Black Celebrity Men

Michael was finally and permanently laid to rest last night. At 9:43 p.m. (pacific standard time) to be exact. I had said that I wasn't going to post anything regarding Michael's funeral because it felt like it would do nothing but open up old wounds and make me start bawling like a baby all over again. It just hurts too much. Below are several details from his funeral.

• Paris Jackson wept as she stepped into the mausoleum where her father, Michael, was to be entombed. As Jackson's brothers carried his golden casket from an outdoor seating area into the mausoleum, Katherine Jackson, overcome by sorrow, turned back when she was faced with her son's final resting place.

• The Rev. Al Sharpton, who gave a eulogy at the public event and at Thursday's service, also extolled Knight's earlier performance of The Lord's Prayer. "Gladys Knight sang her heart out. Now we prepare to lay him to rest," Sharpton posted on his Twitter account during the service that was held outside and then within the marble mausoleum.

• The mourners followed the crowned, lushly flower-draped casket as Jackson's five brothers — each wearing a bright red tie and a single crystal-studded glove — carried it into the mausoleum. The 11-year-old Paris cried as the group entered the imposing building and was comforted by her aunt, LaToya.

• Paris and brothers Prince Michael, 12, and Prince Michael II, 7, known as Blanket, began the service by placing the crown on their father's golden casket. They were composed through most of the hour-and-a-half ceremony.

• Jackson will share eternity at Forest Lawn with the likes of Clark Gable, Jean Harlow and W.C. Fields, entombed alongside them in the mausoleum that will be all but off-limits to adoring fans who might otherwise turn the pop star's grave into a shrine. The closest the public will be able to get to Jackson's vault is a portion of the mausoleum that displays "The Last Supper Window," a life-size stained-glass re-creation of Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece.

• "I feel like I watched Michael finally given some peace and I made a commitment to make sure his legacy and what he stood for lives on," Sharpton said outside the restaurant around midnight. "So at one level we're relieved; another level we're obligated."

MORE PICS AFTER THE JUMP

He has written, produced and starred in stage plays that have grossed millions of dollars in dvd sales, became a best-selling author, wrote, produced, directed and starred in several blockbuster movies and he even sent a bus load of lil black kids to Disney World after they were denied admittance into a swimming pool at a predominately white country-club. So what's next for Tyler Perry? His own television talk show. In an email sent to everyone (including me, yeah I know) on his mailing list, Tyler wrote the following:

I'm thinking about doing a Talk Show… just once a week... that's it. So I did sort of a test to see if I can do it. It's going to air on September 9th, that's next Wednesday, on TBS at 11:00pm, after HOUSE OF PAYNE and new episodes of MEET THE BROWNS. Pastor Marvin Winans, Gladys Knight, Adam Rodriguez and Taraji P. Henson are all my guests, with a special Mary J. Blige video. So next week check out the show. After you watch it, please go to my message board, if you're still up (LOL), and tell me what you think. Now be honest! Don't have me trying to do a Talk Show and it's terrible, (LOL). Tell me the truth. If I can count on anybody to keep it real with me, you know it's you…(SMILE). I hope you like it.

If you're thinking the same thing I'm thinking, you're probably saying to yourself, 'he's done this talk show thing once before to promote his movie Why Did I Get Married (with the entire cast) back in 2007, so why in the world does he need to 'sort of do a test to see if he can do it'?' Well, yall's guess is about as good as mine. But if this is what tickles his pickle, I say go for what you know, T.P.

If this talk show actually becomes the real thing, I'll bet yall dollars to donuts I know what he'll name it: Tyler Perry Presents the Tyler Perry Show. Am I lying? Yall know how he do!
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So now he wants to claim he doesn't remember beating the brakes off of Rihanna? Mmm-hmm. That's what he told Larry King last week in a taped interview that will be air Wednesday night at 9 pm on CNN. And although he says he doesn't remember bashing Rihanna's face in, he does insist and swears he'll never hit another woman again. Chris also said he still loves Rihanna and that it's tough for him to look at the photo showing Rihanna’s battered face, the one image that might haunt and define him forever. “When I look at it now, it’s just like, wow, like, I can’t believe that that actually happened.”

Contrary to reports and rumors after the incident claiming Chris and Rihanna had kissed and made up, Chris says he has not seen Rihanna for a couple of months, and said the separation has been difficult, especially when it comes to her dating others, but they’ll always be friends.

In another interview with People magazine, Chris also made the following revelations:

• He still loves Rihanna: "I never fell out of love with her. That just wouldn't go away."

• How he felt right after the assault: "I was distraught … I went to my mom on the same night and told [her] what happened and broke down."

• Why he's different from his stepfather, who he says regularly abused his mother: "I feel like he enjoyed it. He was an abuser. It was continuous. I used to be scared to go to bed. Nobody taught us a book on how to — how to control our emotions or our anger.” The 20-year-old said, “I wish I could have changed that night.”

Check out the clip below.

Common (real name Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr.) and his 12-year-old daughter, Omoye Assata Lynn, were seen shopping in Hollywood on Sunday.

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Kenny 'Babyface' Edmonds was spotted leaving the Ivy restaurant last Saturday with his ex-wife Tracey, their two sons, Brandon and Justin and Babyface's baby girl (with dancer Nikki Patenburg). Some may look at these pictures and go, 'what the hell?' But for me, this doesn't surprise me one bit. Both Babyface and Tracey have stated in several interviews that even though they're divorced, they still make an effort to spend quality time (family outings, vacations) together with their children. This outing is no exception. And in a way this is a very good look. It shows that there's no animosity between the former couple and Babyface's baby's mother.

P.S. My money is funny and my change is strange so yall are going to have to excuse the watermarks on the photos because I wasn't about to pay fifty-leven dollars for some untagged photos. Real talk.

I told my reader FrescaBella I'd post Idris Elba's Essence magazine photospread for her. So here you go, girl! And for a bittersweet extra treat, I've also included an excerpt from the interview where Idris talks about the kind of women he dates.

"You see actors with models and actresses, and it's so cliche. I'd rather date someone who's regular. But what often happens is that she faces huge criticism like, 'Why her? She's Miss Ordinary.'" Idris likes when a woman makes him feel needed. "Be an independent woman. I love that. But at the same time don't be ashamed to, you know, throw your toys on the floor and let me pick them up."

Isn't he something special? Now, earlier I mentioned the word 'bittersweet.' I used that word because although it's refreshing to know that this very sought after bachelor would rather date us 'regular' women, in real life, and much to many women's dismay, he's actually dating a regular, nice woman from New Jersey.

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Things are still going strong between Common and his girlfriend Serena Williams. The couple was lensed attending the Just Wright wrap party at Greenhouse in NYC last night.

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Producer Swizz Beats was spotted dining with his new boo, Alicia Keys at the VIP Club in St. Tropez. Though the pair initially dismissed the rumors of a relationship, last May Mr. Beatz admitted to having a relationship with songstress. He explained that he’s kept their relationship under wraps because he didn’t want to aggravate his ex-wife Mashonda and says that what he and Miss Keys have is “so precious.”

Professionally, Alicia and Swizz recently collaborated write and produce Million Dollar Bill for Whitney Houston’s seventh studio album, I Look to You. It was reported that Keys approached Clive Davis for permission to submit a song for the album.

Pics: FadedYouthBlog.com
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In all my years, I never heard of anyone celebrating being sentenced in the brutal beat-down of the year of their girlfriend. But that's what Chris Brown did at Hollywood nightclub Guys and Dolls just hours after he was ordered to serve five years probation, six months community service (removing graffiti and washing cars) and a year of domestic violence counseling. And judging by the reports of his celebration, he's apparently still a bit miffed at being denied the chance to pay homage to Michael Jackson at the B.E.T. awards and other events because being the attention whore that he is, Chris took it upon himself to hop up on a table and give an impromptu performance of Michael's Dirty Diana. Despite telling his probation officer that he had been "very depressed," he didn't look it Tuesday night. Also spotted with him was a woman who he appeared to be dating. According to one witness: "He stood up on the back of the booth when the song came on, got a mic and not only sung, but danced his a*s off. He didn't seem to care at all that everyone was watching him. He was in a totally good mood, just hanging out with his buddies. Then all of a sudden he decided to put on a little show."

Man, please!

After his performance, Chris said: "There was only one 'King of Pop'. We love you, Michael."

Below are pics of Chris Brown, Nelly and Chris' BBF (best buddy forever) Omarion and several of their 'fans' at Skateland.

MORE PICTURES & DETAILS ON CHRIS' SENTENCE AFTER THE JUMP!

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Congrats to T.I. who is still incarcerated on felony weapons charges. The rapper's last album aptly titled Paper Trail was certified double platinum by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America). That's a good look because most people aren't going to the record stores to purchase albums when they can easily (and illegally) download it on the Internet. Nearly a year after it's release (in September 2008), Paper Trail has remained on Billboard's Top 200 chart. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 568,000 copies in its first week, becoming T.I.'s best debut sales to date and the fourth highest debut of the year. It has also become T.I.'s most successful and biggest album to date.
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Can Usher look any happier? Was being married to Tameka that damn bad? Especially when you consider the fact that they were married less than two years...and separated for a year. What the hell did she do to him? Getting those emancipation papers (i.e. divorce) has literally made him a free man. Check out the pics of Usher vacaying on the sandy beaches of St. Tropez earlier week.

MORE PICS AFTER THE JUMP!

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MORE AFTER THE JUMP!

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Okay ladies, I have another Laz Alonso photoshoot for you all and this time it's better and sexier (at least in my opinion) than the last one. I had never received so many emails on any man I have featured on Black Celebrity Men (well, Lamman comes in at a close second) more than I have on Laz! The ladies love themselves some Laz...and looking at him, I can definitely understand why! Well, I have some good news for some of you. Unless he has hooked up with someone within the past two and a half months, Laz is very single and very available...at least according to a recent online interview I read. And yes, I'm late reporting it because I haven't updated this blog in a minute, but that's my bad. Now, if you're a true Laz Alonso fan, you'll melt once you read what he said. The article was mostly about his education, career and what it's like being a Latino living the Black experience. Well, just as sure as my name is SouthernGurl, I skipped through all of that mumbo-jumbo because 1.) I knew most of that information already; and 2.) I knew my readers would only be interested in knowing what's going on in his personal life. Some of yall are so nosy! LOL! Anyhoo, check out the excerpt I pulled from the interview.

LiveSteez: Oh come on! We have to know! Are you single?

Laz: Yes I am single. I've been single since 07.

LiveSteez: Why?

Laz: Well, [pause] um, I'm the type of dude that doesn't want a girlfriend unless I'm madly in love with her. If I'm in a relationship with a woman that I'm not madly in love with, then she's not going to get the Laz that I can give. She's just going to get a diluted version. If I'm not one hundred percent completely in it and head over heels, then I'd rather be single and just wait until I get smashed over the head with that feeling again. I'm not going to be in a relationship for the sake of being in one, you know? When I'm in an intimate relationship, I'm either all in or all out. I don't do half way. That's unfair.

LiveSteez: Hmm, quality vs. quantity for you then?

Laz: Oh, absolutely. When I'm in a relationship or have a girlfriend, she's my best friend. I want to do everything with her. If I'm out having fun without her, I'm mad that she's not there. When I find my other half, that's literally what they are, a part of me and vice versa. I know instantly when I have it, too. I've only felt that way a few times and it's like a tidal wave. I would never not give that to somebody and call myself their man. That, to me, is just a waste of their time and mine.

Laz also talked about his single status to Lossip.com. Let me find out he opened up more to them than he did to Livesteez Lounge!

Laz: You know, I’ve been single since ’07. When I get in a relationship, its basically a long one, you know what I mean? I don’t just jump in and out of relationships because, for me, I’m not going to get into a situation that I’m not 100% head-over-heels invested in. Its something that I can’t fake, I can’t create, I can’t fabricate. When it hits me, it hits me hard and I literally go all in. Forget about it, I want to see her everyday, I want her to be with me everyday, I want to go out with her, I want to eat with her, I want to party with her. Everything that I’m doing I want to include my girl! Its something that, for me, I don’t take lightly. We’re working our way toward marriage. That’s the way I look at it. I take my time. When I’m single, I’m dating people, I see people, because when it hits me over the head, I’m planning on being there for a while and I’m planning on going all in.

I’m in that stage when I’m waiting for it to hit me over the head again. The problem is that people end up dating somebody because they don’t want to be alone, and then they’re taking up that room in their lives. They’re occupying that space that should be left open for the right one. You just need to be patient and take a minute and just chill. That person will come. You just can’t force it. You’ve got to relax and sit back and let it happen, because it will happen.

The girl that I broke up with in ’07, we had an amazing relationship, granted that a big part of relationships is both people being ready for the same thing at the same time. And at the time, she was just out of a very intense relationship, so she wasn’t ready to commit on the level that I was. She still needed her time to decompress from her last situation. So, you know, it didn’t work out but I don’t love in fear. I go all in. If I meet someone that I really feel, and I like it…boom! I’m going in head-first.

Interview excerpts provided by: LiveSteez Lounge and Lossip.com

FIND OUT THE KIND OF GIRLS LAZ LIKES + MORE PICTURES FROM HIS PHOTOSHOOT AFTER THE JUMP!

Photos provided by F. Holder at HM magazine