We all need a “Molly” in our lives and I’m not talking about the kind that causes panic attacks and profuse sweating. I’m referring to a friend that inspires you with their hustle, co-signs your craziness and is honest with you when you’re about to make a donkey’s behind out of yourself. If you’re a fan of Issa Rae’s hit show Insecure, you know that Yvonne Orji is the actress behind the corporate bad ass who has better luck practicing law than love as she and BFF Issa navigate the wins and L’s of their lives one trap song at a time.

The actress recently sat down with Her Agenda to talk about how she got her start as an actress, how her faith has helped guide the way to success and her career aside from the hit HBO series she’s come to be known for.

So how does a girl go from getting a master’s in Public Health to jumping in front of the camera? 33-year-old Orji says she literally stepped out on faith:

“My faith was the bridge for that. I wasn’t checking for the entertainment industry. I didn’t even know I could be a part of the entertainment industry or to what capacity.”

“Nothing about this seemed right, anything I’ve ever done or ever wanted to do, but…it’s really [about] practicing trust [in God] and saying ‘Yes.’ Getting that internship for the Writer’s Room was saying ‘Yes.’”

Orji steps were definitely ordered. In addition to landing the role of lovable and impeccably dressed “Molly”, she’s also hosted Chris Rock’s Total Blackout tour in Atlanta, hosted “The Wait Is Sexy,” an honest TedTalk in which she was very vocal about her decision to wait to have sex until she’s married and is currently working on a pilot for the series FirstGen. The semi-autobiographical series will center on Joanna, a first generation Nigerian-American who trades a career in medicine for a chance at stand-up comedy. Orji shared that the show has required a lot of passion as well as the message she hopes it will promote:

“I say all the time, it takes nine months to have a baby. Anything before that is premature.”

“However, long it’s going to be, it’s going to come out like ‘Kaboom!’ guess who just stepped in the room. It’s going to be dope.”

“There’s so many stories I want to tell with this show that I think will resonate, not only with people who are FirstGen, but with anybody who comes into contact with FirstGen. Like ‘My best friend is from Ghana, and I didn’t know that her parents put pressure on them. This show has helped me see why they’re 4.0 students.’ TV has the opportunity to educate in a way that opens you up to understand other people and start conversations you probably wouldn’t know how to start. It gives you an entry way.”

With executive producers Oprah and David Oyewelo, we’re sure the show will be well worth the wait.

Even with all the moves she’s making, Orji is clear that self-care is important:

“I’m always pushing for more. How can we pack on more to that? For me, I live by can’t stop won’t stop. Yea, I can use a vacation, but there’s work to be done. But rest is important and I take it. When my body is like ‘Sit down! Be humble.’ [I listen] because I have to replenish.”

So what can fans look forward to in the second season of Insecure? Orji tells Entertainment Tonight that the next chapter will focus on growth for the characters:

“Molly is trying to be a better version of herself from season one,” Orji explains reminding us that her character’s insecurities haven’t completely gone away “because, you know, she was a beautiful mess.”

She shares that the show will also explore subjects that the black community is hesitant to touch such as mental health and getting professional help and open relationships. Orji reveals that’s what makes the show so different:

“That’s what makes the show really exciting and funny and fresh.”

“Last season, we talked about homosexuality within the black community. We looked at black women who cheat. And those are things that we haven’t necessarily seen before. The show is always going to throw up a lob and see where it lands, never telling you a right or wrong.”

You can read the complete interview here where Orji shares the insane time of the day she gets her best work done and her goal to bring the black rom-com back. You can also check out the misadventures of Molly and Issa when the second season of Insecure airs on HBO Sunday, July 23^rd.

The post “I’m Always Pushing For More.” Yvonne Orji Talks New Series And Keeping The Faith appeared first on MadameNoire.

If you’re fan of the OWN series Queen Sugar, you’re well aware how much a will can make all of the difference when it comes to the people and property left behind when a loved one passes. As I finalized flight and hotel reservations this past week for an upcoming weekend getaway me and hubby will be taking soon, he interrupted my talk of checked bags and the burger place I want to go back to with, “We really should have something in writing about what happens with our daughter in case anything ever happens to us.”

It’s a thought no one ever likes to entertain, but one I entertained briefly a few weeks before during the benefits re-enrollment process at my job as I shopped life insurance and listed beneficiaries. I’ve seen the drama that can unfold when a relative passes and no plan is left in place. Family members channel their grief into disagreement and drama and make major arguments over minor details like whether to go with the lilies or carnations for funeral flowers. Although it’s easy to take on the attitude that you won’t really be aware of what happens in the event of your death, the truth is that you can have a say in what happens with not just your assets but also the relationships between your friends and family during what will probably be a very difficult time.

As a part of their Money Series, mater mea reached out to estate-planning lawyer Lori Anne Douglas who dropped some gems about the importance of creating a will and updating it according to the changes in your life:

Douglass, a partner at New York City-based Moses & Singer LLP, shares not having a will can have consequences for your family down the road and it’s not fair to assume your family will just figure it out:

“People don’t understand that when you die, all your stuff stays here,”

“And if you don’t make a plan for it, it’ll get to the next generation, but there’ll be a significant haircut.”

She also believes that failure to estate-plan is one of the reasons why generational wealth has often alluded the African-American community:

“Having done this for 25 years and watched all the money that was lost in families because they didn’t have any planning, I am convinced that if the African-American community got on the good foot and every Black person who is alive over 60 did their estate planning, we’d be the richest minority group in the United States in one generation. We used to be the assets. Now we have assets.”

Douglass shares that when it comes to estate-planning, it’s best to get the assistance of attorney, particularly when issues such as property and guardianship of children come into play because things can get very complicated. She also adds that estate-planning doesn’t just have to apply to what happens in the event of your death, but also what happens in the event that you become disabled and can’t communicate your wants and needs:

“It’s equally as important. Most people are going to be disabled for some period of time before they die now that people are living so long. If the person becomes disabled and can’t make their own medical or financial decisions, the only way that somebody can legally make [decisions] for them is to go to court and do a guardianship or conservatorship proceeding. It’s expensive and time-consuming, and it’s just really unnecessary.

A person [should] complete, for medical directives, a health-care proxy that appoints somebody to make your medical decisions if you can’t make them; a living will that address whether you want to be removed from artificial life support if that life support is only going to prolong your natural death; and a general power of attorney that allows somebody to make your financial decisions if you can’t make them. All of those documents can be found online for free.”

Douglass also shares that when it comes to costs, it’s much cheaper to administer an estate when there’s a will in place than when there isn’t one:

“More than 50% of African Americans die without a will. Everybody should have a last will and testament if you don’t have a more complex estate plan, because it’s always cheaper to administer an estate when you have a will than when you don’t have anything.”

And when it comes to your little ones, you can’t just assume that they will automatically be placed in the care of a favorite auntie or set of grandparents:

“If you have minor children, a will is the only legal document where you can nominate guardians for your children.”

To learn more about estate-planning and making sure your loved ones are cared and provided for in your absence, you can read the two-part article here.

The post Put It In Writing: 50% Of African-Americans Die Without A Will appeared first on MadameNoire.

Between R. Kelly’s alleged harem and Usher’s 2004 hit “Let It Burn” taking on a whole new meaning, the foolery isn’t over just yet.

After recently released court documents revealed that Usher paid a sex partner $1.1 million for giving her herpes, yet another woman is speaking out about her intimate experience with the R&B singer.

According to TMZ, an unnamed woman who claims Usher knowingly exposed her to an STD is now suing him for $10 million, citing “emotional distress, negligence, and battery.” Court documents tied to the case refer to the woman as “Jane Doe” and detail that she and Usher had not one but two sexual encounters in April, the first occurring at her Atlanta home.

The woman, whose name is listed as “Jane Doe” in the legal docs, claims that she and Usher had two sexual encounters in April, the first of which occurred at her Atlanta home. She goes on to assert that during their initial purported encounter, the woman performed oral sex on the 38-year-old and engaged in sexual intercourse. While the suit is said to state that Usher did in fact wear a condom the first time, they engaged in unprotected sex the second time around at a hotel in New Orleans.

Interestingly enough, the woman has not been diagnosed with an STD. This suit follows this week’s media headlines of legal documents revealing that Usher paid another sex partner an upwards of a $1 million for giving her herpes. “Jane Doe” also expressed that while she’s not infected, she is concerned because she was “exposed.” She also went on to say that if Usher would have been forthcoming about his health she would have not had sex with him.

Usher has yet to publicly address the lawsuit nor the recently revealed court documents.

The post Usher Hit With Another Hefty Lawsuit Claiming He Exposed A Second Woman To STD appeared first on MadameNoire.

Summertime makeup woes are a real thing. From an obsessively oily t-zone to choosing between cream, gel, and powder applications, we’ve all felt the wrath of trying to maintain a beat face this season.

However, there’s hacks, tips, tricks, and solutions for everything and thankfully Lijha Stewart, MAKE UP FOR EVER’s Director of Artistry and Education, has the answers. ESSENCE recently caught up with Stewart, asking her how ladies can keep their foundation from melting in the summer heat, to which she answered, “Primer acts like velcro for your foundation, while setting spray locks your foundation in place.”

Of course, keeping your makeup in place also has to deal with the products you choose and it’s ingredients. “The right summer primer for your skin type is important!” she continued. “Meaning, if you have oily skin, avoid primers that have too much silicone. This can cause more slipping and moving of your foundation. Instead, try a primer that is water-based or oil-controlling, as this can provide a more stable base and allow the primer to soak into skin rather than floating on top.”

Ladies, if you’re looking for the right product to extend the wear of your makeup, Stewart recommends MAKE UP FOR EVER’s Step 1: Skin Equalizer Hydrating Primer ($37, sephora.com) and Mist & Fix ($30, sephora.com.

Read the full story here.

The post Here’s How To Keep Your Foundation From Melting In The Summer Heat appeared first on MadameNoire.

The Nike Chrome Blush Collection has arrived 💗 ⠀ Get set in new neutrals and cool grays for running, training and every day. ⠀ ⠀ #nike #nikewomen #ootd

A post shared by NikeWomen (@nikewomen) on Jul 13, 2017 at 8:52am PDT

After much anticipation, Nike’s Chrome Blush collection has officially arrived.

As we all know, one of the best parts of working out is sporting super cool gear, which is exactly what the ultra-feminine, 31-piece athlesiure collection is all about. With 21 of the pieces being cool kicks, the rest is a mix of sports bras, tanks, leggings, and much more that you’d make use of while running, training, or even handling your every day routine. And of course, the color palette is indicative of it’s name, so there’s items to cop in colors ranging from blush-toned pink to black, white, and grey.

With prices being reasonably marked at $25 to $160, we’re sure that this collection will sell fast. Head over to your local Nike brick-and-mortar or the Nike website to get your Chrome Blush fix.

In the meantime, check out some of the styles from the collection that caught our eye below.

Nike Dry Versa Long Sleeve Training Top ($65)

Nike Free Focus Flyknit 2 Chrome Blush Training Shoe ($120)

Nike Sportswear Track Pants ($60)

Nike Air Zoom Fearless Flyknit Chrome Blush Training Shoe ($140)

Nike Breathe Running Tank ($50)

Nike Free TR7 AMP Training Shoe ($100)

Nike Classic Swoosh Medium Support Sports Bra ($30)

The post Take A Look At Nike’s Chrome Blush Collection appeared first on MadameNoire.

Guys, look what ya crazy girl @angoswede got herself into today?? Now she wants to call it “No gym no problem”.. ‍♀️ she has issues I swear… . . I met my friend yesterday and we talked about powerlifting and strong man competitions and my head got soo big, soo big that I decided to make my couch my beatch .. I got too excited ok! . . I was able to get some deadlifts, shoulder press two variations, and vertical leg press both and single leg. I am not saying you should try this..: but I enjoyed it! Leg part was easy, shoulder? F*ing hard . . #homeworkout#couchworkout#nogymnoproblem#strongissexy

A post shared by DMV (@angoswede) on Jul 16, 2017 at 12:57pm PDT

Long gone are the days of skipping out on your workout because you can’t make it to the gym or are too tired to make the trip. Seriously, just ask Ivone Ekman or follow her on Instagram (@angoswede).

The 32-year old accountant and part-time fitness trainer hailing from Washington, D.C. doesn’t let anything get in her way of staying fit. Stuck at home with the kids and can’t find a babysitter? No worries. In true Ekman fashion, plant yourself right in front of your couch and get to work. From weighted squats to leg presses, overhead presses, and more, she’s all for unlikely fitness equipment.

Who said you have to skip your workouts because you are out traveling? Grab a chair girl!!! And put that booty to work! . . With just a Chair in the comforts of my hotel I did jump squats to warm up, step ups, split squats, overhead squats, foward and backward lunges, and good mornings. So much more you can do with just a chair. how committed are you??? . . Now I am ready to head out and enjoy the day. Happy Saturday! . #nogymnoproblem#mevschair

A post shared by DMV (@angoswede) on Jun 24, 2017 at 9:13am PDT

So, what happens when you’re traveling or on vacation and want to workout but might not have access to a gym? “Grab a chair girl!!! And put that booty to work,” she captioned one of her many Instagram workout posts, which has built her a loyal following .  “With just a chair in the comforts of my hotel I did jump squats to warm up, step ups, split squats, overhead squats, forward and backward lungs, and good mornings. So much more you can do with just a chair.”

Well, if that’s not enough motivation to get it in anywhere, we don’t know what is. Continue scrolling for more motivation to kick your fitness into high gear.

Trainers will tell you “GET YOUR LAZY ash off bed and don’t don’t skip your workouts”.. @angoswede is nicer.. she will say instead: “NO NEED to get your lazy ash off bed, just don’t skip your workouts” specially if you own a PILLOw!! . . And if anyone tells you that a bed was made for sleep? You need to tag them here. Why? Because my abs were in serious pain during this routine… . . AND I think my alarm clock will loose the snoozing power over me if I decided to wake myself up this way every morning? What you think? . . #pilloworkout#bedworkout#nogymnoproblem

A post shared by DMV (@angoswede) on Jul 22, 2017 at 10:36am PDT

When @angoswede is trying to decide if she should go to the gym to lift or cook her meals? . Then she thought heeey…, WHY go to the gym when You have a couch?.. And that’s the story of how @angoswede ‘s food was cooking while She was lifting ‍♀️‍♀️ #shecandoboth#problemsolved . . Couch workout take 2 was about front squats, good morning or stiff deadlift, and chest press. Chest press was hard AF . #multitasking

A post shared by DMV (@angoswede) on Jul 21, 2017 at 4:45pm PDT

When you are an online trained your job is never over! Even during lunch time you go live and explain to your clients how to perform certain exercises right. . Showing how to perfect the squats here. Pretty much keep your back straight, don’t lean foward too much, shoulders pointing up, Sit on that booty and don’t let your knees go over your toes!! . If I can squat on my boots you can squat on your sneakers

A post shared by DMV (@angoswede) on Nov 1, 2016 at 11:54am PDT

The post This Woman Is Proving That You Can Get Fit Anywhere, Literally… appeared first on MadameNoire.

I don’t know about you guys, but it could be 37 degrees in the dead of winter in the middle of a blizzard and all I need to do is pop on Ameriie’s debut single, “Why Don’t We Fall In Love” for it to feel like it’s the first day of spring. Throughout the early 2000’s, the singer would top the charts every now and then with hit singles like “1 Thing” and “Heard Em’ All” and earlier this year she dropped new music with the song, “Redrum”.

After marrying producer Lenny Nicholson in 2011, Ameriie channeled her talent into other ventures including a Youtube channel called “Books Beauty Ameriie” where she reviews books, makeup, hair care products and more. Last year, Entertainment Weekly reported that the songstress teamed up with other BookTubers and YA giants like Nicola Yoon and Marissa Meyer to create Because You Love to Hate Me, a new anthology published through Bloomsbury Press, celebrating the villains of the world. When asked on why she chose to create a book centered on bad girls and guys she shared that she believes our interest in the dark side says a lot about how we see ourselves:

“Everyone loves to hate a villain (or loves to love one, even), and sometimes we’re afraid of what that might mean about ourselves and our own values. What is right? What is wrong? Can something very wrong today be deemed a necessary evil years later? Where’s the line? Is there a line?”

“For me, storytelling is more about questions than answers, and it only made sense to explore the concept of villainy from as many perspectives as possible.”

Fast forward to July of this year and fresh off independently dropping her latest album “Drive”, Ameriie officially added the title of editor and author to her name when Because You Love To Hate Me hit shelves. Ameriie, who wrote the foreword in addition to editing the anthology and contributing a story of her own, shared with Instagram followers that the work recently made its way to the New York Time’s bestseller list and even shared some moments from a book signing. Check out a few pics below that highlight yet another talent of the lovely Ameriie!

The post Did You Know Ameriie (Yes The “1 Thing” Amerie) Is A Best-Selling Author? appeared first on MadameNoire.

Master of None is a hilarious, but still severely slept on little show by comedian Aziz Ansari that tackles the experience of being a millennial American through the eyes of different cultures without making us feel like he’s attempting to fill some kind of quota. If you’re a fan, you may have caught one of the stars Lena Waithe truly step into her role as main character’s Dev’s best friend, Denise, a super dope chic who just happens to be an African-American lesbian. The episode “Thanksgiving” was recently nominated for an Emmy and centers around Denise’s experience coming out to her family. Waithe recently sat down with EBONY to share if and how the episode reflected her own reality. The 33-year-old shares she didn’t actually feel all that compelled to tell the story at first:

“I think for me as an artist I never had a desire to tell that story, per se. I just felt like I want to show queer people, particularly a queer Black woman, post that part of her life. Dating, hanging out with her friends, kicking it [and] having a certain kind of swag. I feel like most of our stories tend to be coming-of-age, which happens to include a coming out theme. When do we get past that?”

She goes on to explain that Ansari and co-writer Alan Yang convinced her the show would tackle the experience in a way that hasn’t been shown before, and Ansari even  worked around Waithe’s busy schedule at the time (Waithe was working in London) to make sure her writing, and not just her story was a part of it:

“I just told it to them in the writer’s room. I was like, ‘You guys will still write it and come back and tell me what we’re shooting.’ They were like, ‘Nah, we need your writing too. We need you to help us with it.’”

She also talked about how personal and scary the writing process was, but she’s thankful to her colleagues or giving her the opportunity:

“What we shot is 90% of what we wrote in that hotel room in London. It was fantastic and the process was really cool. I had never really written with somebody like that.”

“It’s a scary thing to come out. It’s a place I don’t go back to every day, but to kind of just sit in it and to relive that, to know I survived it, to know I came through it was really powerful. It was a really amazing experience. And for people to respond to it the way they have I think is just revolutionary.”

“It really is a tribute to my family. It’s a tribute to how strong you have to be to come out not just to your mom, but to yourself, to your friends and to the world. It really just was a wonderful gift that Aziz and Alan gave me. I didn’t even realize at the time that it was such a huge gift. But I’m just glad that we got to do it.”

Waithe also shared what she hopes to accomplish with The Chi, an hour-long  drama recently picked up by the Showtime network which Deadline describes as, “a relevant, timely and distinctive coming-of-age story and follows a half dozen interrelated characters in the South Side of Chicago.” Waithe says she hopes to shatter the broken image some have of the city:

“My mission is to humanize the people of the city. I ask that people be patient with us in the first season, we’re trying to figure it out. It’s not just me. I have a lot of producing partners that work with me on the show. I think my biggest thing is definitely to maintain the integrity of the city. That’s my goal.”

She reveals Common, a fellow Chicago native, along with his team are also helping with the show for which she wrote the pilot for a few years ago.

You can check out the infamous “Thanksgiving” episode in Season 2 of Master of None which is currently streaming on Netflix. You at least have to watch it for Kym Whitley’s line about the sweet potatoes alone.  You can also read Waithe’s exclusive interview with EBONY here.

The post “My Mission Is To Humanize The People Of The City.” Lena Waithe Shares Backstory Of That “Thanksgiving” Episode And Upcoming Project “Chi” appeared first on MadameNoire.

This is exciting!

The post Mary J. Blige, Jill Scott and More Headline “VH1 Divas” appeared first on MadameNoire.

What have you learned from India's music?

The post India Taught Me: 5 Life Lessons Learned From India Arie appeared first on MadameNoire.

We love it!

The post Remember Her? Leela James Honors Etta James with “Something’s Got a Hold On Me” Cover appeared first on MadameNoire.

See what this soul singer had to say...

The post MN Exclusive: Singer Leela James on Her Start in Music and Etta James appeared first on MadameNoire.

It's the power of good love, ya'll.

The post Pass or Play: India Arie Gives Us a ‘Cocoa Butter’ Healing In New Love Song appeared first on MadameNoire.

Are you feeling this?

The post Pass Or Play: Fantasia Brings In Missy Elliott & Kelly Rowland For New Single “Without Me” appeared first on MadameNoire.

15 songs that have made an impact on Black culture.

The post Songs That Make Us Say Loud, “I’m Black And I’m Proud!” appeared first on MadameNoire.

Toni Braxton and good friend Babyface are prepping for a new album and we want to know...Pass or Play?

The post Pass Or Play: Toni Braxton & Babyface Back On The Scene With “Hurt You” appeared first on MadameNoire.

What do you think?

The post Video Pass Or Play: Leela James & Anthony Hamilton Give Us The Visual for “Say That” appeared first on MadameNoire.

Don't react too quickly, he drops sage advice in this interview.

The post “A Lot Of Women Have Chips On Their Shoulders:” Jesse Boykins III Talks Romance, Women And New Album ‘Love Apparatus’ appeared first on MadameNoire.

He was the real joke.

The post We Shade Iggy Azalea But Not R Kelly? appeared first on MadameNoire.