Kanye West’s Mother Passes Away

Like many of you, I’ve just read the reports that Kanye West’s mom, Dr. Donda West, passed away Saturday night in Los Angeles. While there is speculation as to the cause of death, what prompted the 58-year-old woman’s sudden passing has not been confirmed.

I have joked a lot about Kanye, mainly referring to him as a guilty pleasure because I love his music but struggle with accepting his boisterous personality. Despite this, I admit the excitement I felt when he recently topped 50 Cent in their September 11 record sales battle to see which MC would come out on top with the best first week sales numbers. Kanye did it in a big way, besting 50 by 260,000 album sales. Kanye almost sold a million copies in one week.

I think we can all agree that our connection with Kanye’s music has a great deal to do with his message. Whether it was him blurting out “President Bush doesn’t care about Black people” just days after the Hurricane Katrina devastation, his brutal honesty in his debut single “Through The Wire” that chronicled his near death experience or his own admittance that he sometimes “acts more stupidly” as he raps in “Can’t Tell Me Nothing,” he has represented one of hip hop’s most significant voices.

Kanye is not Tupac, but he delivers the same type of honesty that people either love or hate.

Without a doubt, Kanye’s upbringing has everything to do with who he is today. So we can not celebrate his successes without also acknowledging his mother. We owe Dr. West thanks for giving us a son whose contribution to hip hop would forever impact the genre. It has been great during his reign to see that hip hop’s influence transcends just gangsta rap.

In May, Dr. West published the book Raising Kanye: Life Lessons From The Mother Of A Hip-Hop Star. Since 2004, she has been working with her son, including serving as chief executive of West Brands LLC, as well as the chairwoman of his Kanye West Foundation educational nonprofit program.

Donda West worked as a professor at Brown College and Chicago State University. At the latter, she was a former chairwoman of the English department.

On Kanye’s Late Registration album he dedicated the song “Hey Mama” to her.

In one verse he rapped about her support of his pursuit of his hip hop career:

“Forrest Gump mama said, life is like a box of chocolates,
My mama told me go to school, get your doctorate,
Somethin to fall back on, you could profit with,
But still supported me when I did the opposite”

Thank you Dr. Donda West. May you rest in peace. ~ Billy Johnson, Jr.

• Kanye West Website: http://www.westlord.com/kanye-west/

Emmanuelle Seigner Biography and Photos

Emmanuelle Seigner (born June 22, 1966) is a French actress and former fashion model. Seigner was born in Paris, France to a photographer father and a journalist mother. She is the granddaughter of the respected French actor Louis Seigner (1903-1991) and sister of the actress Mathilde Seigner.

She was educated at a Catholic convent school, and began modelling at the age of fourteen, capitalizing on her beauty. She achieved international status as a professional model. She married the Polish film director Roman Polanski in 1989, and they have two children, Morgane and Elvis. He directed her in Frantic, with Harrison Ford and later in Bitter Moon, as well as The Ninth Gate with Johnny Depp.

In addition to her high-profile marriage to internationally renowned filmmaker Roman Polanski, actress Emmanuelle Seigner has utilized her enigmatic beauty to striking effect in such films as Jean-Luc Godard’s Détective and Polanski’s dark supernatural thriller The Ninth Gate.

A native of Paris and the daughter of a prolific photographer father and journalist mother, Seigner was no stranger to show business. Grandfather Louis and aunt Françoise were both members of the renowned Comédie Française, a theater company with a history that reaches back as far as 1680. Raised at a convent school before embarking on a career in modeling at age 14, Seigner’s unusual beauty found the blossoming cover girl eventually making a segue into film.

Seigner made her screen debut in the 1984 romantic drama Year of the Jellyfish, and it wasn’t long before her acting career was gaining momentum with Godard’s Détective and the 1986 drama Cours Privé. A year after appearing as Harrison Ford’s missing wife in Polanski’s Frantic (1989), the screen beauty exchanged wedding vows with the diminutive director.

Subsequently appearing in such Polanski efforts as Bitter Moon (1992) and The Ninth Gate (1999), Seigner also found success in her own right when nominated for a Best Supporting Actress César for her performance in the 1998 drama Place Vendôme.

Her role as the mysterious neighbor in 1999’s Buddy Boy utilized her beauty to striking effect, and in 2003 Seigner took the lead as a stripper who escapes the seedy world of men’s clubs only to uncover a horrifying secret about her husband in Corps à corps. With her high-profile role in the 2003 action film Os Imortais, it appeared as if Seigner might finally be escaping the legendary shadow of her husband to build a respectable onscreen career of her own.

Seigner appears as the main character in the music video “Hands Around my Throat” by Death In Vegas. In 2006 she became lead singer of the French band Ultra Orange, and the group’s name was changed to Ultra Orange and Emmanuelle.

Haifa Wehbe new Wallpapers and Photos

Haifa Wehbe (Arabic: هيفا وهبي also spelled Haifa Wehbeh, Haifa Wahbi, Hayfa Wehbe, Hayfa Wehbi; born March 10, 1976), is a Lebanese model, actress, and singer who rose to fame in the Arab world as runner up for ‘Miss Lebanon’ and later the release of her debut album Huwa az-Zaman (Arabic: هو الزمن It is Time).

Wehbe was born in a small farming town near Southern Lebanon from a shiite father and christian mother . She grew up listening to jazz and R&B. She became a model at a very young age and won the title of “Miss South Lebanon” at age sixteen.

Wehbe’s next distinction came in 1995 when she was runner up for Miss Lebanon. It was shortly discovered that she was married and had a daughter named Zeinab (Zaza). Her title was thus revoked. By 1996, she had recovered from the scandal and continued to model. She was seen on over 100 magazine covers. In 2006, she was on People Magazine’s 50 most beautiful people list.
She released her first album, titled Huwa az-Zaman (Arabic: هو الزمن It is Time) which was a hit thanks to her debut single “Agoul Ahwak” (I say I love you)”.
Her second album Baddi ‘Ayš (Arabic: بدي عيش I Want to Live) was released in 2005 and lived up to expectations due to the success of its lead single “Hayat Albi.” Released after the assassination of Lebanese politician Rafik Hariri, the song of the same name is about “freedom, considered to be among the most basic of human rights.”

Her follow-up single was her biggest hit to date, “Ana Haifa” (I am Haifa) which became her novelty song. In 2006 she released a follow up single Bus al-Wawa which so far has sold respectably.

On June 10, 2006 Haifa became the first artist in the Arab world to perform with rapper 50 Cent when she performed as an opening act for his first concert in Lebanon, at BIEL in Beirut.

She remains popular among Lebanon’s youth and makes countless television appearances. In July 2005, Wehbe, along with 14 other celebrities from the Arab world, began airing the live pan-Arab reality show series The Valley (Arabic: الوادي Al-Wadi), based on the French reality show La Ferme Célébrités. The show aired for three months. The show featured weekly live performances in which Wehbe played a central role as well as singing songs from her new album.
Her other non-musical successes include a few movie roles and TV hosting. Wehbe has also designed her own range of diamond jewelry. She has also been a spokesperson for Pepsi.

Her three sisters are Alia, Hanna and Rola. The singer lost her brother at the age of 24 during 1982 Lebanon War. During Wehbe’s marriage, she gave birth to a daughter named Zeinab Zaza. Wehbe has not seen her child since the divorce. Her ex-husband has engaged in parental alienation for over 10 years.

In 2005, she announced her engagement to a Saudi businessman Tariq Al-Jaffali. After only a few weeks, she and her fiancé decided to split for personal reasons and family issues.

During the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict, she left her home, in Verdun, Beirut and moved to Egypt for the duration of the conflict. In a concert in the Lebanese town of Jounieh, Wehbe congratulated Hassan Nasrallah for his stand against Israel during the war.

In a further interview with Reuters, Wehbe stated that Israel attacked Lebanese civilians intentionally while Hezbollah attacked only military targets. “ I believe the whole world knows who started this war and who aggressed on whose land. There isn’t a war that starts from nothing and he who begins is the unjust one.” Wehbe also refused to perform at any concert during the 34 days of the war including fundraisers saying that there were more ways than one to show support for Lebanon

Her revealing outfits have been considered scandalous in some conservative countries In March of 2006, a video of Wehbe’s dress coming undone reportedly circulated on the web. Her management stated that the video was fabricated and “not worth worrying about.” She was ranked forty-nine in the 2006 Edition of the Top 99 Most Desirable Women by the website AskMen.com.

Haifa Wehbe Wallpapers and Photos: http://www.snoron.com/haifa-wehbe/

Christina Milian Desktop Wallpapers

Christina Milian (born September 26, 1981) is an American R&B and pop singer, songwriter, record producer, dancer, actress, and former MTV VJ. She has released three studio albums and one compilation album.

She has also had four solo top five singles (and also a top ten featuring credit single) in the UK as well as hits in the rest of Europe and North America. As an actress, Milian appeared in the 2003 film Love Don’t Cost a Thing opposite Nick Cannon. Milian wrote songs for Jennifer Lopez, Paula DeAnda, and PYT’s. She also starred as singer Linda Moon in Be Cool, the sequel to Get Shorty, and appeared in the 2006 horror film Pulse.

Multi-talented singer-actress Christina Milian first won the admiration of teenage fans when she starred opposite Nick Cannon in the feature film “Love Don’t Cost a Thing” (2003). Two years later, in the disappointing sequel to “Get Shorty” (1995), she portrayed a character close to herself, singer Linda Moon, in “Be Cool,” holding her own alongside Hollywood heavyweights John Travolta, Uma Thurman and Vince Vaughn No matter what project the Grammy-nominated singer took on, she wowed audiences with her undeniable onscreen presence, as well as her impressive pipes on both record and before live audiences. Milian could, literally, do it all.

Milian was born Christine Flores on Sept. 26, 1981 in Jersey City, NJ to Cuban immigrants Don and Carmen Flores. The oldest of three daughters, Milian’s family moved to Maryland shortly after her birth. After figuring out early on that acting was in her blood, the young girl began landing commercials for Wendy’s Hamburgers and Honeycombs cereal, as well as the lead role in a stage production of “Annie.” No small feat, considering that she lived in Maryland – a long way from the entertainment industry. The budding actress soon exhausted all of the opportunities Maryland could offer, so Carmen Flores, realizing her daughter’s potential, moved to Los Angeles with her three daughters when Milian was only 13 years old. Milian’s father stayed behind in Maryland. Moving to Los Angeles ended up making the singer’s dreams come true, but they came at a price. The distance proved to be too great a strain on her parent’s marriage and they soon divorced.

After only a few years struggling to make inroads in Hollywood, in 1998, Milian lent her considerable vocal talents to a small role in the animated feature “A Bug’s Life.” The following year, the attractive actress landed another small part, playing the unlikely role of a band geek in the hit teenage gross-out feature film franchise, “American Pie” (1999). As any struggling actress, she continued adding small roles to her resume, guest appearing on television sitcoms like “Charmed” (WB 1998-2006), “Clueless” (UPN 1996-99), and “The Steve Harvey Show” (WB 1996-2002).

Her first pivotal role arrived courtesy of MTV, when, in 2001, they hired her as the host of the little known series “Wannabe.” (MTV, 2001- ). The role was significant simply because it led to a meeting with director Joseph Kahn who invited Milian to audition for his slick, high octane, motorcycle flick, “Torque” (2004). The audition was a success and she landed the role of girlfriend to of one of the bikers. Though the film was not a huge success, it led to more and more film roles.

In 2003, Milian snared one of her most recognizable roles – starring as a popular cheerleader hired by the class geek (Nick Cannon) to turn him into a heartthrob in “Love Don’t Cost a Thing.” The feature film was a remake of the 1987 hit “Can’t Buy Me Love” starring a young Patrick Dempsey in the role of the class loser. The film put Milian one step closer to the stardom she craved. For the film, she not only gained major media exposure, but won a multitude of young fans and three Teen Choice Award Nominations. She also temporarily won the heart of co-star Nick Cannon. The up-and-coming young couple dated for more than two years until parting ways amidst rumors of Cannon’s penchant for philandering.

Continuing with her feature film career, Milian starred in the comedy, “Man of the House” (2005). After playing one of several underdressed and overexposed University of Texas cheerleaders being protected by grumpy Texas Ranger (Tommy Lee Jones) after they witness a murder, the editors of Maxim magazine had obviously taken notice of Milian’s physical gifts. In 2006, they named the starlet #10 on their highly touted “Hot 100” list.

Adding a unique edge to Milian’s marketability was the fact that this actress could really sing. In 2000 she supplied rapper Ja Rule with guest vocals on his hit single “Between Me and You.” She next co-wrote and sang extensive back-up for Jennifer Lopez’s 2001 hit, “Play,” featured on Lopez’s album J. Lo. In 2001 she released her debut self-titled solo album Christina Milian. She followed up with It’s about Time in 2004, garnering her a Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary R&B Album.

In 2006 she came out in support of pal Jessica Simpson by performing on roller skates in Simpson’s music video, “A Public Affair” along with Eva Longoria and Christina Applegate. That same year she released her third album So Amazin, featuring the catchy single, “Say I.” Despite her obvious talent and a Grammy nomination, all three albums were only moderately successful. It was alleged that due to weak album sales, Milian left the Island Def Jam record label after the release of her third album in 2006.

Going back to her first love, Milian returned to the big screen in the teenage horror flick “Pulse” (2006) – a teen horror flick about a group of college students being terrorized by evil spirits living in computers. The film also starred Kristen Belle of “Veronica Mars” (WB 2004- ) fame and was penned by horror legend Wes Craven.

• Christina Milian Desktop Wallpapers: http://www.snoron.com/christina-milian/
• Christina Milian Website: http://www.westlord.com/christina-milian/

Jamie Lynn Spears Photos and Biography

Jamie Lynn Marie Spears (born April 4, 1991) is an American actress and singer. She is best known for starring in the Nickelodeon television series Zoey 101 and as the sister of Britney Spears. Spears, the youngest of the family, also has a brother, Bryan.

Spears appeared in 2001’s Total Britney Live and in a Pepsi commercial in 2002. In the same year, she appeared briefly in the movie Crossroads, as the younger version of the main character, Lucy, who was played by her older sister.

Like many youngsters with celebrity siblings, Jamie Lynn Spears has often been linked to the shadows of her older sister Britney Spears, pop singer and dancer who is often the subject of many controversies. But with her own television show, Zoey 101, she has gradually established her own following and has emerged as a thriving teen star that has caught the attention of various award-giving bodies.

“It’s hard when your sister is very famous and the whole world knows her, follows her every move and bashes her. You also get bashed just because you’re her sister. People need to see that I am my own person and I don’t want to be like my sister. I am trying to be my own person and I am happy being myself,” she told Orato’s Michelle Kenneth.

Yeah, I am Britney Spears’ sister and stuff, but I am also Jamie Lynn Spears, star of a hit show and I have my own life. I hope that in the future when I do sing that people will treat me as my own person and not say ‘she’s just following her sister’s footsteps’ or that the reason why I am a star is because of who my sister is,” she added.

Although Jamie Lynn Spears wants to eventually pursue a singing career and still looks up to her sister’s achievements in the music world, she has no intentions of directly following her sister’s footsteps.

“I just want my fans and media to treat me as myself. I don’t want to be just Britney Spears’ little sister. I want to be my own woman and be known for my acting and singing.”
At 16, she tries to live a normal teenage life while living in the limelight as the star of Zoey 101, in which she plays Zoey Brooks.

“Right now, I am happy with where I am in life and acting. I would like to maybe do some films later on down the road. But with Zoey doing so well right now, being 16 and still a teenager, I enjoy doing just Zoey during the summer and then going to school and cheerleading during the time we are not filming…just being a normal teen,” she revealed.

“I enjoy spending time with my friends, going to malls, watching movies, go-carting, camping and doing teenage stuff… It’s hard being a teen and a celeb, because you have the whole world watching you. You’re pretty much followed around, being recorded and having your photo taken no matter what you do,” she added.

For two seasons, Jamie-Lynn was a cast member on the comedy-variety show on Nickelodeon, All That. While on All That, she played many different characters, including one of her own creation- Thelma Stump, an 80-year-old bodyguard who loves bacon. She also did many On-Air Dares (a Nickelodeon version of Fear Factor) skits where she and other All That cast members had to do many disgusting tasks. She eventually left All That to star in Zoey 101.

Jamie-Lynn garnered her first starring role as Zoey Brooks in the Emmy Nominated Nickelodeon television show, Zoey 101. When the show debuted in January 2005, the show drew record numbers with the premiere of the show, which gave the channel viewers aged 9-14, its biggest viewership in the demographic for a premiere in eight years. Jamie-Lynn stars as one of the first girls to enter a formerly all-boy boarding school called Pacific Coast Academy. Zoey 101 was nominated for a 2005 Emmy. In 2006, Spears won a Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards blimp for best Female TV Star and best TV Female Actress. Spears also sings the theme song for the show, which was co-written by Emily Bob and her older sister Britney, entitled “Follow Me”.

Spears attended school at Parklane Academy in McComb, Mississippi, where she was a cheerleader and was involved in other sports, and is continuing her education there by online correspondence. On December 18, 2007, it was announced in an article in OK! Magazine, to be released on December 19, 2007, that Jamie-Lynn is 12 weeks pregnant.

She and her mother spoke to the magazine in an exclusive interview. Nickelodeon, the network that carries Spears’ series Zoey 101, issued the following statement shortly after the announcement: We respect Jamie-Lynn’s decision to take responsibility in this sensitive and personal situation. We know this is a very difficult time for her and her family, and our primary concern right now is for Jamie Lynn’s well being.

The father is Casey Aldridge, 19 at the time, whom she met through church. Spears stated shortly before Thanksgiving that she had no steady boyfriend.

• Source: http://www.snoron.com/
• Britney Spears Website: http://www.westlord.com/britney-spears/