Meagan Good, DeVon Franklin

Meagan Good Considered Returning To Celibacy After Divorce With Ex-Husband DeVon Franklin: When I Realized It Was Happening I Was Devastated! 

Meagan Good admitted she thought of taking a break from sex after her devastating divorce from DeVon Franklin.

In a recent interview with Essence, actress Meagan Good was candid about the feeling of failure and devastation as she went through a divorce with ex-husband DeVon Franklin after nine years of marriage. According to Meagan Good, the decision to walk away wasn’t hers. She shared:

“It’s nothing that I would have ever chosen, and when I realized that it was happening, I was devastated. I was like, ‘This is me, Lord. I did everything that I could do to the best of my ability. I don’t understand why I did all these things, and then this is my end result.’”

Despite author DeVon Franklin wanting to end their union she considers him to be “an incredible and beautiful person.” She put an end to the rumors that her ex-husband decided to leave due to infidelity, nor was it because she didn’t want to have children, which she insists she does. The 41-year-old said the circumstances that came with marriage was tough to deal with. She admitted:

 “I struggled with that. I was like, ‘I don’t know if I should be celibate now. I don’t know what I should do.’ I even was at a point early on when I felt, obviously, I still believe in Jesus, but I’m not sure what to believe about anything else anymore.”

As previously reported, the ex-couple took to social media to announce their split in Dec. 2021. In a joint statement, Good and Franklin, 44, shared:

“We are incredibly grateful for the life-changing years we’ve spent together as husband and wife. We are also extremely thankful to God for the testimony being created inside us both and for blessing our lives with each other.” 

Their divorce was settled on June, 23, 2022, a week before their 10-year wedding anniversary.

Devon Franklin, Meagan Good

Good revealed:

         “That was rough because my biggest fear was what happened between my mom and my dad would to happen to me, which is you’ve been with your husband for 10 years and you break up. I would say, ‘I’m never getting divorced. I’m in it forever, good, bad, whatever it is, I’m never going to give up. You’re my person, I’m your person, that’s it.’”

The “Stomp The Yard” star disclaimed God is not to blame for her divorce. She elaborated:

  “DeVon and I both have free will. So, I had to accept that God didn’t lie when he told me that was my husband. That was my husband. But he didn’t say we’d be together forever. God’s word remains true no matter what happens to you and if anything changes, it’s because sometimes life deals you cards you don’t expect or anticipate, but He’ll still bring you through it and He still has an incredible plan for your life.”

DeVon Franklin & Meagan Good

What are your thoughts on Meagan Good thinking about being celibate after divorce from DeVon Franklin? Tell us below.

[VIA]

The post Meagan Good Considered Returning To Celibacy After Divorce With Ex-Husband DeVon Franklin: When I Realized It Was Happening I Was Devastated! appeared first on theJasmineBRAND.

La La Anthony Receives Mixed Reactions For Resurfaced Video Expressing Her Work Ethic Beliefs: ‘When You Love What You Do, You Should Be Willing To Do It For Free’

It isn’t all about the money for La La Anthony. 

Recently, social media resurfaced a clip of an old interview La La Anthony had with radio host Angela Yee last year. During the segment, the media personality-turned-actress said that creators are missing major opportunities because they’re too focused on money. 

 La La Anthony said:

“When you love what you do, you should want to do it and be willing to do it, you know, for free.”

The 40-year-old, real name Alani Nicole Anthony, continued:

“I never took jobs because of money. I took jobs because I love them. I took jobs because I wanted to work with certain people and the money came as a result of that.”

She then said:

“I hear people all day in my world today [saying] ,‘I’m not taking that, they only offering this,’ and they’ll throw away a great acting opportunity or a great job because of they pay.”

She added:

“I just can’t do that, that’s just not how I do business.”

Despite the remarks coming from a good place, La La has received mixed reactions to her resurfaced comments.

One social media user said,

“I see where she is coming from, but every one does not have the privilege or luxury to do that.”

Another person, who agreed with the remarks, added,

“I think she’s speaking from experience. When she was hosting back then, she probably wasn’t getting nearly as much as Carson Daly on TRL. She did it for exposure. Thing’s definitely are different now, but she’s saying don’t throw away your blessings!!”

However, someone who didn’t agree with her opinion said,

“Lol she married someone who has money. Ppl probably wanna chase their passions but gotta eat and pay the rent.”

See more reactions below:

La La rose to stardom in the early 2000s when she worked as an MTV VJ on Total Request Live (TRL). Since then she has hosted multiple VH1 reality television reunion shows, including; “Flavor of Love,” “I Love New York,” and “For the Love of Ray J.”

She became more popular in the industry after she married NBA star Carmelo Anthony. The ex-couple share a 15-year-old son together, Kiyan Anthony. They divorced two years ago.

Lala Anthony, Carmelo Anthony, Kiyan AnthonyLately, La La has been focusing on her thriving acting career. She’s appeared in many TV shows and films, including; “Two Can Play That Game,” “You Got Served”  “Think Like a Man” and the Starz drama series “Power.” She currently stars in another 50 cent franchise, “Black Mafia Family,” as Markeisha Taylor.

What are your thoughts on La La Anthony’s comments?  Tell us below.

The post La La Anthony Receives Mixed Reactions For Resurfaced Video Expressing Her Work Ethic Beliefs: ‘When You Love What You Do, You Should Be Willing To Do It For Free’ appeared first on theJasmineBRAND.

J.K. Rowling

Author J.K. Rowling Isn’t Concerned About Anti-Trans Controversy Affecting Her Legacy: ‘I’ll Be Dead, I Care About Now’

J.K. Rowling is reportedly not concerned with her controversial stance on transgender women affecting her legacy.

In a new episode of the podcast “The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling,” the best-selling author, who is behind the Harry Potter series, cleared the air on her position on transgender women and reportedly claims people have deeply misunderstood her.

According to reports, J.K. Rowling, 57, claims she “never meant to upset anyone” with comments broadly seen as antagonistic toward transgender women. In regards to the backlash she’s received from fans that she has “ruined” her legacy, she counters that people who express such sentiments

“could not have misunderstood me more profoundly.”

J.K. Rowling reportedly says in the first episode,

“I do not walk around my house, thinking about my legacy. You know, what a pompous way to live your life walking around thinking, ‘What will my legacy be?’ Whatever, I’ll be dead. I care about now. I care about the living.”

During her conversation about her work, Rowling says in the podcast,

“I have had direct threats of violence, and I have had people coming to my house where my kids live, and I’ve had my address posted online. I’ve had what the police, anyway, would regard as credible threats.”

According to New York Times columnist Pamela Paul, the popular Harry Potter author is being attacked because “she has asserted the right to spaces for biological women only, such as domestic abuse shelters and sex-segregated prisons” and because Rowling believes “self-declared gender identity is insufficient” in determining a person’s legal gender status.

In June 2020, Rowling reportedly made comments about the transgender community when she tweeted among other things,

“If sex isn’t real, there’s no same-sex attraction. If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased.”

Rowling also has suggested that trans women “retain male patterns of criminality,” which makes them more likely than cisgender women to physically or sexually assault someone in a women’s locker room or shelter.

Harry Potter cast, J.K. Rowling

What are your thoughts on what J.K. Rowling had to say about her controversial trans comments? Let us know below! 

[VIA]

The post Author J.K. Rowling Isn’t Concerned About Anti-Trans Controversy Affecting Her Legacy: ‘I’ll Be Dead, I Care About Now’ appeared first on theJasmineBRAND.

Jasmine Brand, Angela Yee

Jasmine Brand Featured On Angela Yee’s “Established” [INTERVIEW]

The Breakfast Club radio personality Angela Yee interviewed theJasmineBRAND co-owner and entrepreneur Jasmine Brand to discuss how she built her brand from the ground up: how she get it started, her most memorable celebrity interviews, why she passed on an Oprah interview and more.

Watch the full interview below.

The post Jasmine Brand Featured On Angela Yee’s “Established” [INTERVIEW] appeared first on theJasmineBRAND.

Daniel ‘Booby’ Gibson

Bobby Gibson On Battling Depression, Feelings For Brooke Valentine + Joining LHHH

After we broke the story, announcing that Keyshia Cole and estranged husband Daniel “Booby” Gibson were joining the Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood cast, skeptics questioned whether the two have really moved on from one another – especially since they were living together.

In an exclusive interview with theJasmineBRAND.com, Booby sets the record straight, dishing on his motives for joining the hit VH1 series; his status with cast mate Brooke Valentine; why he lived with his ex wife and battling depression.  Check out excerpts below.

On the LHHH reunion:

It was real. I expected it to be like ‘everybody getting off what they needed to say, explaining they self.’ They came ready for war… I got hit with a curve ball.

Surprising moments from the Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood reunion: 

I can’t give away too much of it but me and Keyshia had a discussion on stage. We haven’t had a discussion like that in a while.

What was appealing about Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood: 

For me, I feel like everybody only knew me from basketball and my relationship with Keyshia, so I felt like being as we were finalizing our divorce and getting everything finished, we started our relationship on the BET network. So I felt like if we put that out there, why not put everything else out there, I wanted people to see me in a different light other than basketball.

On living with Keyshia Cole:

I think that’s what I was excited for the world to see, because I think the whole idea of having a babies mother, those relationships get toxic and can be tough. And I felt like the point that we’ve reached after a long time, we are able to co-parent real well, and at the time, I was dealing with a lot in terms of [my] career and I just hurt my knee again trying to work out and play basketball.. she was getting ready to finish her album and go on tour, so we was like it might work if we stay together.. we do things unconventional, things went smooth.

His relationship with Brooke Valentine:

Brooke, man, that’s my girl. On the show, I call her my baby because she knows me from Houston before I got married, but once we got married, we kinda lost contact and didn’t communicate like that, being out here, I didn’t have much family, and after I got divorced, we started back getting cool.

When he started looking at Brooke differently:

It’s still hard for me now though, because that’s my girl, yeah things got twisted, and we crossed the line, but it’s still hard to think of her as like anything different from my friend.

If he felt like he was used to make Brooke’s love interest, Marcus, jealous:

Yeah, and at first I was in on it, but I think what had happened was when she would tell me how she was being treated, I would say ‘maybe you should feel some heat, I am not trying to be with you,’ but what happened was it went too far, and we kinda started to develop feelings and got all mushy.

His portrayal on the show:

I don’t think people got a lot of my personality, I am pretty reserved, but there is a lot of more flavor to me, a lot of time I’ve been in scene it was like with a girl or my music.

The type of woman he’s looking for:

I need a woman who is very ambitious, a woman with something going on, that’s sexy to me, I don’t have a type, I like something nice to look at, it’s really like a connection thing for me, some reason I like a girl with a little attitude.

His opinion on Kevin Hart’s extortion cheating drama:

That’s a tough situation to be in, and sometimes, as men, we make stupid decisions. I don’t know that situation, and I don’t know if he did or did not, and it’s not my place to judge, as a man, if you do make a decision like that, you have to step up like a man on it, once that trust is broken, it’s hard to get it back.

Passion outside of music career:

My whole thing is being an advocate for people who have battled depression, I went thru a serious depression when I stopped playing basketball, I contemplated suicide, so I like to be a voice for people who might be dealing with those types of things.

See the full interview below.

By:@ike_morgan

Follow us: @theJasmineBRAND on Twitter | theJasmineBRAND on Facebook| theJasmineBRAND_ on Instagram

The post EXCLUSIVE: Booby Gibson – “I contemplated suicide” + Battling Depression, Feelings For Brooke Valentine & Why He Was Living w/ Ex Keyshia Cole appeared first on theJasmineBRAND.

DomiNque Perry Talks “Insecure”

Actress Dominique Perry and her role as Tasha has become on the most popular characters on Issa Rae’s hit show Insecure. Perry, who hails from Houston, has been acting since age 7, has appeared in Kevin Hart’s “Get Hard” and the fan favorite Underground.  In an exclusive, we spoke with Dominique on her thoughts about cheating, how she landed the role of Tasha, her family’s reaction to her nude scenes and how she is treated by fans. Check the interview below.

On if extra-marital affairs in an open marriage is considered cheating: 

I don’t feel like it’s cheating if you have an open marriage because she knows and it’s kind of like their agreement. So, if you have somebody that you see, is it cheating? That’s kind of what you signed up for as the wife or the husband.

On what is considered cheating in an open relationship: 

I feel like it’s considered cheating if you start really getting feelings for that other person. I feel like it’s only supposed to be what it is and then you go back to wifey or hubby. But if you start getting feelings, like emotionally, then it’s emotionally cheating.

On the way Lawrence treats Tasha after his breakup with Issa:

I know that’s what guys do. When they go through breakups they do so much crazy stuff, because they don’t know where their head is right now. They’re in such a crazy head space. But just to see him do that, and Lawerence being so sweet. It was shocking him acting like that.

On her start in acting: 

I’ve been acting since 7, literally. I started at the Ensemble Theatre downtown in Houston. There they taught me stage production, singing, acting, and dancing. I was with them during their main stage plays and musicals until 17. Then I went to Prairie View A&M [University] to major in Theatre. After that, I went to Texas Southern [University] and then I moved to Atlanta to start acting there. It’s been an ongoing thing. I’ve been acting forever, I never had a plan b.

On how she landed the role of Tasha in Insecure: 

I moved here [Los Angeles] last February, and my manager at the time told me about an audition for a new show they had coming up. I went in, did the audition. I was making everybody laugh. It was amazing. And that’s when I met Issa and everybody. It just went on from there.

On thinking that she didn’t get the role: 

There was a period of time where I didn’t think I got the role. But I really wanted the role For like 2-3 weeks straight I didn’t hear from them. Then I looked on Issa’s page and they had a picture of the table read. I was like ‘They done choose a Tasha.’ I’m calling my mom crying, ‘But I wanted that role, I was her.’ And before I knew it they called me for a chemistry read with Jay [Ellis].

On her first impression of Tasha: 

When I first read her, I thought she was so fun. She was so colorful. She exudes sexiness, but she was also a person who knew what she wanted. She was the around-the-way girl from the streets, but she’s trying to go back to school and stuff. So when I read her I was like, ‘Oh no, I like her.’ She a little hood, but she educated.

Sex Scenes with Jay Ellis: 

It’s a lot. It’s amazing though. It’s not as fun as everybody thinks. You have to keep that energy going on every take. So, it can be very tiring. You don’t even realize you’re pretty much naked and the world is going to see it when you’re doing it. And it’s a close set and everyone’s really respectful.

On her families reaction to the nudity scenes on the show: 

My family never talks about it. It’s kind of the elephant in the room. I’m kind of like, ‘Hey Granny, you know episode one you may to just…’ She’s like, ‘Girl, we watching it all.’ So, they never really tell me their opinions about it. We just leave that unspoken.”

On how people treat her outside of the show:

I love the attention, just because I’m apart of an epic show. I think that’s what I love the most about it. I think that’s how my life has changed, people are starting to take notice, which is what I been wanting them to do.

How certain celebs slid in her DM’s after seeing her sex scene on the season finale:

I’ve had a couple yes, slide in the DMs. Just from last season I had it. You know what? I noticed that ever since that season finale, I kinda separated it like – okay, you’re one of them “Finale N*ggas”. I call them “Finale N*ggas”. If you ain’t hit me up before that, you a “Finale N*gga” and I don’t want to rock with you. Cuz now I know what’s up. I know what you want. You ain’t even looking at my face!

Watch the full interview below.

-by Martel Sharpe

The post EXCLUSIVE: DomiNque Perry Talks Landing Tasha On “Insecure”, Sex Scenes w/ Jay Ellis & Celebs Sliding In Her DMs [INTERVIEW] appeared first on theJasmineBRAND.

Jackie Christie

Jackie Christie Talks Estranged Daughter, Spin-Off Rumors & Job Security

Season six of Basketball Wives L.A. has been one hell of a season for Jackie Christie. Although you might assume this was Christie’s toughest season – she insinuates this season was nothing short of easy. If you watched this season, then chances are you witnessed Christie attempt to dispel rumors of her parenting skills. You may have also witness a few verbal altercations including an ongoing feud with Evelyn Lozada, along with the outspoken reality star to her question and confronting her friendship with executive producer, Shaunie O’Neal. In an exclusive interview with theJasmineBRAND.com, along with the status of the relationship with her daughter Ta’Kari Lee, why she’s not concerned about being fired from the show and if she feels like she’s accurately portrayed. Check out the excerpts below.

Current Basketball Wives cast

For the first five seasons, a lot of the stuff was focused on me. It seemed I was on the outs with everybody. And then season five came in I started feeling like everybody’s grooving.

If this season has been the most difficult:

I think season one was the most challenging for me. It was five or six girls in Hawaii, they were fine when we got over and then they turned behind me and they were walking down the hallway behind Draya. They would clique up. That’s when I realized its not a game. We at war.

Tami, Jackie circa 2015

Her friendship with Tami Roman:

I feel like me and Tami have always had a great relationship. We have our words here and there, but there is a realness, respect, and love between the two of us. I really dig her. And I think this season [six] you see it really went to another love; with Tami and I.

Draya, Malaysia, Jackie, Brooke Bailey circa 2013

[I’ve] been knowing her for a very long time. Me and Malyasia have been here in L.A. – first season to now. We’ve been through some challenging times, but if you notice, we never crossed that line with each other.

Shaunie O’Neal

I felt like through the season we had been through so many ups and downs. and I kept trying to explain to her, ‘What’s going on between me and Evelyn is me and Evelyn, its not with you. Just fallback. Stay out of it.’ We had had a conversation, and I explained to her to stay out of it and there again, I find your back in it again.

If she’s concerned about job security (i.e. being axed from the show) when for confronting Shaunie, who is an executive producer: 

No. I’m not apprehensive. I’m not employed by Shaunie. Shaunie is not my boss. Shaunie is a cast member; a friend. And I don’t care who you are, if you’re disrespectful to me, I’m going to be Jackie Christie.

Jackie Christie, Takari Lee

You know, I prayed on it for a long time and I kept saying, at the end of the day, I love her – no matter what. A mother’s love for her child never changes. No matter what their child does to them. I have been nothing, but exemplary for Kari. Never spanked her, none of that stuff.

Whatever she is doing with this group of people that she is working with – or cult – its hurtful to me. I just decided to let the world keep being tricked and fooled.

If she and Takari are on speaking terms:

I don’t know why people are painting this facade. Yes, we have. And we always will.

Who may be responsible for drama with her daughter: 

This has happened before. It’s been going on six years. And this woman that’s pretending to be Kari’s manager is this cause of all this damage.

If she thinks old cast members should come return:

You know, I’d laugh. If you’re going to bring back other cast members from other shows – or this show – bring everybody! This show, like I said, ‘is my baby.’ So, we’ll see where it goes.

If she would come back to Basketball Wives LA:

Uh, that’s a trick question. Just tune in to the reunion, and yeah.

If she’s working on a spin-off: 

You know, I have been on for this spinoff for years and I kept turning it down because I was already on Basketball Wives, I don’t want to spread myself too thin. And make sure our viewers who are loyal to us, who watch every season that I’m not doing all this [spreading herself too thin]. But I think its time to diversify for me. I have a lot to offer and a lot to share. I’m working on several different projects.

The biggest misconceptions about her:

She’s a troublemaker, she’s dishonest, I’m a drunk. And the super mega misconception is that I’m mentally unstable.

If she is accurately portrayed on the show: 

I feel like I’m a hell of a entertainer. I feel like I’m very transparent. I’m raw and uncut.

If she ever has been drunk in her life:

I have never been drunk in my life. Never! Never!

Upcoming projects: 

Oh my God! I have plays coming up. I have Before You Say I Do in October. I have a movie coming out. I have another play with Shelly Garrett – Beauty Shop. Of course, if in the event we make our decision on season 7 [Basketball Wives], we will be back.

See the interview below.

By:@CaDarius_

The post EXCLUSIVE: Jackie Christie Not Fearful of Being Fired From Basketball Wives: Shaunie O’Neal Is Not My Boss + If She’s Prepping A Spin-Off [INTERVIEW] appeared first on theJasmineBRAND.

Long before he jumped into producing film and reality TV (he created the popular reality television series, Growing Up Hip Hop, along with a number of other non-scripted shows on BET) producer Datari Turner was an athlete who accidentally became a model.

In an exclusive interview with theJasmineBRAND.com, Datari explains how he got his start, which ultimately landed him behind-the-scenes in film and TV. Check out a few excerpts below of our part 1 interview.

On entering the entertainment industry through modeling:

I was an athlete my whole life. I grew up in the Bay Area, Richmond [Califonia] as well. And I got a full ride scholarship to go to the University of Oklahoma to play football. I was back during my break, walking through Union Square in San Fransico with my football homies when this lady asked me to sign up for this ‘Face Finders Model Search’. Literally, I had no aspirations of being in the entertainment industry. My dream was to play free safety for the 49ers and marry Aaliyah. She was like ‘You got a really great look,’ and I said, ‘I’ll sign up but you got to let all my friends sign up as well.’ And they’re like 6’5 300lb, so she looked very scared, but she let them sign up. Called me that night and said, ‘ I knew you wouldn’t have did it if I didn’t let your friends sign up, but you have a great look. Would you come back next week by yourself?’

How he landed a modeling contract: 

I ended up winning the best regional face for my age range. I was 18 at the time. I went to Palm Springs and I won ‘Best Face in California’. And then I went to New York and won the whole competition. So, the Ford Modeling Agency signed me to an exclusive contract. At that time they wanted me to move to New York and put me in a models apartment and my parents were like he’s on scholarship, that’s never going to happen. They were like ‘Well, we have branches all over the world. We have an L.A. branch as well.’ And my mother’s from Compton, so we drove down and met with the L.A. office.

On landing his first modeling job: 

Literally, within the first couple of weeks of being in L.A., I got this video in “I’m Dream”, which is like the Xscape, old school Keith Sweat video. I was like the lead guy in the video. They took polaroids of me and sent them to this photographer Bruce Weber, who discovered Tyson Beckford. He’s one of the most iconic photographers in history, and he used me for Abercrombie & Fitch. It was like a groundbreaking campaign at the time, because they have never used a Black person in any of their ad campaigns. So I shot with Ashton Kutcher who was a model at the time.

On his immediate success as a model: 

My career took off after that campaign. Within the first six months I did Banana Republic, Tommy Hilfiger, and then Puff started Sean John and signed me to a contract to be the face of the line for like 2 years.

On the differences between males and females in the modeling industry:

Once I got into the fashion business, it was a wild business. I didn’t appreciate it as much as I do now, looking back on it. It took me around the world. I got to work with so many iconic people, so many iconic photographers. But the fashion industry is the only industry where women completely dominated. I remember doing Tommy Hilfiger, I was making S10,000 a day. [Model] Joy [Bryant] is making $20,000 a day, and Rebecca Romijn is making $1 million. And I was a pretty big male model. I was making a lot of money, but I didn’t feel like that was going to make me really, really rich. The level of a model that I was as a man, there were female models that were below me, making $1million a year. Just, catalog models.

On why he transitioned from modeling to television/film: 

I feel like I was hitting the ceiling, where I was doing a lot of major campaigns but I was getting the Pradas. I wasn’t getting the Gucci [campaigns] and things like that. I’ve always been a planner and someone who looks at what my life is going to look like 10 years or 20 years from now. So, I was kind of going through a ‘mid-life-crisis’ at 23-years-old. I had already been in the business for 4 or 5 years. I was living in New York in an expensive apartment, I had a Range Rover. I’m doing my thing, but I was just like ‘What am I going to do 10 years from now?’ I took it back from square one and was like, ‘What else did I love as a kid besides sports?’ And movies was the only other thing that I really loved.

On writing his first screenplay, ‘Video Girl’: 

I went and bought a book, it was called ‘Save the Cat’. And it told you basically how to structure a screenplay in three acts. And the book said, ‘You are going to try to write a screenplay, why not write about something that you really know?’ I was the leading man in a lot of music videos in my career, and I know a lot of the music video girls and what happened to them. And stories that they were caught up in and that led me to write a screenplay called ‘Video Girl.’

On “Video Girl”: 

I wrote the first draft in 2002. I was living in New York still, I wrote it in 11 days. When I wrote the script, I wrote a treatment too. And I knew this executive who worked for John Singleton and she worked for this company, Mosaic Media Group for this producer Charles Roven who produced ‘The Dark Knight and ‘Batman Begins’. He produced ‘Idlewild’ with Outkast. They had a deal at the time with HBO to do three pictures. Idlewild was supposed to be the first project that they did. It was called ‘Speakerboxxx/The Love Below’ at the time. I sent her ‘Video Girl’ and she was just blown away. She was like, ‘You’re a model guy. You really wrote this? Who’s the ghostwriter?’ And I was like, ‘No, I really wrote this and I know this world. I know these girls.’ And they optioned the script from me. That’s how I got a literary agent and a film attorney.”

On how “Video Girl” almost didn’t happen:

[Vid 2, 5:55] ” ‘Video Girl’ was supposed to be an HBO original movie. It was supposed to come right after ‘Idlewild’. So, Outkast released an album and it ended up going diamond. And then the executive, basically thought that it was bigger than an HBO movie, that it was a theatrical release. So, what was supposed to be a $2 million HBO movie, turned into a $10 million movie, that got released at the box office and the movie didn’t do well. When the movie didn’t do well, the company was basically like they didn’t want to do urban no more. That’s what kind of happens when you get these big white producers that want to experiment with doing Black stuff and then it don’t work. And then they like ‘We good’. So I was able to get the option back, but during the course of working with this company is how I met Meagan [Good].”

Watch part 1 of the interview below.

Check back for part 2 where Datari reveals his start in producing reality TV, his relationship with Meagan Good and how ‘Growing Up Hip Hop’ almost didn’t happen.

By – Martel Sharpe

The post EXCLUSIVE: How Datari Turner’s Modeling Work Launched His TV & Film Production Career: I was making a lot of money, but it wasn’t going to make me rich. (INTERVIEW) appeared first on theJasmineBRAND.

Prentice Penny Reveals How He Connected w/ Issa Rae, Landed ‘Insecure’

HBO’s hit breakout show Insecure is officially back for season two! Sunday night (July 23rd), the Issa Rae led comedy officially returned taking over social media and forcing us to take sides (#LawrenceHive vs #IssaHive vs #ZaddyHive). And as expected, it returned with a bang. While we’re certainly a fan of the finished product (i.e. what viewers watch every Sunday night for the next few weeks), we’re equally interested in the magic that takes place behind the scenes. In a recent interview with Prentice Penny (the series’ show runner and executive producer), we get a glimpse of how he got his start in TV and film; how he connected with Issa Rae, what exactly ‘show runner’ means and why he believes people of color never get to be flawed on TV. Peep the excerpts below.

A post shared by Prentice Penny (@the_a_prentice) on Jul 16, 2017 at 12:34am PDT

How he got in this industry: 

I went to film school at USC, like most writers trying to hustle trying to get my first job I was a teacher, worked at a nonprofit, worked at a group home with foster kids, but I got my first job on ‘Girlfriends’.

If he always knew he wanted to work in this arena: 

Yeah, I always knew I wanted to do something creative. I grew up an only child so you got to use your imagination a lot. This is the time it was only four television stations and your grandparents would watch the news and I had no control over the TV. I had to make my own fun so I would just do stories and it became this.

How he connected with Issa Rae: 

I knew of Issa and my mom had told me about Issa because we’re from the same neighborhood. I read the script and thought somebody is going to mess this up. I thought this is too special, too unique, too right now so I wrote her a letter about why I thought I would be a good show runner for her. She read it and was like, ‘Let’s meet’. So we met at her book signing and we talked fifteen minutes and we just clicked.

Issa, along with the show’s co-stars Lisa Joyce, Natasha Rothwell, Yvonne Orji, Jay Ellis, showrunner/ep Prentice Penny, and executive producer Melina Matsoukas.

What ‘show runner’ means:

My job was to find a pilot director. My day to day, once we got picked up, it’s hiring writers, meeting with directors, Issa and I figuring out whats the story going to be about, supervise the casting, the music, and editing color.

What he meant in a recent interview when he said “people of color never get to be flawed on TV”: 

I mean we have to be extraordinary all the time. We’re the morality of a mainstream world, we have to be on this uber side of right. We never get to be basic and flawed we have to dance great and do this great we can’t just be like simple.

Watch the interview below.

For all things Prentice Penny, follow him on Twitter and Instagram. Check back next week for Part 2.

By:@kierraaleacia

The post EXCLUSIVE: Prentice Penny Reveals How He Connected w/ Issa Rae, Landed ‘Insecure’ Showrunner Gig (INTERVIEW) appeared first on theJasmineBRAND.

Erica Pinkett On Leaving Reality TV & Landing “All Eyez On ME” Role

New to the big screen, actress Erica Pinkett embodies her role as Ayana Jackson in the much talked about Tupac Shakur biopic, “All Eyez On Me.” Playing alongside Demetrius Shipp Jr., Cory Hardrict and Kat Graham, Erica proves that she is ready to take on Hollywood at full speed. Moving far past her days on VH1’s Love & Hip-Hop Atlanta, Erica has focused on perfecting her craft and uses her previous experience to sustain a spot within the industry.

In a recent conversation with theJasmineBrand.com correspondent @MalikkaMichelle, Erica discusses her Love & Hip-Hop Atlanta stint, warding off the negative opinions plaguing “All Eyez On Me,” and gaining respect in Hollywood after appearing on reality TV. Peep the excerpts below.

On how she got into acting: 

I moved to ATL in 2011 and when I moved I wasn’t even thinking about the entertainment industry at all. I had gone to Howard University for psychology so when I came down here, I was looking for non-profit work. Videos were an extra something on the side, and I fell in love with acting after my first few acting classes. I just did it just to do it. I fell in love with it.

Her experience on VH1’s Love & Hip-Hop Atlanta:

One of the things I’m thankful for because the Love & Hip-Hop opportunity allowed certain people in the film industry to see me. I had to prove myself. A lot of people they say that they act, or they do music, but they’re not really skilled. I’ve taken years and years of classes and coaching and direction and taking direction and guidance from my mentor.

On her transition from reality TV to the big screen:

It’s funny because when I first was doing reality TV and I was telling people my plan the whole time like, “I want to act! I want to act! I want to act,” everyone was telling me that that might not be possible because of this, that, and the third.These people in film they know what it is. They can separate the people who are in reality TV as a platform and the people who are just playing out here. Hard work will separate that.

Erica w/ Demetrius Shipp Jr. (the actor who played Tupac)

On the challenges in her role as Ayana Jackson in “All Eyez On Me”:

The biggest challenge was having to be in a state of hysteria for hours on set. This is not a normal human being. You and I cry in our daily lives, but we don’t cry for hours. We cry, and we keep it going. Maybe our head hurts after, but just imagine having to be in that state for hours.

On the rumors surrounding the film:

I remember going through some of my old paperwork the other day and seeing the original call sheet, and I had a moment because I was really honored to see Afeni Shakur’s name on there as an executive producer. It was a reminder of the integrity that this film really did have and no matter what anyone says, the fact of the matter is so many people had the opportunity to highlight Pac’s legacy over the years, but Benny Boom and L.T. Hutton got together and made it happen.

A lot of the nay-sayers when I talk to them they haven’t even seen the film because of what they think they’ve heard. I know because of experience that this was taken very seriously. No one had time to play with this project at all. I would just tell people that Pac wanted us all to think for ourselves and if you really want to judge this film, the first thing you have to do is go see it.

On Kendall and Kylie Jenner’s vintage t-shirt line featuring Tupac and Biggie:

I think we do a lot of things without thinking about how important something is. I think that both Pac and Biggie’s legacies are very important and anything that’s done around them should be done with love and respect and not just for money. I think that they apologized, but I think we need to put more thought in things that we say and put out into the world because there could be repercussions.

Listen to the complete interview below.

By:@malikkamichelle 

The post EXCLUSIVE: Erica Pinkett On Leaving “Love & Hip Hop Atlanta” & Landing “All Eyez On ME” Role + Movie Backlash (INTERVIEW) appeared first on theJasmineBRAND.