over to have dinner and she's not feeling the food.
16:49I go off first.
16:52Jamal goes off first.
16:54I would tell her, it's time to go, baby.
16:57I don't know.
16:57Cookie goes off first.
16:58Lucius is going to.
16:58That's just rude.
17:00You got to be grateful.
17:01Who is this girl?
17:02Who is she?
17:04Who are you?
17:05Who are you now?
17:06Look at this.
17:06It's going to get crazy.
17:16Both of them are going off.
17:18They like to be fly.
17:19Guarantee you that's the moment that they join together and they beat some.
17:25PETA ain't going to tell them nothing.
17:27It's PETA.
17:28So they got some people and Empire got people.
17:31So this might be a little war.
17:32Cookie and Lucius will probably go off.
17:34They probably take that fur off and wrap somebody's life in it.
17:45Hi Essence, it's Brandy.
17:47I just want to say happy 45th anniversary.
17:49Oh my God, you guys are the best.
17:53My favorite Essence moment is when my mom and I got a chance to be on the cover.
17:58It was such a great moment for her and I to just share with everyone there
18:03and to actually see our faces on the cover of such a legendary monumental magazine.
18:10It was just, it was a dream come true.
18:14Welcome back to Essence Live.
18:15That was Miss Chicago herself, Brandy, giving us her favorite Essence moment.
18:19Brandy has been tearing up the stage in her role as the lovable, murderous Voxie Hart.
18:24Next week we'll have an exclusive behind the scenes look at Brandy's Broadway debut.
18:27We'll hear from the producers and the star herself.
18:30Trust me, you won't want to miss it.
18:31Moving on from one Broadway star to another,
18:34I recently sat down with Real Housewives of Atlanta's Mimi Bleeckx.
18:37She dissed on The Reunion her newest catchphrase
18:39and the one thing she says that gets under her castmate's skin the most.
18:43Check it out.
18:44So we're posing it out.
18:48We're trying to make sure we find our proper angles.
18:50How are you doing today?
18:51Good, how are you?
18:52I'm fabulous.
18:53You bring such amazing energy, so I'm super ready to go.
18:56Where do you think all of that animosity came from all of a sudden this season?
18:59Because literally every episode seemed to be about you,
19:02what you did or did not do allegedly or factually or whatever the case be.
19:06Where do you think that came from?
19:07Seven seasons in.
19:08Everything I did was wrong.
19:09When I apologized, it couldn't be accepted.
19:12You know, people tell you, if you do something wrong,
19:15maybe you said it wrong, maybe you hurt their feelings,
19:17go and apologize for it.
19:19I generally don't apologize for things
19:21because I always say, why should I apologize?
19:24That's how I felt.
19:26Right.
19:26So my husband would say, but Nene, apologize, okay?
19:30And I said, okay, so I'm going to apologize.
19:32And I would say, I apologize.
19:34No, you can't just apologize.
19:36What the heck?
19:36It's like you're damned if you do, you're damned if you don't.
19:38What do you want me to do, girl?
19:39I get what you're saying.
19:40So now, I'm like, now do I apologize or not?
19:42So everything I do, I was wrong.
19:45So that's how I came up with you right and I'm wrong.
19:48Simple solve.
19:49Yeah, so, but that even is not simple.
19:52It's not even simple.
19:53Then it became like a stare down.
19:55Well, then it has to get to a point where you realize,
19:56no matter what the answer is,
19:57if you're being met with a certain response,
19:59maybe it's not necessarily you that needs to solve it.
20:03You know, listen.
20:03Just a thought.
20:04I want to say this.
20:05I've been there the longest, which is true.
20:08I don't even know what else to say.
20:09I was there first.
20:10So being there first, the other girls that come,
20:13they hate when I say that.
20:14But if I leave, there will still be another person that says,
20:18I've been here the longest and the rest of the girls.
20:20So that will never change.
20:21I've had opportunities to come to me.
20:23Many fruitful ones, yes.
20:24And a lot of people come on the show
20:26and they want those opportunities
20:28or they feel like, for instance,
20:31there are girls on the show who says,
20:33I've been in the industry for 20 years.
20:35Nene's only been around for seven or eight years.
20:38Well, no, Nene's been around for 40-some years now.
20:42She may have not been in the industry for 40-something years,
20:45and if I were you, I wouldn't tell anybody
20:46that I've been in the industry for 20 years.
20:48No, that industry age thing works.
20:50We know how that works.
20:51You should tell people that
20:52because you really hadn't been in the industry that long.
20:54Because you didn't accomplish that much, girl.
20:56So I think they feel like I popped on the scene
21:00and I accomplished all of these things,
21:03and they've been in the industry for 20 years,
21:05as they say.
21:06I didn't say that.
21:07They say they've been in the industry for 20 years,
21:09and here I am.
21:10I just popped on the scene,
21:11and it's like I'm not worthy.
21:13You know, well...
21:15It's not...
21:16I understand what you're saying.
21:17You know, you can't necessarily go tit for tat
21:18in the years like that,
21:19but you mentioned something earlier about
21:22if I were to leave,
21:22somebody else would take my place.
21:24Yeah.
21:25Who would you like to replace on the cast,
21:28and who would you bring in,
21:29or would you not replace anyone?
21:31Well, I would personally replace
21:33some of the single women.
21:35I feel like we have a lot of single women
21:36on the show this season,
21:37and I absolutely think it's fun
21:40to have a single woman on the show
21:41because it's great.
21:42Like, when you have that single girlfriend
21:44and she's searching for love
21:45and we can all try to hook them up with a guy,
21:47I think that's fun.
21:48But I think we have a lot of single women
21:50this season on our show.
21:51So I think some of the single women should go.
21:55And...
21:56Who would you bring in?
21:57I would bring in...
21:59Not anyone, you know, specifically I'd bring in.
22:01Just bring in some more married women.
22:03Okay.
22:03And I would bring in women who have limitations.
22:08I think that we...
22:10Over the season, I think,
22:11they have cast women who have no limitations.
22:14Meaning women who are willing to do anything.
22:17They have no limits.
22:18I mean, if you tell them to go over here
22:20and chop somebody's head off,
22:21they're like, okay, ready?
22:23Chop.
22:23Right.
22:24You know, they're like,
22:25girl, have some limits.
22:26You know, like,
22:27have something that you won't do.
22:29You know, they'll do anything.
22:31Like, oh my God.
22:32Like, if the producers tell you
22:34that we need you to do so or something,
22:35you know what?
22:36I'm not gonna do that
22:37because that's just not me
22:38and I would never do something like that.
22:39And I still have to portray
22:40and carry myself a certain way.
22:41Yeah, I mean, do that.
22:42Say that.
22:42They don't.
22:43They're like, okay,
22:44I'm gonna do it
22:45because I really wanna be on this show
22:47and I have been in the business for 20 years
22:49and this is my last shot.
22:51And I understand what you're saying.
22:52I'm gonna use this platform
22:54for everything that it's worth.
22:55If you didn't catch that shot,
22:56if you didn't catch it,
22:58well, I don't know,
22:59maybe we'll throw it at you again
23:00a little bit later.
23:01I don't know.
23:01I've been on the industry for 20 years
23:02and this is my last shot at thing, girl.
23:05And I gotta go over here
23:06and chop her head off
23:07because I need this shit.
23:08That's the same position to be in.
23:10And I think that you would be more respected
23:12and I think that they would keep you around longer
23:15if you said, I'm not gonna do that.
23:18I am willing to do this
23:20but I'm not willing to do that.
23:22Now, I think that works better.
23:24You've launched so many things
23:25from this Housewives platform.
23:28You're a truth thespian.
23:29You've Broadway, eight shows a week.
23:32I mean, that's everyone's dream
23:34to reach Broadway.
23:36Your HSN collection, congratulations.
23:37I'm sure you have other ventures in the works.
23:40The Road Trip with Kim.
23:42What else do you have going on
23:43so that our Essence audience
23:44can keep their eyes peeled for you?
23:46Well, you know,
23:46one of the things that I have going on
23:48that I didn't even launch on Housewives,
23:50I have a t-shirt line.
23:51It's called Ism.
23:52Ism.
23:53By NeNe Leakes.
23:54And it sells out like crazy
23:57as all of pop culture sayings
23:59and a lot of my sayings like
24:01Girl Buy and Blue and Coins
24:04and It Girl and all of those things.
24:07And one of my newest ones is...
24:10Talk to me.
24:11Uh-uh.
24:11What?
24:12You're right.
24:14I'm wrong.
24:15I need that shirt.
24:16Okay.
24:17Single night tickets are on sale now.
24:20Our Saturday Superdome main stage acts are...
24:23Usher, Missy Elliott,
24:24Erykah Badu,
24:25Common,
24:26BD Man,
24:26and the Zagazal Band.
24:28In our Superlounge is the Art of Hip Hop
24:29sponsored by Coca-Cola features
24:30Cool Moe D,
24:32Mystical,
24:32Hot Right Now sponsored by Ford features
24:34Esperanza Spaulding,
24:35Molly Music,
24:36and 7th Streeter.
24:37For the love of R&B in the Essence Lounge
24:39features Bilal,
24:40Tank and the Bangers,
24:41Tanya Boyd Cannon,
24:42and now playing sponsored by Verizon features
24:44Raheem Devon,
24:45El Varner,
24:46buy your tickets now
24:47and bring the love.
25:07Welcome back to Essence Live.
25:09Let's not waste any time
25:11and get right into it.
25:12My absolute favorite part of the show.
25:14It's time for Slead or Shade.
25:17Our first panelist was here earlier in the show
25:19talking all things Scandal,
25:20and now she's back talking all things Shady.
25:22Austin Lee Levy,
25:23are you ready, girl?
25:24I'm ready.
25:24Oh, look, you already got your sign up.
25:25Oh, you got it ready.
25:27Super ready.
25:27She's super ready.
25:28Our next panelist is Essence Lifestyle
25:30and Relationship Editor,
25:31Sharia Jackson.
25:32Thank you for joining us.
25:33Thank you for returning.
25:34And finally, we have Charlie Penn,
25:36Essence's very own Relationship Editor.
25:37Are you feeling Shady today, girl?
25:39Oh, yeah.
25:39She's ready.
25:40Very.
25:40So here we go.
25:41Welcome all.
25:42We're just going to jump right into it.
25:43Let's talk about Diddy.
25:45During a recent appearance on Watch What Happens Live,
25:47shout out to Andy Cohen,
25:48the rapper openly admitted
25:50that he wasn't ready to commit to marriage,
25:51but was not opposed to committing to a love contract.
25:55According to Sean,
25:55this involves money and an agreement.
25:57He explained to, quote,
25:58You can't just love somebody and take them
26:01and y'all just part.
26:02Does Mr. Combs get a slay for this
26:04because he is openly communicating
26:05that he does not want to be married,
26:07which may not be for everybody,
26:09or should we shade Diddy's love contract
26:11because it's a cop-out on making a real commitment?
26:13All right, ladies,
26:14on the count of three,
26:14one, two, three, slate of shade.
26:16Ooh, shade, shade, and slay.
26:18All right, so I'm going to start with you, lovey.
26:21Why did you give the shade?
26:22I'm ready.
26:24Diddy and, like, his, like, collection of women.
26:26I just feel like he just doesn't want to commit.
26:30And, uh, yeah, one day, maybe he will,
26:32but not today.
26:33Now question, now question.
26:34He's very open and honest about
26:35what he's willing to do, marriage or not.
26:37Does that still make him shady?
26:40Because you're openly walking into these relationships
26:42knowing as a public figure that's not what he wants.
26:44Yeah, he gets an E forever.
26:46She's like, just an E.
26:47And an S for failure.
26:48Oh, okay.
26:49Segway, shade, talk to me.
26:52Well, I think, like, lovey said,
26:53it's definitely a cop-out,
26:54but let's say he's in the club one night,
26:56a Ciroc bottle slips and hits him in the head.
26:59Now he doesn't, the partner in your life,
27:01the person you're sharing your life with
27:02is showing up at the hospital.
27:03They might not even be able to see you
27:05because marriage is not just a certificate.
27:07It's also saying to the world
27:08that this is a person who I value in that place.
27:10So I think we have to see the value
27:12in what marriage brings to our community
27:14and also the financial benefits.
27:16So the wealthiest people in the world
27:18are also the married people.
27:19So if he wants to be a multibillionaire,
27:20he might want to consider a partner
27:23versus just wanting a companion.
27:25That was a gem.
27:25Come on, relationship.
27:27Charlie, talk to me.
27:27I'm going to give him a G for good job
27:29because Diddy knows who he is.
27:31So we went E-F-G.
27:33Okay, I like that.
27:34You're such an editor.
27:36Diddy knows who he is.
27:37You know, and he's saying
27:39that he doesn't want to get married.
27:40You know, he doesn't want to be about that life.
27:42He hasn't never really been about that life.
27:43No.
27:44And Cassie is about that life,
27:45and they have a contract.
27:46And the way I see it is, you know,
27:48love may not be forever, unfortunately,
27:50even though we want it to be.
27:51But I think they both want their bank accounts to be.
27:53So they're trying to figure out
27:54something that works for them.
27:55And I think when you're worth as much as Diddy is,
27:56you need some kind of contract.
27:57And Cassie is giving all the good years right now.
27:59Oh, you know, all of them.
28:00All of the good words.
28:01And you need some kind of contract.
28:02But that's a whole other subject.
28:02That's a whole other subject.
28:03And we're just assuming that the contract...
28:04Do you get an amount per year or...
28:06Well, we're just assuming that it only benefits Diddy.
28:08True.
28:09But we don't know.
28:09That's why I'm slaying.
28:10Because it might benefit her.
28:11It might be to protect her.
28:12We'll have to follow this.
28:13So we'll have to watch how this plays out.
28:14I'm sure something else will leak.
28:15But we'll have to watch how this plays out.
28:16So I'd say slid, Cassie.
28:18Slid.
28:18Okay.
28:19So our next subject.
28:20During a club appearance in L.A.,
28:22Amber Rose got a hold of a mic
28:24and went off on her ex, Mr. West.
28:26She claimed rapper Travis Scott was Kanye's ghostwriter.
28:29Hours later, Amber took to her Instagram
28:31not to apologize,
28:32but to blame the slip-up on the alcohol.
28:35Do we slay Amber for only saying
28:37what some in the industry have been saying for years,
28:39that Kanye doesn't write all his rhymes?
28:41Or do we shade Amber because she comes off as a bitter ex?
28:44You know the deal, ladies.
28:45Slade or shade?
28:46Here we go.
28:47Oh, oh, oh, oh!
28:49Two slays and a shade.
28:51Sheree, I'm going to start with you
28:53because Charlie, she's just not even playing with the tank.
28:55She's not even on the tank.
28:56If there was a way for us to give Amber Rose
28:58that glass of wine,
28:59I would love to hear more tea from her
29:01because you know what?
29:02He's already dragged her
29:03and said a lot of disrespectful things to her.
29:05So if she's going to bring some of the truth
29:06that he was saying on the pillow talk,
29:08I'm here for it.
29:09I think, I'm just ready to purchase
29:11and pre-order Amber's book
29:13because she has a Lipton Tea worth of tea on,
29:16a Lipton factory worth of tea on Kanye.
29:18And I would say shade and slay, right?
29:21So she threw like epic, massive shade on Kanye,
29:24but she slayed it because
29:26I would have been said something.
29:28The fact that it even took her this long,
29:29I feel like props to Amber for that.
29:31She didn't really start retaliating
29:32until he started saying.
29:33He tried it.
29:34He tried it.
29:35He like over-tried it.
29:37Over-tried it.
29:37Yeah, yeah, he did.
29:38And Charlie.
29:39I mean, it's a little shade, a little slay,
29:42but the reason I'm mostly shading
29:43is because I'm really just tired
29:44of seeing Amber and Kanye's name
29:46in the same headlines.
29:47You know what I mean?
29:48Like I'm just over it.
29:48I keep digging through the X-Files.
29:51You can't move forward.
29:52Ultimately, you know,
29:53and I mean, yes,
29:53because I want to read the book,
29:55because I want to watch the movie.
29:56I would love to hear more.
29:57So it could be a slay,
29:58but mostly it's just a shade
29:59because I'm over-talking about them.
30:01It's time to move on for everybody.
30:01I want her to move on.
30:02I want him to move on.
30:03I want everybody to try to be happy.
30:05Okay.
30:05You know, that's just what I want.
30:06That makes sense.
30:07All right.
30:07Our third and final topic.
30:09We've all seen pictures
30:10of singer-actress Christina Milian
30:12and rapper Lil Wayne
30:13out and about together,
30:15but there has yet to be
30:16an official statement released
30:18saying the two are dating.
30:19Until now.
30:20In a recent interview with E! News,
30:22Christina revealed she got a tattoo
30:23in honor of her relationship to Wayne,
30:25which reads,
30:26Love Hard TNT.
30:28The TNT seems to refer to her
30:29and Wayne's nicknames,
30:31Tina and Tunchy.
30:33Do we slay Christina
30:34because she's embracing love?
30:35Besides, it's her body
30:36and it's only initials.
30:37Or do we shade her
30:39because getting tatted up
30:40with somebody else's name
30:41or even initials
30:42is usually always a recipe
30:43for a relationship disaster?
30:45Let's do it.
30:46Here we go, ladies.
30:46Slade or shade?
30:47Oh, shade.
30:48Oh, we're all on the same page here.
30:50Oh, we got it.
30:50We're all on the same page.
30:51We're all on the same page.
30:52Okay, Charlie, I'll start with you.
30:53Let's get it.
30:54Okay.
30:55Tell me the shade.
30:55And let me just go ahead
30:56and put it out there.
30:57I have a love tattoo.
30:58Got it after being married.
30:59I feel like she's not in a position
31:01to be getting in.
31:02When did you get it, Charlie?
31:03After getting married.
31:04Okay.
31:04Okay.
31:05That was a gem.
31:05My husband has one, too.
31:06So I'm for tattoos
31:08and I'm for love,
31:09but I think you have to really
31:10think about whether or not
31:11you're actually in love
31:12before you get one
31:13and if it's going to last.
31:14And there's more of a commitment.
31:16Yeah, and I think,
31:17well, I think you have to know
31:18that you're in, you know,
31:19you're in something hopefully forever
31:20because that ink is going
31:21to be there forever.
31:22Right.
31:22And there's just no way
31:23she can know that.
31:24Look what she's dealing with.
31:25Look what we're talking about.
31:26Can we just say it?
31:27Absolutely.
31:28It's Lil Wayne.
31:29It's Lil Wayne.
31:30It's Lil Wayne.
31:30Explosions that have already happened
31:32before they named themselves TNT.
31:34So if your nickname for a couple
31:35is already a bomb,
31:37then that should be your sign
31:38that maybe,
31:39but I will give her
31:40just a little bit of slate
31:41because I'm sure she's already,
31:42her tattoo artist
31:43already created some options
31:45for when that doesn't work out.
31:46Because look at
31:47This is a drop-down menu.
31:49Look at Nick Cannon
31:50had to cover that huge Mariah
31:51on his back.
31:52So a slate for her tattoo artist
31:54who will have to creatively
31:55turn that into something else.
31:57I just love you.
31:58I love that.
31:58Shay, you just threw.
31:59That was epic.
32:01I love it.
32:01I'm here for that.
32:02That was epic.
32:03That was epic.
32:04I love it.
32:05All right, now, Lovey,
32:05we're going to wrap it up with you.
32:06I think Christina is a member
32:07of Team Bad Decisions.
32:09I do.
32:10I really do.
32:10Because on top of Wayne's reputation
32:15of going through women
32:17like, I don't know, locticians,
32:20I just think that she should know better
32:23because it's kind of like
32:24the kiss of death.
32:25Again, I'm not against tattoos.
32:26I have tattoos of a heart.
32:28You know what I'm saying?
32:29You know, shout out.
32:30But if you're with somebody
32:32and you're permanently inking a name,
32:35I need to be somebody
32:36who is more about their life
32:37than Lil Wayne,
32:38who is just not seen
32:41grounded in anything.
32:42Wayne's run out of space
32:44on his body
32:44to tattoo anything anyway.
32:45Wayne will tattoo his tongue
32:46at this point.
32:48Ooh, interesting point.
32:50His tattoo artist did mine.
32:52Oh, okay.
32:52Look at that.
32:53Look how we bring things together.
32:54Can you change it?
32:55Can you change it?
32:55Well, ladies.
32:56Like, white tees.
32:58You know what I mean?
32:58Like, seriously.
32:59Or, I'm sorry, girlfriends
33:00because they never get there.
33:01They never get that ring.
33:03So, and yet, she's got the tattoos.
33:05She's got the tattoos.
33:06Well, I know we can sit here
33:07and talk about this forever.
33:08And I'm sure we'll have
33:08lots of post-show chat.
33:10But that's what about does it
33:11for this episode of Essence Live.
33:13I'd love to thank
33:13all of today's guests.
33:15Make sure to tune in next week
33:16for our exclusive
33:17behind-the-scenes look
33:18at Brandi's Broadway debut
33:19in Chicago.
33:20And please don't forget
33:21that tickets for Essence Festival
33:22are on sale now.
33:24It's a star-studded lineup
33:25that includes Kendrick Lamar,
33:27Mary J. Blige,
33:28Usher, Trey Songz,
33:29and performing Saturday
33:30in one of the super lounges,
33:31the singer-songwriter,
33:32Raheem Devon.
33:33I'm your host, Dana Blair.
33:34We'll see you right back here
33:36next week.
33:37And for your viewing pleasure,
33:38you can enjoy this acoustic performance
33:40from Raheem Devon himself.
33:41Bye-bye.
33:45They call me the love king,
33:47Sue Kuli-Jones,
33:48Smokey Temptations.
33:49You might know me
33:49just simply as Raheem Devon.
33:51And I'm proud to announce
33:52that I've been performing
33:52live at the Essence Festival
33:542015.
33:56The hashtag is Essence Fest
33:58while you're watching this
33:59and enjoying this.
34:00Acoustic version of some of the stuff
34:01that you'll see live.
34:03And I can't leave,
34:05I cannot leave
34:06without at least singing
34:07one of my favorite songs
34:08off of the new album.
34:09So this goes out
34:11to anybody out there
34:12that knows what it feels like
34:14when you love somebody.
34:16So little blues,
34:17little blues for you.
34:18When you love someone,
34:34when you love someone,
34:39love with,
34:44make it toss and turn,
34:48oh yeah,
34:49make it toss and turn.
34:55Love will
34:56make you
34:59longer learn,
35:02oh yeah,
35:03when you love somebody,
35:07when you love somebody,
35:11you'll be speechless and spellbound,
35:25when it's got a hold on you.
35:31Ain't it something,
35:32yeah,
35:33oh yeah,
35:35when love's got a hold on you,
35:41it'll make your heart feel alone.
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