beyonce biography |
- Renowned freelance illustrator chosen to draw Google Doodle of Civil Rights poet Audre Lorde for Black History Month - KABC-TV
- Beyoncé, Bethenny and a Slew of Women-Led Organizations Take on Texas Relief - The Story Exchange
- Black History Month: Recounting a century of influential record-breaking musicians - Guinness World Records
- Of Course Blue Ivy Steals the Show in Ivy Park's New Campaign - Teen Vogue
| Posted: 23 Feb 2021 05:32 PM PST  LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- World renowned American Poet and Activist Audre Lorde was born February 18, 1934. Upon her death in 1992, she left behind a body of work speaking to the struggles of people of color, women and gays and lesbians like herself. Freelance illustrator Monica Ahanonu says when she first read Lorde's poems it inspired her to be more bold and brave in the face of fear. Ahanonu was honored to be chosen by Google to do a doodle dedicated to Audre Lorde. As an Illustrator Ahanonu has a unique artist style that has landed her on the cover of news magazines across the country. Her body of work includes many of the world's most inspiring women: Rosa Parks, Diana Ross, Beyonce, and the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg to name a few. She's become enthralled putting her artistic talent to work on her Audre Lorde project. "I've drawn her before in the past for other smaller projects," said Ahanonu. "So it's mostly been recently that I got to study her." She says the poet's work has inspired a vast audience. "Different areas that she fought for, people in those areas were encouraged by her," said Ahanonu. Copyright © 2021 KABC-TV. All Rights Reserved.  |
| Beyoncé, Bethenny and a Slew of Women-Led Organizations Take on Texas Relief - The Story Exchange Posted: 23 Feb 2021 06:44 AM PST  From international stars like Beyoncé to local women-led organizations like Feed the People Dallas, women are showing up for Texas. Last week's winter storm killed 58 people, 32 of whom were Texans, according to The Washington Post. The devastating storm has turned into a full-blown crisis: icy roads and burst water pipes, residents with no power or heat. Many Texans are still lacking basic necessities such as water, food and electricity. As recovery for many still may be weeks or months away, women have been at the forefront of the relief effort. We've highlighted a few of them below. AOC Raises $5 MillionWhile Sen. Ted Cruz hopped a plane to Mexico and Gov. Greg Abbott has gone MIA, other politicians — like New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — have stepped in. AOC raised a nearly staggering $5 million in relief funds and flew to Texas on Friday to oversee the efforts, according to CNN. [Related: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is a Living Master Class in Social Media Strategy] "This is not just an issue for Texans, this is an issue for our entire country," Ocasio-Cortez said after landing in Houston. "When you have a disaster like this, it can set people back for years, not just for days." Keeping the recovery of her birth state in mind, Beyoncé's foundation BeyGOOD — in partnership with Adidas and Bread of Life — is providing up to $1,000 in aid (through an application process) to Texans and residents of other states affected by the storm. Insider reported that an "overwhelming response" has currently forced applications to close. [Related: Queen Bey's Latest Edict? Buy From Black-Owned Businesses] TV personality Bethenny Frankel is also sending out trucks worth $180,000 of food, water and Covid gear such as masks and sanitizer. According to People, she hopes to send out three trucks totaling $540,000 in donations through her disaster-relief initiative BStrong. "BStrong specializes in immediate disaster relief — no blaming, no complaining, get the aid to the people with full transparency to you," Frankel said in a video she posted to Instagram. "We have trucks that hold these boxes that feed a family of five for a month." And musician Kacey Musgraves, who was born in Texas and lives in Nashville, sold T-shirts that troll Cruz (the shirts read "Cruzin' for a Bruzin'") and brought in $100,000 in sales, with all proceeds supporting relief efforts, News 4 Nashville reported. Working From the Ground UpWhile celebrity women are using their platforms for the greater good, efforts at home by local women have proven just as important. From homeless shelters to mutual aids, women are rising to the occasion. [Related: Amid Pandemic Hunger Crisis, Entrepreneurial Women Work to Combat Food Insecurity] Feed the People Dallas, a Black and Latinx female-led mutual aid collective, is not only using donations to provide food and shelter, but it has also created an Amazon wishlist that anyone can purchase from — similar to a registry. Afterwards, the items on the wishlist will be given out to those in need in Texas. "Right now, we are working on getting people into hotels and getting them food," founder Vanessa Wilmore told ABC World News Tonight. "The nation is taking care of the Lone Star State." The news show also featured Cara Adams, founder of Texas Relief Warriors, whose organization has been cooking and serving hot meals in Houston with the nearly $50,000 so far she's raised in donations. American Red Cross, headed by CEO Gail J. McGovern, is sending 100,000 meals along with tractors of water to Texas. The organization is accepting cash as well as blood donations. They also have opened shelters across Texas. Smaller organizations like the Houseless Organization Coalition, which describes itself as "a revolutionary coalition fully operated by BIPOC organizers with a majority of our members being queer, women, nonbinary, and femmes," have also prioritized food and shelter for Texans — even when doing so has been increasingly difficult. "We want to clarify that we're not a large organization [with] infrastructure to meet the massive need right now," they wrote on Twitter. "Mutual aid is a survival mechanism and we are not the single answer to the many atrocities from a government that supports the exploitation of folks under capitalism." Still, they added, "Anyone can do this work, and we encourage you to get a group and organize in your neighborhood!" [Related: How a Texas Abortion Provider Has Learned to Be Resilient in a Difficult Industry]  |
| Posted: 19 Feb 2021 12:00 AM PST Music is often regarded as a universal language, bringing together people across space and time. Although today we dance and sing to some of the world's greatest sensations, there was once a period in history where musicians of color were fighting for equality in society, all while producing record-breaking hits. During this year's Black History Month, we're taking a moment to recognize Black musicians from the past 100 years who have not only had a prominent influence in the realm of music but did so powerfully in the midst of adversity. The following legacies have laid the foundation for Black artists to amplify their voice and break records of their own. 1949 – Ray Charles, Longest career on the US R&B chartsGeorgia-born Ray Charles was highly regarded as the "Father of Soul". As a child, he spent his days relying on his sense of sound to compensate for his visual impairment. He grew up learning how to play several instruments, including the organ, piano, saxophone, trumpet, and clarinet. The ensemble largely led to his wide span musical influence, which was known for combining genres of gospel, country, and blues. Despite challenging times for African Americans during the peak of his music career in the 1960s, he still managed to succeed, achieving the Guinness World Records title for the longest span of US R&B singles and albums charts. Charles, who began his career as leader of the Maxine Trio with the single "Confession Blues" in April 1949 filled decades with hits such as "Georgia on My Mind," and Grammy-winning "Hit the Road, Jack". His most recent release as a solo artist was from his album Ray Sings Basie Swings on 21 October 2006, which placed him on the charts again decades later. 1955 – Louis Armstrong, Longest US chart span (album)The brilliant artist who gave us "What a Wonderful World" made history throughout the entire 20th Century by setting the record the longest span of US album chart entries. His album Satch Plays Fats entered on 1 October 1955 and Ken Burns Jazz - The Definitve Louis Armstrong debuted in January 2001, 45 years 3 months later. Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, Armstrong was mentored by famed cornetist Joe "King" Oliver, which led to his prolific music career. He served as a pioneer for Black individuals through his successes and opportunities, which were quite difficult for people of color to obtain at the time. His music during the 1920s and 1930s were part of popular radio, films, and eventually led to more recordings. His heralded hard work helped him to have the longest US chart span after first appearing on a Billboard chart in 1946. His most recent entry to the listings came in 1988, 17 years after his death, with "What A Wonderful World" from the film soundtrack to Good Morning Vietnam. Armstrong also had over 50 hits before the "official" chart started in 1940, his first being "Muskrat Ramble", thus taking his span of hits to more than 61 years. He's also the oldest artist at No.1 on US singles chart at the age 63 years, when Hello Dolly! reached No.1 in 1964. 1959 – Ella Fitzgerald, First female artist to receive an 'Album of the Year' Grammy Awards nominationThe great Ella Fitzgerald is now praised for her powerful vocals and timeless sound – but her success wasn't always at the forefront of her life. After growing up in a low-income household, her mother and boyfriend died at an early age, leaving her with deep emotions, heartache, and loss. This hardship played into the raw sound of her music and allowed her to deliver heartfelt performances when she began to sing in 1938. She was said to have felt a genuine appreciation for her success, knowing what it was like to have very little in life. Fitzgerald became good friends with trumpeter Louis Armstrong and went on to record albums together, eventually creating her famed songbook series. Throughout the remainder of her career, she sang with many well-known artists, including Frank Sinatra, and became friends with Hollywood star, Marilyn Monroe, who leveraged her own fame to help Fitzgerald's reach mainstream media and audiences. In 1959, the songstress became first female artist to receive an 'Album of the Year' Grammy Awards nomination at the first Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California. The nomination was for her studio album titled Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irving Berlin Song Book, which was released in 1958. 1963 – Stevie Wonder, Youngest solo artist at No.1 on US album chartBorn Stevland Hardaway Judkins, the one and only Stevie Wonder was born with an inclination for the music world. Although his eyesight became impaired at an early age, he taught himself how to play several instruments and learned to sing as part of his church choir. At 11 years old, he was scouted by Ronnie White of the Motown band "The Miracles", which kickstarted his professional career. Just two years later, Wonder became the world's youngest solo artist at No.1 on US album chart Stevie Wonder at the age of 13 years 3 months old when his album Little Stevie Wonder - The Twelve Year Old Genius (1963) topped the US charts. Several albums later, including his works Talking Book, and For Once in My Life, Wonder established himself as one of Motown's frequent hit-makers, bringing his fame to new heights. In 1973, he took home his first Grammy, and went on to take home dozens more as well as a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996. 1987 – Aretha Franklin, First female artist inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of FameThe "Queen of Soul" was known for her smash hits, but in the beginning years of her professional singing career, Franklin was also viewed as a potent symbol of black advancement. She often helped civil rights causes by performing publicly in support of Martin Luther King, Jr., and many of her hit tracks such as "Respect" (1967) and "Think" (1968) became anthems that condemned the racial treatment she and other Black individuals received. Franklin's music was widely known through the 60s and beyond, characterized by her gospel and blues tonality. She went on to record duets with famed artists such as Annie Lenox, Whitney Houston, James Brown, and George Michael. Her albums Young, Gifted, and Black, You, and I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You often carried undertones of fighting racial injustice, all while being sing-along hits played on the radio. In 1987, after a wildly successful career in the music industry, Franklin was the world's first female artist inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Today, she is honored for breaking down barriers for women as well as the Black community during a challenging time in the United States, utilizing her voice in areas beyond the music world. 1988 – Whitney Houston, Most consecutive US No. 1 singlesThe '80s were prominent for the music industry, but pop sensation Whitney Houston seemed to shine brightly above it all. The hit singer is remembered for her classic hits, but when It comes to record-breaking, Houston achieved seven consecutive No.1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 between 1985 and 1988. They included her tracks: "Saving All My Love for You" (1985), "How Will I Know" (1986), "Greatest Love of All" (1986), "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" (1987), "Didn't We Almost Have it All" (1987), "So Emotional" (1987) and "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" (1988). A year before that feat, her album Whitney, entered the Billboard 200 albums chart at No.1. She became the first female artist to debut at No.1 in the history of the countdown, first published as the Billboard Top Albums Chart on 24 March 1945. The Grammy-nominated Whitney, which featured the four No.1 singles "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)", "Didn't We Almost Have It All", "So Emotional" and "Where do Broken Hearts Go", spent 11 consecutive weeks at No.1 and has sold more than eight million copies in the USA alone. The Jersey-born singer may have come from a musical family, but she also had a talent for acting. After starring in the movie The Bodyguard in 1992, her lead song from the film "I Will Always Love You" broke several records, including most cumulative weeks at No.1 on US singles chart (solo female, individual single) with 14 weeks. The song also became the world's best-selling single by a female artist (US) selling more than 4.5 million copies in the USA. Overall, the score from that movie went on to achieve the biggest-selling soundtrack album, with the Grammy-winning record selling 44 million copies worldwide. The album, which has been certified for shipments of 17 million copies in the US alone, spent 20 non-consecutive weeks at No.1 between 12 December 1992 and 29 May 1993 and was the first album to register sales of more than one million copies in a week. As a result of her fame, her tremendous talent, and continuous hits in the industry, Houston also became the first recipient of the BET Lifetime Achievement Award 2001. 1989 – Will Smith & DJ Jazzy Jeff, First recipients of a Rap GrammyTwo aspiring rappers from Philadelphia never dreamed they'd make it as big as they did when they first started out. In 1986, Jazzy Jeff and Smith performed together at a house party which led them to win the New Music Seminar, where Jeff landed a record deal with Jive. Their breakout single, "Girls Ain't Nothing But Trouble," built an audience through MTV which helped gain attention for their 1987 debut album, Rock the House. Not long after, the duo released their LP, He's the D.J., I'm the Rapper. It became one of the first double-LP sets in rap history, selling more than 2.5 million copies once the music video for "Parents Just Don't Understand" became a hit on MTV. The success led them to make rap history with their win of the first Grammy award for Best Rap Performance with "Parents Just Don't Understand." 2003 – Beyoncé, First act to debut at No.1 with their first six studio albums (USA)They call her "Queen Bey" for a reason, and it's because her music has become an iconic staple in pop culture. International superstar Beyoncé Knowles Carter may have begun as a singer in the R&B group Destiney's Child, but she has become one of the most prolific solo careers. Beyoncé's first six studio albums - Dangerously in Love (2003); B'Day (2006); I Am... Sasha Fierce (2008); 4 (2011); Beyoncé (2013); and Lemonade (2016) - all debuted at No.1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. No other act can match her chart-topping success on the US albums chart from the start of a career. After decades of radio hits, Beyoncé began to see the success of her efforts. At the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards on 31 January 2010, Beyoncé collected six awards (from a record-equaling 10 nominations): Song of the Year, Best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)", Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "Halo", Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance for "At Last", and Best Contemporary R&B Album for I Am... Sasha Fierce- breaking the record for the most Grammy Awards won in a single year by a female artist. Her music has led to other milestone achievements in her career, including cosmetic advertisement deals, her own merchandise, headlining at the Coachella music festival, and performing at the inaugural ceremony for former US President Barack Obama in 2008. She most recently starred as the voice of Nala in Disney's live action film of The Lion King. Knowles has broken several other records throughout history thanks to her well-known fame among her passionate fan group, such most BET Awards won by an individual(31) and fastest-selling album on iTunes. 2016 – Drake, Most consecutive weeks in Top 10 of US Hot 100 (male)In the rap world, Drake has paved quite the legacy since the start of his career in 2009. He went from acting on the Canadian teen-drama Degrassi to becoming one of the most notable rappers in the world. After releasing albums Thank Me Later (2010), Take Care (2011), Nothing Was the Same (2013), and Views (2016) he broke the record for the most consecutive weeks in Top 10 of US Hot 100. He notched his 51st consecutive week on the Top 10 chart thanks to his record-breaking run, which began on 3 October 2015 when "Hotline Bling" climbed to No.9 and also included the hit "Summer Sixteen" (Hot 100 debut at No.6 on 20 February 2016). His follow-up,"One Dance" (Top 10 debut on 7 May 2016) was the 10-week chart-topper that maintained Drake's Top 10 streak until it fell to No.11 on the chart dated 24 September 2016. Drake went on to become the most prolific hit-maker in US Billboard Hot 100 history when he debuted at No.89 with his 208th entry, "Oprah's Bank Account", on the chart dated 21 March 2020. The track, credited to Lil Yachty, Drake & DaBaby, broke a tie with the Glee Cast, who amassed 207 entries on the Hot 100 between June 2009 and October 2013. As a result of his multiple hits, he has broken records for the most Billboard Music Awards won by an artist in a single year at 13 has become the most streamed artist on Spotify (male) after being streamed 35.1 billion times. 2018 – James Brown, Most sampled actThe famous James Brown, known as the "The Godfather of Soul", has a legacy that lives on. Renowned for his flashy showmanship, flavorful dancing, and concerts that displayed his passionate love for music – many would have never guessed the famed performer grew up with a challenging background. At the age of 16, he was arrested for stealing a car and sentenced to three years in prison. While incarcerated, Brown led the prison's gospel choir. During this time, he met Bobby Byrd, an aspiring R&B singer and pianist, who would later help him to launch his career. The founder of "funk" had many singles that advanced his musical career, including "Lost Someone," "Night Train" and "Prisoner of Love". Aside from his love for music, he cared deeply about social causes, using his platform to become an influence in the Black community. In 1966, he recorded "Don't Be a Dropout," a plea to the Black community to place more focus on education. Two years later, the day after Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination, Brown gave a rare televised live concert in Boston in an attempt to prevent rioting. A few months later, he wrote and recorded "Say It Loud: I'm Black and I'm Proud," a protest anthem that has unified and inspired generations. Years after his death in 2006, Brown's music is still breaking records. He is the most sampled act with a total 8,129 samples, as confirmed on 8 February 2021. "Funky Drummer" (1969), which first appeared on an album, In the Jungle Groove, over 17 years after it was written, is the most sampled Brown song, having appeared on 1,440 tracks from acts as diverse as Dr Dre ("Let Me Ride"), George Michael ("Freedom! 90"), Nicki Minaj ("Save Me"), Public Enemy ("Fight the Power"), Emeli Sandé ("Heaven") and Ed Sheeran ("Shirtsleeves").
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| Of Course Blue Ivy Steals the Show in Ivy Park's New Campaign - Teen Vogue Posted: 18 Feb 2021 07:33 AM PST  More or less since the day she was born, it's been apparent that Blue Ivy Carter is a star in waiting. Having already conquered the red carpet, proved herself adept at wielding a make-up brush, and earned herself a Grammy nomination – and all before her 10th birthday – the nine-year-old daughter of Jay-Z and Beyoncé has expanded her list of talents once again. Allow us to introduce you to Blue Ivy: The Supermodel. Blue Ivy's latest endeavor sees her take a high-profile spot among the star-studded line-up wearing Beyoncé's latest collection for her athleisure line, Ivy Park. This time entitled Icy Park — a nod to the inclusion of skiwear — the cast also includes actual supermodel Hailey Bieber and Queen Bey herself, of course. But Blue didn't let her grown-up co-stars intimidate her. Quite the opposite. Watch the fashion film and you'll see a confident Blue delivering a sassy performance for the camera and — we'll say it — out-posing her fellow Ivy Park models. Blue can first be spotted wearing the Latte I.D Ivy Park designs. This logo-heavy brown selection of pieces lends itself to a distinctly '90s mood, and Blue – knowingly or not – adds to this with her Spice Girls-approved peace-sign poses. The look was brought bang up to date with the addition of Blue's matching face covering. Her second look is a padded jacket covered in a newspaper print that matches her megastar mom's. Members of the Bey Hive and Blue's own ever-expanding fan base were quick to point out her model potential on social media. What's next for this celebrity progeny? Don't rule out an Oscar nomination. This story originally appeared in British Vogue. Let us slide into your DMs. Sign up for the Teen Vogue daily email. Want more from Teen Vogue? Check this out:  |
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