I introduced [Duane] to my ex-husband [former Turks & Caicos Premier Michael Misick], he got buddy-buddy with him and then turned against me. Just recently, this fool Duane up and sold a building he and I bought awhile ago in Los Angeles, without asking...I don't care if we're not friends, just don't try to f**k me in the interim.


When I heard about him in the middle of Will & Jada's divorce rumors, I tweeted: sounds familiar. He really aint got enough business.  (source)

I introduced [Duane] to my ex-husband [former Turks & Caicos Premier Michael Misick], he got buddy-buddy with him and then turned against me. Just recently, this fool Duane up and sold a building he and I bought awhile ago in Los Angeles, without asking...I don't care if we're not friends, just don't try to f**k me in the interim.


When I heard about him in the middle of Will & Jada's divorce rumors, I tweeted: sounds familiar. He really aint got enough business.  (source)

So how’s the new album coming?
The songs are already done. Now we’re just putting on the final touches and it’ll be here in September. It’s called Simply Tweet and it’s just me. I’m branching out of my own. I’m not under the wings of anybody else. It’s a new space in my life. It’s just different…different love, different situation…very different than the place I was in when I recorded Southern Hummingbird. The single is called ‘Enough’, and it’s for my ladies…and that’s all I can tell you about that.


It’s been a while since we last heard from you. What’s happened since 2005?
The last album was It’s Me Again, in 2005 and I think I took a good break. I didn’t get the support that I thought I deserved on that last album. I was feeling overwhelmed and decided to get my life together, get my relationship with God back on track, start spending more time with daughter.


How is the 2012 Tweet, different from the 2005 Tweet?
I’m happier now. I know who I am as a woman and an artist. Now I want to let women know that they can do it too. They can find that happiness, they don’t have to stay in unhappy situations.


Tell me about some of your unhappy situations…
I was definitely unhappy with the record company. When I first turned in the last album it was all me. But being that Elektra turned into Atlantic, it was all new people and they didn’t know who I was. They made me take off ½ of my songs to make room for more Hip Hop. I can’t blame anybody because I didn’t stand up for myself. So even when I look back on that period, I blame me.




Does any of this have anything to do with your relationship with Missy? ...She’s not on the album.
We’re fine. I just decided I wanted to prove to myself, in that healing, that I wanted to do this on my own and be a business woman. We’re cool and everything is fine. We were actually going to work together for this album but our schedules didn’t meet up.




How do you feel about the current state of R&B?
I’m sad. Everything sounds the same. I’m a music lover and I’m still playing our old stuff. We should be evolving right now, we’ve mixed everything so much. We’re on a one track mind. Every song sounds the same.


So there’s no one in the new class that you’re feeling?
Honestly, I listen to my old stuff. I’m still playing my Marvin and Aretha. Honestly I haven’t gotten into anybody. I do like Miguel. I play a couple of his cuts a lot. Joonie is really dope too.


R&B has evolved into an even ‘racier’ place, since 2005, and you’re a very grown woman now. Where do you see yourself fitting in, in this overt landscape?
I am grown. I’m 41. I’ve never been the type to want to be overly sexy. Even when I was portrayed that way, I’ve been made to. I’m t-shirt, jeans and sneakers. It’s not my main focus to be sexy. You don’t have to do all that to be sexy. And I want to tell all my ladies, my aunties, cousins, sisters: We got Mac make-up, we don’t have to wear it. You don’t NEED all of that to be sexy.

So how’s the new album coming?
The songs are already done. Now we’re just putting on the final touches and it’ll be here in September. It’s called Simply Tweet and it’s just me. I’m branching out of my own. I’m not under the wings of anybody else. It’s a new space in my life. It’s just different…different love, different situation…very different than the place I was in when I recorded Southern Hummingbird. The single is called ‘Enough’, and it’s for my ladies…and that’s all I can tell you about that.


It’s been a while since we last heard from you. What’s happened since 2005?
The last album was It’s Me Again, in 2005 and I think I took a good break. I didn’t get the support that I thought I deserved on that last album. I was feeling overwhelmed and decided to get my life together, get my relationship with God back on track, start spending more time with daughter.


How is the 2012 Tweet, different from the 2005 Tweet?
I’m happier now. I know who I am as a woman and an artist. Now I want to let women know that they can do it too. They can find that happiness, they don’t have to stay in unhappy situations.


Tell me about some of your unhappy situations…
I was definitely unhappy with the record company. When I first turned in the last album it was all me. But being that Elektra turned into Atlantic, it was all new people and they didn’t know who I was. They made me take off ½ of my songs to make room for more Hip Hop. I can’t blame anybody because I didn’t stand up for myself. So even when I look back on that period, I blame me.




Does any of this have anything to do with your relationship with Missy? ...She’s not on the album.
We’re fine. I just decided I wanted to prove to myself, in that healing, that I wanted to do this on my own and be a business woman. We’re cool and everything is fine. We were actually going to work together for this album but our schedules didn’t meet up.




How do you feel about the current state of R&B?
I’m sad. Everything sounds the same. I’m a music lover and I’m still playing our old stuff. We should be evolving right now, we’ve mixed everything so much. We’re on a one track mind. Every song sounds the same.


So there’s no one in the new class that you’re feeling?
Honestly, I listen to my old stuff. I’m still playing my Marvin and Aretha. Honestly I haven’t gotten into anybody. I do like Miguel. I play a couple of his cuts a lot. Joonie is really dope too.


R&B has evolved into an even ‘racier’ place, since 2005, and you’re a very grown woman now. Where do you see yourself fitting in, in this overt landscape?
I am grown. I’m 41. I’ve never been the type to want to be overly sexy. Even when I was portrayed that way, I’ve been made to. I’m t-shirt, jeans and sneakers. It’s not my main focus to be sexy. You don’t have to do all that to be sexy. And I want to tell all my ladies, my aunties, cousins, sisters: We got Mac make-up, we don’t have to wear it. You don’t NEED all of that to be sexy.

VH1′s Love & Hip Hop is back with a facelift featuring a new city and new cast members. Atlanta welcomes the 10-episode series with open arms. Airing on June 18 at 8 p.m. EST, the spinoff show will include Grammy Award-Winning producer Stevie J, his girlfriend Mimi Faust, rising Latina rapper Joseline, Lil Scrappy, his girlfriend Erica Dixon and his mother (sounds familiar?), Atlanta rapper Rasheeda and new artists K. Michelle and Karlie Reed.


While we are sure drama will be involved to some extent, the show’s mission is to watch the cast as they chase their dreams with a “southern twist.” After getting well-acquainted with the members of the original ‘Love & Hip-Hop, we hope these new members will fulfill all the needs that the first one gave us.


We hope you’re ready. (source)

VH1′s Love & Hip Hop is back with a facelift featuring a new city and new cast members. Atlanta welcomes the 10-episode series with open arms. Airing on June 18 at 8 p.m. EST, the spinoff show will include Grammy Award-Winning producer Stevie J, his girlfriend Mimi Faust, rising Latina rapper Joseline, Lil Scrappy, his girlfriend Erica Dixon and his mother (sounds familiar?), Atlanta rapper Rasheeda and new artists K. Michelle and Karlie Reed.


While we are sure drama will be involved to some extent, the show’s mission is to watch the cast as they chase their dreams with a “southern twist.” After getting well-acquainted with the members of the original ‘Love & Hip-Hop, we hope these new members will fulfill all the needs that the first one gave us.


We hope you’re ready. (source)

I said it on the reunion and I will say it again, I’m 32, a CEO, a wife and a mommy, I did not sign up for Bad Girls Club. As a mom, I am my daughters’ FIRST role model and as a black woman who has been given a platform, I have a responsibility to show young girls “better”.


Am I mad? No, more like I’m disappointed. When I was attacked everyone thought it was funny. No one thought her actions were disgraceful. As a matter of fact the very same ladies (for lack of a better word) that are “hurt” by the backlash, joked about me being attacked. They laughed and even called me names for taking a stand against her.


I thought pressing charges was wack? Oooooh, I get it…it’s wack when it’s not you!


They all (except Royce) stood behind her, co-signing her actions. But now you want everyone to believe you want balance? As much as their hypocrisy bothers me, I expect it because now their actions threaten their money. So, I knew the crocodile tears weren’t far behind.


What really hurts me are all of the talk show hosts and journalists that are suddenly disturbed by what they are seeing. Taking stands, boycotting, signing petitions etc…Isn’t this what I contacted all of you about last year? I asked for your support, none of which I received. But now it’s a problem? So, it was ok for me to be physically assaulted? Where was all of this “Call To Action” last year? Am I less of a human being?